杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

Pray for people in government and for politicians, that they 鈥渕ay work for the common good.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis issued that appeal in his homily at Mass on Monday in the Casa Santa Marta.

Prayer

The 杏MAP导航 said St Paul, in his letter to Timothy (1 Tm 2:1-8), calls us to pray for everyone, 鈥渇or kings and for all in authority鈥� and that it should be done 鈥渨ithout anger or argument鈥�. St Paul adds that we do this so 鈥渢hat we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.鈥�

鈥淧aul emphasizes the environment surrounding the believer: prayer. Here he focuses on intercessory prayer: 鈥楨veryone should pray, for all, so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, in dignity and devotion to God.鈥� Prayer helps make this possible. But there is an emphasis I would like to talk about: 鈥楩or everyone鈥� and then he adds 鈥榝or kings and for all in authority鈥�. So, he is talking about prayer for people in government, for politicians, and for the people responsible for political institutions, nations, and regions.鈥�

Pray for those with different opinions

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to say that politicians often receive either 鈥減raise from their supporters or insults鈥�.

He added that priests and bishops receive the same treatment. Some people say they will pray for their priest or bishop 鈥渙nly if they are worthy鈥�, and go on to list a litany of 鈥渋nsults and curse words鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

But, he noted, people in authority 鈥渉ave the responsibility to guide their nation鈥�. 鈥淗ow can we leave them alone, without asking God to bless them?鈥� he asked. The 杏MAP导航 said that few people pray for those in government, spending most of their time 鈥渋nsulting them.鈥�

St Paul, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, makes it clear that we must 鈥減ray for all of them鈥�.

Italian government crisis

The 杏MAP导航 then recalled the recently resolved crisis in the Italian government.

鈥淲ho of us prayed for people in government? Who of us prayed for parliamentarians, so that they might reach an agreement and guide the nation forward? It seems that the patriotic spirit doesn鈥檛 reach into prayer. Sure, criticism, hate, fighting, and it ends there. 鈥業t is my wish, then, that in every place people should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.鈥� Discussion must happen, and this is the role of parliament. Discussion must occur, but without annihilating the other. Rather, each must pray for the other, for those who have a different opinion than I do.鈥�

Call to conversion

In the face of those who say certain politicians are 鈥渢oo communist鈥� or 鈥渃orrupt鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis 鈥� citing the day鈥檚 Gospel of Luke (7:1-10) 鈥� invites us not to discuss politics but to pray.

The 杏MAP导航 said some people say 鈥減olitics is dirty鈥�, but 杏MAP导航 Paul VI held that it is 鈥渢he highest form of charity鈥�.

鈥淚t may be dirty, just like any profession can be dirty鈥� We are the ones who dirty something but it is not so by nature. I believe that we must convert our hearts and pray for politicians of all stripes, all of them! Pray for people in government. This is what Paul asks of us. As I listened to the Word of God, I thought about this beautiful event from the Gospel 鈥� the person in authority who prays for one of his underlings: the centurion who prays for his servant. Even people in government must pray for their people, and this man prays for his servant, who may have been a domestic servant. 鈥楤ut no, he is my servant. I am responsible for him.鈥� People in government are responsible for the life of their country. It is good to think that, if people pray for authorities, people in government will be capable of praying for their people, just like this centurion who prays for his servant.鈥�