Christian Daily | Christians ought to pray for government leaders, says Pope Francis

Christians ought to pray for their government leaders and ask the Lord to guide them in serving their constituents, Pope Francis said in his homily at morning Mass in Santa Marta on Sept. 18.

On Monday, Pope Francis reflected on the Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy, in which he encouraged the faithful to pray for those in authority that they may rule over the people with wisdom. The pontiff said those who do not pray for their leaders commit sin, Breitbart relayed.

In addition, Pope Francis said people are not that aware of their responsibility to pray for those in power. For this reason, they complain when their leaders say things they do not like and applaud when they do something they like. People usually leave their leaders alone “to figure things out with parliament,” but the pontiff said this should not be the case.

“We cannot leave government leaders on their own,” said Pope Francis. “We have to accompany them with prayer.”

“We need to become more aware of our duty to pray for those who govern,” he later on added.

Moreover, the pope said one’s responsibility does not end with voting for a political candidate. Whether or not they agree with their leaders, they should pray for them and confess to God if they have not done so “because not praying for government leaders is a sin.”

Leaders, on the other hand, should be aware that there is someone who is more powerful than him. Pope Francis said God is the one who gave rulers their power, so they should also pray and be aware of this subordination.

Earlier this month, National Day of Prayer’s president Pastor Ronnie Floyd spoke during a day dedicated to praying for the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, USA. He emphasized the need for people to “call out to God,” especially during times of trouble, Life Zette reported.

Pastor Floyd also emphasized the importance of praying for national leaders. With all the problems going on in the world, he said now is the time when people need to pray more than ever.

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