Pope urges 'courageous' rather than 'courteous' prayer

May 20, 2013

Pope Francis recommended “courageous prayer” rather than “prayers of courtesy” in his homily at daily Mass on May 20.

Commenting on the day’s Gospel, and the remark of Jesus that some demons can only be driven out by prayer, the Pope said that great things can be accomplished by those who “give control of things to Jesus.” Ordinarily, he said, people do not have enough faith. “All of us carry a little bit of disbelief within,” he said. Pope Francis told this congregation about a man in Argentina who, informed that his child was dying, spent an entire night praying feverishly—“acting like a madman”—and then learned that the child had inexplicably recovered from illness. That man, he said, in his prayer “was struggling with God.”

“Prayer works wonders, but we have to believe,” the Pope said. He urged the faithful to pray with intensity. At the same time, he recommended the prayer from the day’s Gospel: “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”

 

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Further information:

• Pope at Mass: Courageous, humble prayer can work wonders (Vatican Radio)