God is not deaf to our prayers; rather, He is there beside us, never abandoning us…
«The Psalms teach us that God is not deaf to our prayers, especially those that arise from a broken heart and a troubled spirit,» he underscored, reminding: The Psalmist’s repeated cry, “How long, Lord?”, is itself an acknowledgment that, amid our every trail and tribulation, God hears our voice and never abandons us.»
Francis reminded that God is our loving Father, who weeps for us and our suffering, but who has «a saving plan for each one of us.»
«The Psalms are thus a guide to growth in the practice of prayer,» he said, noting: «They open our hearts to ever deeper hope in God’s providential care; they confirm our trust in his promises, and they inspire us to persevere on our life-long journey of faith in his word.»
The Holy Father gave special greetings to English-speaking faithful. Invoking the joy and peace of the Lord, upon all of them and their families, he said: «God bless you!»
Following the health indications of the Authorities, the General Audiences generally have been taking place in the San Damaso Courtyard starting at 9:30 a.m. Individuals enter from the Bronze Doors of the right colonnade of St. Peter’s Square, as early as 7:30 a.m. Pilgrims are to maintain proper social distancing, sanitize hands, have temperatures taken and pass through security clearance. To reach the Courtyard of San Damaso, faithful go past the masked Swiss Guards, climb about 75 steps, before arriving at the site of the audience. It is rare for faithful and pilgrims to have access to this space.
Here is the Vatican’s English-speaking summary:
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Speaker:
Dear Brothers and Sisters, in our continuing catechesis on prayer, we now turn to the Book of Psalms, which can be considered a great treasury of prayers. The Psalms teach us to pray to God in words that he himself has given us. In them, we encounter the entire gamut of human emotions, from praise, petition and joyful thanksgiving to anguished supplication for deliverance from life’s bitter disappointments and sorrows. The Psalms teach us that God is not deaf to our prayers, especially those that arise from a broken heart and a troubled spirit. The Psalmist’s repeated cry, “How long, Lord?”, is itself an acknowledgment that, amid our every trail and tribulation, God hears our voice and never abandons us. As a loving Father, he weeps for our sufferings in this world, yet in his wisdom he has a saving plan for each of us. The Psalms are thus a guide to growth in the practice of prayer. They open our hearts to ever deeper hope in God’s providential care; they confirm our trust in his promises, and they inspire us to persevere on our life-long journey of faith in his word.
Speaker:
I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors who join us for today’s Audience.
Upon you and your families I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you
