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.
Pope Saint John Paul II , a towering figure of the 20th century, was a staunch critic of socialist ideologies. He recognized the inherent flaws in systems that sought to control economies and societies through centralized planning and state ownership. The pontiff's teachings offered a prophetic warning against the dangers of such regimes, which often led to oppression, poverty, and the erosion of individual freedoms. Recently, a conference organized by the Catholic Association of Propagandists in Spain brought together prominent figures who echoed the concerns raised by the late Pope. Bishop JosƩ Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante boldly declared socialism an "enemy of the cross," highlighting its incompatibility with Christian values. He emphasized the need for a spiritual renewal, urging individuals to embrace the cross as a path to true happiness and fulfillment. French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj also addressed the challenges posed by modern society, warning ag...