杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff writer

杏MAP导航 Francis began Wednesday鈥檚 General taking into account the rising numbers of Covid-19 infections worldwide, including in Italy.  Even though he would like to come close to those attending the audience, he cannot do so because of the danger of contagion for all. 鈥淚 am sorry to do this but it is for your safety,鈥� he said. Hence instead of shaking hands, he suggested to those present that they greet each other at a distance, but assured they were close to his heart. 

The 杏MAP导航 then said his attention had been caught during the reading of the Bible passage at the start of the catechesis by a mother in the crowd who was cuddling her crying child. He said, 鈥渢his is what God does with us, like that mamma." These beautiful images of a mother's tenderness, the 杏MAP导航 said, are the image of the Church, the symbol of God's tenderness for us. Hence, he said, 鈥淣ever silence a crying baby in Church, never, because it is the voice that attracts God's tenderness.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis then began the second and final catechesis on the Psalms in his series on prayer.  The Psalms, he says, 鈥渉elp us not to fall into the temptation of the 'wicked', that is, of living, and perhaps also of praying, as if God does not exist, and as if the poor do not exist鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Francis greeting General Audience participants from afar

Seeing reality with God鈥檚 eyes

Instead, the 杏MAP导航 explains, the prayer of the Psalms are a fundamental reality of life, because the reference to the absolute, the transcendent, which the spiritual masters call the 鈥渉oly fear of God鈥�,  makes us completely human.  Prayer, he says, prevents us from venturing into life in a "predatory and voracious manner."

However, the 杏MAP导航 warns against "false prayer" which calls for the admiration of others or to show off the latest fashion, which Jesus Himself admonishes against. Rather, the true spirit of prayer in the heart 鈥渁llows us to contemplate reality with God鈥檚 very eyes鈥�.

The 杏MAP导航 also warns against tiring and rote prayer like a parrot.  Rather, prayer should be the centre of life, from the heart.  鈥淚f there is prayer, even a brother, a sister, even an enemy, becomes important,鈥� he says, adding, 鈥渢hose who adore God, love His children. Those who respect God, respect human beings.鈥�

Prayer, the Holy Father continued, should not be regarded as a "sedative that alleviates life鈥檚 anxieties", which is not a Christian form of prayer. 鈥淩ather, prayer makes each of us responsible,鈥� as we see in the 鈥淥ur Father鈥� that Jesus taught His disciples.

Prayer holds temple and world together

The psalter, the 杏MAP导航 notes, often "bring out the scars of existence."  Yet these prayers, even the most intimate and personal ones, were first used in the Temple, and then in the synagogues.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that the Psalms 鈥渢ake shape both in the liturgy of the Temple and in the human heart鈥� (n. 2588). Thus, personal prayer is nourished "first by the prayer of the people of Israel, then by the prayer of the Church."

"Even the Psalms in the first person singular," are a "collective patrimony," the 杏MAP导航 says, "to the point of being prayed by everyone and for everyone鈥�.  The prayer of the Christian has the 鈥渂reath鈥� and spiritual 鈥渢ension鈥� of holding the "temple and the world together."

鈥淧rayer,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis explains, 鈥渃an begin in the penumbra of a church鈥檚 nave, but can come to an end on the city streets.鈥� 鈥淎nd vice versa, it can blossom during the day鈥檚 activities and reach its fulfilment in the liturgy.鈥�  Thus, he says, the church doors let everyone鈥檚 groans in.

Hence, the 杏MAP导航 stresses, the world is always present in the prayer of the psalms. They assure the divine promise of salvation for the weakest, warn against the danger of worldly riches or open the horizon to God鈥檚 view of history.  

Love of God and neighbour

鈥淚n short,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 says, 鈥渨here there is God, the human person must be there as well.鈥� This is not because "we love, but because He first loved us".  杏MAP导航 Francis quotes 1 John who says "if anyone claims he loves God and hates his brother, he is a liar, for if one does not love his brother whom he or she has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 

The 杏MAP导航 further explains that God does not support the 鈥渁theism鈥� of those who repudiate the divine image that is "imprinted in every human being."  Believing in God while distancing others and hating them, the 杏MAP导航 said, is practical atheism. "It is a sacrilege, an abomination, the worst offense that can be directed toward the temple and the altar."

杏MAP导航 Francis concludes his catechesis saying the Psalms prevent us from falling into the temptation of 鈥渓iving, and perhaps also of praying, as if God does not exist, and as if the poor do not exist鈥�.