Vatican City, Mar 20, 2019 / 08:59 am
To pray is to believe in God's power to replace the evil in the world with goodness, Pope Francis said at the general audience Wednesday.
"If we pray it is because we believe that God can and wants to transform reality by overcoming evil with good," he said March 20. This is why it makes sense to "obey and abandon one's self" to the will of God, even in moments of difficulty and trial.
"The Christian does not believe in an unavoidable 'fate,'" he stated. "There is nothing haphazard in the faith of Christians: there is instead a salvation that waits to manifest itself in the life of every man and woman and to be fulfilled in eternity."
Pope Francis pointed to the 'Our Father' as one prayer that demonstrates a belief that God's will desires the good of the world. The Lord's Prayer, he said, "ignites in us the same love of Jesus for the will of the Father, a flame that drives us to transform the world with love."