“The prayers for the Pope beautifully illustrate the unity of the Church: despite our different sensitivities and roles, we are all united in prayer for our Shepherd, as brothers and sisters. This is the most important aspect of all.” Msgr. Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State, is one of the few collaborators allowed to visit Pope Francis at Gemelli Hospital. This is also why he has a deep appreciation of the value of the prayers offered to the Holy Father during these days. Not just a gesture of affection, but a sign of ecclesial communion.
Your Excellency, the whole world is praying for the health of Pope Francis. Is this prayer an expression of the deep bond between the People of God and their Shepherd?
We are currently witnessing a special outpouring of concern for the Pope’s health from all over the world, a closeness that is expressed in particular through prayer. For us believers, prayer is not a ritual, an external gesture, but a lived relationship with the Lord who, through his love, unites us all as brothers and sisters and instils in us compassion and solidarity for one another. In this light
the prayer offer these days is an expression of the affection for Pope Francis and a recognition of the importance of his person and his ministry.
The Pope has asked for our prayers on many occasions, and now, at this time of his illness, he is drawing comfort from the prayers of the Church. What is the meaning of this act of reciprocity in faith, and how does prayer become a concrete sign of closeness?
We all remember that extraordinary moment on the evening of 13 March twelve years ago, when a crowd filled St Peter’s Square and exploded with joy at the announcement of the election, but then immediately remained silent, at the invitation of the Pope who had just appeared, asking the faithful to pray for him and bless him. Today, while Pope Francis is suffering from illness, that square is again filled with crowds of believers who come together every evening to pray the Rosary under the guidance of those who are the brothers of the Pope, together with his closest collaborators, the cardinals.
You have visited the Pope during these days of his hospitalisation …
Each time I had the opportunity to visit him in the Gemelli Hospital, together with the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin,
the Holy Father said how grateful he was for these prayers. I personally believe that the Lord is giving him a great sign of consolation through these prayers.
Last Sunday, during the Angelus prayer, the Pope said: “I feel in my heart the “blessing” that is hidden within frailty, because it is precisely in these moments that we learn even more to trust in the Lord.” How should we interpret these words in the light of his witness of faith in the face of illness?
As he bears on his body the signs of fragility and illness, like every human being, the Pope wishes once again to bear witness to the Gospel, and for this reason he proclaims the loving presence of the Lord, who cares for us and does not leave us alone in times of trial.
Is it a message of hope to all those who are afflicted by pain?
It is a testimony that encourages, supports, comforts and warms the hearts of all those who are experiencing pain. The Pope, whose Magisterium has so often reminded us of the Lord’s mercy and tenderness, wishes to remind us that the Lord cares for us and never abandons us, including in times of illness.
Can the prayer for the Pope, in addition to being a gesture of affection and intercession, also serve as an opportunity for the spiritual renewal of the Church?
When we live through moments of trial, suffering and situations in which we are confronted with our own fragility, we start to see how important it is to put things into perspective in our lives.
It’s as if a pruning of the heart takes place within us, bringing us closer to what is essential, and we learn to be more gentle, more flexible, more accommodating and more willing to open up to others. It is at such times that we are more capable of letting go of what divides us as we join with others to share the burden and walk a part of the journey together with them.
Can this moment of trial strengthen ecclesial communion and the sense of responsibility of each believer?
The prayers offered for the Pope beautifully illustrate the unity of the Church. Despite our different sensitivities and roles, we unite as brothers and sisters to pray for our shepherd. That is the most important thing.
