杏MAP导航 at Audience: Trust in the Father who knows what we need
By Vatican News
杏MAP导航 Francis began his catechesis by saying how St. Matthew鈥檚 Gospel strategically places the text of the Our Father 鈥渁t the centre of the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes鈥�. This location is significant because it condenses the fundamental aspects of Jesus鈥� message, he said.
The Beatitudes
In the Beatitudes, Jesus awards the gift of happiness to categories of people who in His time, and our own, 鈥渨ere not very highly regarded鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航: 鈥渢he poor, the meek, the merciful, the humble of heart鈥�. The peacemakers who, until then, were on the margins of history, become 鈥渂uilders of the Kingdom of God鈥�. It is from here, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, that 鈥渢he newness of the Gospel emerges鈥�. The Law is not to be abolished, but requires a new interpretation, finding its fulfilment in the Gospel of love and reconciliation. 鈥淭he Gospel challenges us鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢he Gospel is revolutionary鈥�.
Love has no boundaries
This is the 鈥済reat secret鈥� behind the Sermon on the Mount, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis: 鈥淏e children of your Father who is in Heaven鈥�. God asks us to invoke Him with the name of 鈥淔ather鈥�, to let ourselves be renewed by His power, 鈥渢o reflect a ray of His goodness for a world thirsting for good news鈥�. As sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of our Heavenly Father, Jesus invites us to love our enemies, because 鈥渓ove has no boundaries鈥�.
Beware the prayer of the hypocrites
Before giving us the 鈥淥ur Father鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, Jesus warns us of two obstacles to prayer. He does so by distancing Himself from two groups of His time: the hypocrites and the pagans. We do not pray in order to be 鈥渁dmired by others鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. Rather than just an outward show without inward conversion, Christian prayer has 鈥渘o credible witness other that its own conscience鈥�. It is a continuous 鈥渄ialogue with Father鈥�.
Beware the prayer of the pagans
The second group is that of the pagans, who pray with formality and wordiness, presenting their petitions without a spirit of quiet openness to God鈥檚 will. 杏MAP导航 Francis suggested that silent prayer is often enough, placing oneself 鈥渦nder the gaze of God, remembering His love as a Father鈥�. Jesus tells us to pray like children to a Father 鈥渨ho knows what we need before we even ask鈥�.
God needs nothing
鈥淚t is beautiful to think that our God does not need sacrifices to win His favour鈥�, concluded 杏MAP导航 Francis. 鈥淥ur God needs nothing: in prayer He asks only that we keep open a channel of communication with Him so we can recognize we are always His beloved children. Because He loves us so much鈥�.
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