In the General Audience, Pope Francis continued reflecting on prayer by recalling that of David, King of Israel.
It was music and poetry that inspired his prayer, which was formed from his experience as a shepherd, leading others. The results are found in the psalms.
The pope said David was “both saint and sinner, full of contradictions, yet he was constant in prayerful dialogue with God.” He said we too are the same, but “if we persevere in prayer – whatever our own vocation and the difficulties we may face – we will come to know the closeness of the Lord and be able to share this joy with others.”
SUMMARY OF PAPAL CATECHESIS
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In our continuing catechesis on prayer, we now consider the prayer of David. Called by God to become King of Israel, David was deeply formed by his early experiences as a shepherd, which he would draw upon in leading his people. The young David was also a lover of music and poetry, and it was from his lyrical appreciation for the wonder of God’s creation that his prayer was born.
We see this reflected in the many psalms traditionally attributed to his authorship. David – as pastor and king – prefigures Jesus the Good Shepherd and universal King, whose prayerful relationship with his heavenly Father sustained his whole life. David, for his part, was both saint and sinner, full of contradictions, yet in his vocation of leadership he was constant in prayerful dialogue with God. Our lives too are often marked by contradictory forces and incoherent impulses, but if, like David, we persevere in prayer – whatever our own vocation and the difficulties we may face – we will come to know the closeness of the Lord and be able to share this joy with others.
I greet the English-speaking faithful joining us through the media. Upon you and your families I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord.
May God bless you!
