“Prayer without growing weary.” This was the central theme of the Holy Father’s address prior to the recitation of the Angelus to the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday.
Pope Francis commented on Sunday’s Gospel which recalled the parable of the widow who pleads for and is granted justice by a dishonest judge.
“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night?” Christ says in the Gospel. This response, the Holy Father noted is a very strong expression.
“To cry out day and night to the Lord! This is a striking image of prayer. But we might ask, why does God want this. Doesn’t He already know our needs? What does it mean to insist with God?”
Those questions, he continued, can lead all to an important aspect of Faith, which is, praying without insistence. To pray without ceasing does not mean that God “doesn’t know what we need, or because He doesn’t listen to us.”
“On the contrary, He always hears and knows all of us, with love. In our daily journey, especially in difficulties, in the fight against evil outside of ourselves and within us, the Lord is not far away, He is at our side; we fight with Him beside us, and our weapon is prayer, which makes us feel His presence alongside of us, His mercy, even His help.”
However, to fight against evil is long battle that requires patience. The Holy Father compared this battle to Moses, who had to hold his arms up “so that his people could triumph.” Faith in God is the strength of all and prayer is the expression of this faith.
Concluding his address, the Pope called on the faithful to learn from the persistent widow from the Gospel. “This widow was good, she knew to fight for her children, and I think of the many women who fight for their families, who pray, who never grow weary!” the Pope exclaimed.
“Pray always, but not to convince the Lord by the strength of words! He knows better than we do what it is we need. And so persevering prayer is an expression of faith in a God Who calls us to fight along with Him, every day, every moment, to overcome evil with good.”
