In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis criticized those who run away or hide, like Adam did, when they discover the will of God. On the other hand, he encouraged those who get angry while praying and reassured them saying, 'this too is prayer.â?
POPE FRANCIS
'God likes to argue with us. Someone tells me: 'But, Father, many times when I go to pray, I get angry with the Lord...' But this also is prayer! He likes when you get angry and say what you feel to His face, because He's a Father!â?
The pope said Jesus has so much patience that He is even able to wait for those who are most reluctant to listen to His Word.
EXCERPTS OF PAPAL HOMILY IN ENGLISH
'The Lord is always in dialogue with those who He invites on His path and say 'here I am.' He has lots of patience, lots of patience. When we read the Book of Job, with all Job's reasoning when he does not understand, and his responses, the Lord tells him and corrects him ... and in the end, what is Job's 'here I am'? 'Ah, Lord, You're right: I knew you only through hearsay; now my eyes have seen you.' The 'here I am,' is only when the will is there, eh? The Christian life is this: Here I am, here I continuously am to do the will of the Lord. One after another ... It is nice to read Scripture, the Bible, looking for the people's responses to the Lord, like answered, and find those is so beautiful. 'Here I am, I come to do your will.''
'Do I go hide, like Adam, so I don't have to respond? Or, when the Lord calls me, instead of saying 'here I am' or 'what do you want from me?' I run away like Jonah so he did not have to do what the Lord asked him? Or do I pretend to do the will of the Lord, but only externally, like the doctors of the law that Jesus condemns? They pretended: 'All right ... no questions: I will do this and nothing more'. Or do I look the other way like the Levites did and the priests in front of the poor wounded man, who was beaten by robbers, and left half dead? How do I respond to the Lord?'
'He likes to argue with us. Someone tells me: 'But, Father, many times when I go to pray, I get angry with the Lord...' but this also is prayer! He likes when you get angry and say what you feel to His face, because He's a Father! But also saying 'Here I am'... Or do I hide? Or do I run away? Or do I pretend? Or do I look the other way? Each of us can answer: How is my 'Here I am' to the Lord to do His will in my life. How is it? May the Holy Spirit give us the grace to find the answer.'
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