杏MAP导航

By Linda Bordoni

Elaborating on the concept of 鈥淔ather鈥�, 杏MAP导航 Francis assured the faithful that the Lord 鈥渨ill not hide his face from us鈥�  nor 鈥渨ill he close himself in silence鈥� because, as our Father, He never looses sight of us  and loves us unconditionally even when we think we are unworthy.

The 杏MAP导航 explained that there is also something maternal in the love of the Father, who accompanies and nurtures the development of our new life in Christ as his adoptive sons and daughters. 

God, he said, is not only a father:  he is like a mother who never ceases to love her children or to want to be part of their lives.

His love for us, he said, lasts forever, and generates an 鈥渁n infinite circuit of love鈥�. Thus when we pray we must do so with the trust of a child in his father.

The word "Father"

杏MAP导航 Francis pointed out that even those who feel they have sinned, or taken the wrong path have a father who loves them. It is to the Father we must always turn, and He will always answer:  鈥淣ever forget to say 鈥楩ather鈥�!鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis explained that even the earliest Christians, guided by the Holy Spirit, prayed using the Aramaic word for 鈥淔ather鈥� 鈥� Abba - that Jesus himself had used.

The New Testament prayer, he continued, seems to want to "get to the essential鈥�, to the point of concentrating precisely on the word: "Abba, Father": 鈥渁t the beginning of the Lord鈥檚 Prayer, we hear an echo of the voice of Jesus himself鈥� who teaches the Disciples that to pray is to share in his own intimate and trusting relationship with the Father.

In fact, after having known Jesus and listened to his preaching, the 杏MAP导航 said Christians no longer considered God as a tyrant to be feared, they were no longer afraid of him, but felt at ease in calling the Creator 鈥淔ather鈥�.

A child's relationship with his father

杏MAP导航 Francis also reflected on how it is not only a question of using a symbol, the figure of the father 鈥渢o be linked to the mystery of God鈥�, but of having "Jesus鈥� world  decanted into one's own heart".  Saying "Abba," he explained, is something much more 鈥渋ntimate, more moving鈥� than simply calling God 鈥淔ather鈥�.

And he invited the faithful to pray to the Father with the heart of a child: 鈥渁 child who is completely wrapped in the embrace of a father who feels infinite tenderness for him or for her鈥�.

Words that come to life

The 杏MAP导航 continued his reflection speaking about how the Lord鈥檚 prayer takes on 鈥渕eaning and colour鈥�  if we learn to pray after reading the passage of the merciful father, as told by Luke in the parable of the prodigal son.

The prodigal son, he explained was embraced by the father 鈥渨ho had waited a long time鈥�, 鈥渨ho did not remember the offensive words鈥� addressed to him, but who made it quite clear 鈥渉ow much he had missed him鈥�.

God, the Father he said, knows no hatred, no revenge, no anger, he knows only love.

The 杏MAP导航 said that in that parable, the father expresses his love in a 鈥榤aternal鈥� way, 鈥渓ike a mother who apologizes to her children, who covers up for them, who wants to be part of their lives鈥� even when the child has distanced her or himself from her.

Even in the most difficult times in our lives, 杏MAP导航 Francis concluded, may we never be afraid to turn in trust and confidence to the Father, praying in the words that Jesus taught us: 鈥淎bba鈥�, 鈥淥ur Father鈥�.