Pray for peace, sustained by faith and hope, the Pope said on November 6.

Opening his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square with a prayer to Our Lady (Virgen de los Desamparados), the patron saint of Valencia, Spain, Pope Francis asked people to pray for the victims of Spain’s floods.

“I wanted to greet the Virgen de los Desamparados,” the Pope told crowds of pilgrims at the Vatican after placing a white rose in front of her statue. “Today, in particular, let us pray for Valencia and for the other areas of Spain that suffer because of the water,” the Holy Father said.

More than 200 people have been confirmed dead in Valencia since heavy rains hit the eastern Spanish province last week. Another 90 people were reported missing after severe flooding swept through the city, destroying homes and personal property, businesses, roads and other public infrastructure.

Pope Francis venerates a statue of the Virgin Desamparados in St. Peter’s Square during his general audience Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at the Vatican. | Julia Cassell/CNA

Following his prayer to the Virgin Mary for the people of Spain, the Pope continued his catechesis on the Holy Spirit and the Church, focusing on the theme of Christian prayer: “We pray to receive the Holy Spirit and we receive the Holy Spirit in order to truly pray; that is, as children of God, not as slaves”.

Asking his listeners to reflect on Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans, which highlights the need to learn from the Holy Spirit to “pray as we ought”, the Holy Father emphasized that prayer should not come from a place of fear and punishment, but from the freedom and spontaneity of a child who trusts in God.

“Each of us has young children — children (who are either) nephews, nieces or (sons and daughters) of friends — and they always get good things from us,” he said. “And as (God) the Father, will He not give us good things?”

Pope Francis blesses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his general audience on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at the Vatican. | Julia Cassell/CNA

According to the Holy Father, the only “power” that people have before God is prayer, because “he is not against prayers”. He said that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches the Church and every Christian how to pray.

“He confesses to us that we are children of God and puts the cry ‘Ava, Father!'” on our lips, the Pope said. “It is God who prays in us.”

“True prayer,” according to the Holy Father, is when one allows the Holy Spirit to come to the aid of our weakness and intercede for us “according to God’s will.”

“Jesus says seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be given to you in addition,” the Pope said. “Instead, we seek something above and beyond—namely our own interests—and completely forget to seek the Kingdom of God.”

Turning his attention to the needs of those suffering around the world, including the sick and elderly, Pope Francis asked his listeners to pray for those in war-torn countries at the end of his Nov. 6 general audience.

Pope Francis arrives in a crowded St. Peter’s Square for his general audience on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at the Vatican. | Julia Cassell/CNA

“We must not forget the martyred Ukraine that suffers so much. We must not forget Palestine and Israel. The past few days 153 civilians have been killed. It is very sad. We must not forget Myanmar and we must not forget Valencia in Spain.”