Pope Francis: 'Prayer brings hope in most troubling times'

Prayer has the power to awaken hope in men and women, even in the face of death and destruction, Pope Francis said.

People often feel unworthy to turn to God when they are in need "as if it were a self-interested prayer and, thus, imperfect," the Pope said on January 18 during his weekly general audience.

"But God knows our weakness; he knows that we remember him to ask for help and, with the indulgent smile of a father, he responds graciously," he said.

Greeting thousands of people in the Paul VI audience hall, the Pope seemed to lose his balance several times as pilgrims clasped his hand and tried pulling him toward them, hoping for a hug or a blessing.