Don't hold back when
praying to God -- tell him exactly what's wrong and insist on holding
him to his promises, Pope Francis said. Prayer should be like speaking
face-to-face with a friend: "without fear, freely and also with
insistence," the pope said in his homily April 3 during an early morning
Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Pope Francis' homily
focused on the day's reading from the Book of Exodus (32:7-14), in which
Moses begs God to spare his people, even though they have created a
golden calf to worship as their god. God says he's going to let his
wrath "blaze up against them to consume them," but Moses reminds the
Lord that these are his own people he has saved before and has promised
to make their descendants "as numerous as the stars in the sky." Pope
Francis said that, in the day's reading, Moses shows what praying to God
should really feel and sound like: not filled with empty words, but a
heartfelt, "real fight with God." Moses is courageously insistent and
argues his point, the pope said, and prayer must also be "a negotiation
with God, presenting arguments" supporting one's position.
In the quiet, dusty corners of our hearts, we often harbor blueprint drafts of how we think our lives should unfold. We carefully map out our timelines, hoping for a smooth path, and it is only natural to feel a bit lost or weary when a sudden storm alters our course or a door we prayed would open remains closed. Yet, our Lord does not stand at a distance during these moments of uncertainty; He is a tender Shepherd who walks beside us, gently whispering, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" ( Jeremiah 29:11). When our own plans crumble, it is not a sign that He has abandoned us, but rather an invitation to fold our hands, release our grip on the pen, and offer our own quiet fiat—letting Him guide us into green pastures we could never have found on our own. Placing our trust in His loving providence allows us to breathe deeply and find rest, even when the road ahead is shrouded in mist. E...