杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

The strength and significance of the 鈥淥ur Father鈥� prayer was at the heart of 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV鈥檚 Angelus message on Sunday the 27th of July.

As he addressed the faithful gathered in St Peter鈥檚 Square, 杏MAP导航 Leo reflected on the Gospel of the day, in which Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father.

鈥淭his is the prayer that unites all Christians鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, reminding us that it is in this prayer that the Lord invites us to address God 鈥渁s 鈥楢bba鈥�, 鈥楩ather鈥�, with childlike 鈥渟implicity, filial trust鈥� boldness, the certainty of being loved鈥�.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, too, the 杏MAP导航 said, expresses this very well, where it reads that 鈥淭hus the Lord鈥檚 Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Leo went on to emphasise how true it is that the more we pray with confidence to the Father, 鈥渢he more we discover that we are beloved children and the more we come to know the greatness of his love鈥�.

Present at every moment 

Turning once again to the day鈥檚 Gospel, the 杏MAP导航 recalls that it uses vivid images to describe the characteristics of God鈥檚 fatherhood: 鈥渢hat of a man who gets up in the middle of the night to assist a friend in welcoming an unexpected visitor; and that of a parent who is concerned about giving good things to his children鈥�.

These images, the 杏MAP导航 continued, remind us that 鈥淕od never turns his back on us when we come to him鈥�, no matter the scenario.

He always listens and if he 鈥渟ometimes responds in ways or at times that are difficult to understand, it is because he acts with wisdom and providence, which are beyond our understanding鈥�.  Even in these moments, the 杏MAP导航 insisted, 鈥渓et us not cease to pray with confidence, for in him we will always find light and strength鈥�.

杏MAP导航 Leo then reminded those present that when reciting the Our Father, 鈥渋n addition to celebrating the grace of being children of God, we also express our commitment to responding to this gift by loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ鈥�.  

Reflect the goodness of God in your lives

And reflecting on this, the 杏MAP导航 recalled the words of Saint Cyprien of Carthage when he stressed that 鈥渨hen we call God 鈥榦ur Father鈥� we ought to behave as children of God鈥�. Likewise, Saint John Chrysostom said 鈥淵ou cannot call the God of all kindness your Father if you preserve a cruel and inhuman heart鈥�.

鈥淲e cannot pray to God as 鈥淔ather鈥� and then be harsh and insensitive towards others鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, bringing his discourse to a close. Instead, he added, we must 鈥渓et ourselves be transformed by his goodness, his patience, his mercy, so that his face may be reflected in ours as in a mirror.

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 invited the faithful to be inspired by the day鈥檚 liturgy to feel loved and to love as God loves us: 鈥渨ith openness, discretion, mutual concern, and without deceit鈥�.