In his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis concluded his catechesis on the “Our Father” prayer.
Pope Francis said Christian prayer begins by calling God “Father.” He added the first principle of every prayer is the Holy Spirit who “breathes into the hearts of the disciples.”
The pope stressed that through grace one is drawn into “the Holy Trinity’s dialogue of love.” He noted when Jesus cries out on the cross “My God, my God,” one sees “the fulcrum of His relationship with the Father.”
At the end of his catechesis he invited everyone to repeat another prayer of Jesus: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children.”
SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHESIS
“Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today we conclude our catechesis on the “Our Father”. Jesus has revealed to us that Christian prayer begins with the audacity to call God “Father”.
Indeed, each of the expressions that our Lord Himself uses in prayer brings to mind the text of the “Our Father.” Throughout the New Testament, moreover, it is clear that the first principle of every prayer is the Holy Spirit, who breathes into the hearts of the disciples.
Herein lies the mystery of Christian prayer:
that by grace we are drawn into the Holy Trinity’s dialogue of love. On the cross Jesus cries out:
“My God, my God,” and we see here the fulcrum of his relationship with the Father.
This also reflects the heart of our own trust and prayer. At the end of this catechesis, let us repeat this prayer of Jesus: “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children.”
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially
those from England, Belgium, Tanzania, New Zealand, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America. In the joy of the Risen Christ, I invoke upon you and your families the loving mercy of God our Father. May the Lord bless you all!”
