杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

杏MAP导航 Francis began his General Audience on Wednesday telling the faithful that 鈥淕od鈥檚 plan regarding humanity is for the good鈥�, even though 鈥渨e experience the presence of evil鈥� in our everyday lives.

The 杏MAP导航 recounted two stories from the book of Genesis that describe the emergence and expansion of evil and sin across successive generations.

The first, in the first chapters of Genesis, is the story of Adam and Eve. In doubting God鈥檚 intentions 鈥渢heir hearts yield to the temptation of the evil one鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航. However, 鈥渢he experience goes in the opposite direction鈥�: 鈥渢heir eyes are opened and they discover that they are naked鈥�.

The second, from Genesis chapter 4, is the story of Cain and Abel. 鈥淐ain is envious of his brother鈥� and sees him as a rival, said the 杏MAP导航. 鈥淓vil enters within his heart and Cain does not succeed in controlling it鈥�, leading to his murder.

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to explain that though Cain鈥檚 descendants develop 鈥渁rts and crafts鈥�, 鈥渧iolence develops as well鈥�.

We too still experience the presence of wickedness in the world, said the 杏MAP导航.

杏MAP导航 Francis then went on to recount a third account in the Bible. He described it as one that is 鈥渓ess apparent, humbler and devout, that represents the redemption of hope鈥�. It is a story involving Abel, Seth, Enoch and Noah, who acted humbly and prayed to God with sincerity.

The peacemaking power of prayer

杏MAP导航 Francis described these men, 鈥渨ho pray in the first pages of the Bible鈥� as 鈥減eacemakers鈥�.  He explained that when prayer is authentic, it 鈥渓iberates from the instinct toward violence鈥�. Authentic prayer is 鈥渁 gaze directed toward God, so that He might return to take care of the human heart鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航, adding that 鈥減rayer cultivates flowerbeds of rebirth in places where human hatred was only capable of sowing a desert鈥�.

Prayer is a seed of life and of dialogue with God

杏MAP导航 Francis then told of a story he had heard regarding a man, 鈥渁 head of government鈥� of the past who proclaimed himself an atheist.

He said 鈥淗e had no religious sense in his heart,鈥� but he remembered listening to his grandmother praying when he was a child. 鈥淎t a difficult time in his life,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 continued, 鈥渢hat memory came back to his heart and he began to pray with the words used by his grandmother.鈥�

There, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渉e found Jesus; prayer is a chain of life鈥�.

Taking his cue from this story he said prayer is a seed of life and that is why it is so important to teach children to pray.

Saying it gives him pain to see children who do not know how to make the sign of the cross,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 urged parents to teach their children to pray: 鈥淭hen, perhaps, they can forget, take another path; but that one remains in their hearts, because it is a seed of life, the seed of dialogue with God.鈥�

Prayer transforms a heart of stone into a heart of flesh

杏MAP导航 Francis explained that for this reason throughout history, righteous men and women of prayer 鈥� often misunderstood or marginalised 鈥� have ceaselessly offered up intercession for the world, invoking God鈥檚 power to bring about healing and growth. 鈥淭he world lives and grows thanks to God鈥檚 power that these servants of His attract through their prayer鈥�, said the 杏MAP导航.

He concluded his Catechesis by saying that it is through these servants of God that His path and story are 鈥減assed down to the 鈥榬emnant鈥� of humanity鈥�, who have asked that He 鈥渢ransform their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh鈥�.