Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Today’s Gospel presents Jesus teaching his disciples the Our Father (cf. Lk 11:1-13). This is the prayer that unites all Christians, in which the Lord invites us to address God as “Abba,” “Father,” with childlike “simplicity, filial trust… boldness, the certainty of being loved” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2778).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church expresses this very well: “Thus the Lord’s Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us” (ibid., 2783). Indeed, how true this is, for the more we pray with confidence to our heavenly Father, the more we discover that we are beloved children and the more we come to know the greatness of his love (cf. Rom 8:14-17).

Today’s Gospel goes on to describe the characteristics of God’s fatherhood through vivid images: that of a man who gets up in the middle of the night to assist a friend in welcoming an unexpected visitor; and that of a parent who is concerned about giving good things to his children.

These images remind us that God never turns his back on us when we come to him, even if we arrive late to knock at his door, perhaps after mistakes, missed opportunities, failures, or even if, in order to welcome us, he has to “wake up” his children who are sleeping at home (cf. Lk 11:7). Indeed, in the great family of the Church, the Father does not hesitate to make us all participants in each of his loving gestures. The Lord always listens to us when we pray to him. If he sometimes responds in ways or at times that are difficult to understand, it is because he acts with wisdom and providence, which are beyond our understanding. Even in these moments, then, let us not cease to pray — and pray with confidence — for in him we will always find light and strength.

When we recite the Our Father, in addition to celebrating the grace of being children of God, we also express our commitment to responding to this gift by loving one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. Reflecting on this, one of the Fathers of the Church wrote: “We must remember... and know that when we call God ‘our Father’ we ought to behave as children of God” (Saint Cyprian of Carthage, De Dom. orat., 11), and another adds: “You cannot call the God of all kindness your Father if you preserve a cruel and inhuman heart; for in this case you no longer have in you the mark of the heavenly Father’s kindness” (Saint John Chrysostom, De orat. Dom., 3). We cannot pray to God as “Father” and then be harsh and insensitive towards others. Instead, it is important to let ourselves be transformed by his goodness, his patience, his mercy, so that his face may be reflected in ours as in a mirror.

Dear brothers and sisters, today’s liturgy invites us, through prayer and charity, to feel loved and to love as God loves us: with openness, discretion, mutual concern, and without deceit. Let us ask Mary to help us respond to this call, so that we may manifest the sweetness of the Father’s face.

___________________________________

After the Angelus prayer

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today we celebrate the Fifth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, centred on the theme: “Blessed are those who have not lost hope.” Let us look to grandparents and the elderly as witnesses of hope, capable of showing the path for new generations. Let us not leave them alone, but instead, form a bond of love and prayer with them.

My heart is close to all those who are suffering due to conflict and violence throughout the world. In particular, I pray for those affected by the clashes along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially displaced children and families. May the Prince of Peace inspire everyone to seek dialogue and reconciliation.

I also pray for the victims of violence in southern Syria.

I am following with great concern the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the civilian population is suffering from severe hunger and remains exposed to violence and death. I renew my heartfelt appeal for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the full respect of humanitarian law.

Every human person possesses an inherent dignity, bestowed by God himself. I urge all parties involved in conflicts to recognize this dignity and to end every action that violates it. I call for negotiations aimed at securing a future of peace for all peoples, and for the rejection of anything that might jeopardize it.

I entrust to Mary, Queen of Peace, the innocent victims of conflicts and those leaders who have the power to resolve them.

I greet those from Vatican Radio/Vatican News, which, to be closer to the faithful and pilgrims during the Jubilee Year, has inaugurated a small station under Bernini’s colonnade together with L’Osservatore Romano. Thank you for your service in many languages, which brings the Pope’s voice to the world. And thank you to all journalists who contribute to the communication of peace and truth.

I greet all of you who have come from Italy and from many parts of the world, in particular the grandparents from San Cataldo, the young Capuchin friars of Europe, the Confirmation candidates from the parish cluster of Grantorto-Carturo, the youth from Montecarlo di Lucca, and the Scouts of Licata.

I greet with particular affection the young people from various countries who have gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth. I hope that this will be an opportunity for each of you to encounter Christ, and to be strengthened by him in your faith and in your commitment to following Christ with integrity of life.

[In English:] I greet the faithful from Kearny (New Jersey), the Catholic Music Award group and the EWTN Summer Academy. I also greet with particular affection the young people from various countries who have gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth, which begins tomorrow. I hope that this will be an opportunity for each of you to encounter Christ, and to be strengthened by him in your faith and in your commitment to following Christ with integrity of life.

[In Spanish:] I greet with particular affection the young people from various countries who have gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth. I hope that this will be an opportunity for each of you to encounter Christ, and to be strengthened by him in your faith and in your commitment to following Christ with integrity of life.

This evening, the “Madonna Fiumarola” procession will take place on the Tiber River. May all who take part in this beautiful Marian tradition learn from the Mother of Jesus how to live the Gospel in their daily lives! I wish you all a blessed Sunday!