During the first General Audience of the new year, Pope Francis continued his catechesis about the 'Our Father.'
He said the prayer was taught during the Sermon on the Mount, which also presented the Beatitudes. These Beatitudes, he taught, help one enter heaven, just like the 'Our Father.'
The pope explained that before giving the “Our Father,” Jesus first warns of two obstacles to prayer. The first is “hypocrisy, an outward show without an inward conversion and humility.” The second one is “mere formality and wordiness, presenting petitions without a spirit of quiet openness to God’s will.”
He insisted that prayer must be prayed like sons and daughters, who trust in the Father. This is because He already knows what we need even before we ask Him.
SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHESIS
Dear brothers and sisters:
In the joy of the Christmas season, we now resume our catechesis on the Lord’s Prayer. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives us this prayer during the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes. In proclaiming blessed those who are poor, meek, merciful and humble, Jesus teaches that they usher in God’s Kingdom. The Law, with its commandments, thus finds its fulfillment in the Gospel of love and reconciliation. Jesus, the incarnate Son, makes us his brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of our heavenly Father.
Before giving us the “Our Father”, however, Jesus first warns us of two obstacles to prayer. The first is hypocrisy, outward show without inward conversion and humility. The second is mere formality and wordiness, presenting petitions without a spirit of quiet openness to God’s will. Our prayer must instead be that of sons and daughters, trusting in the Father who knows what we need even before we ask him. In this spirit, we can lift up our minds and hearts to the Father and dare to pray in the words his Son has given us.
I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from Ireland, Australia, Korea, Canada and the United States of America. I thank the choirs for their praise of God in song. May you and your families cherish the joy of this Christmas season and draw near in prayer to the Saviour who has come to dwell among us. God bless you!
