Pope Francis prays for hungry families in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic

 Pope Francis asked people to pray on Thursday for families who are struggling to put food on the table during the coronavirus pandemic.

"In many places, one of the effects of this pandemic is that many families are in need and hungry," said Pope Francis on April 23 during the broadcast of his morning Mass.

"We pray for these families, for their dignity," he added.

The pope said that the poor suffer from "another pandemic": the economic consequences of layoffs and thefts. He said that the poor also suffer from the exploitation of unscrupulous money lenders and prayed for their conversion.

The coronavirus pandemic threatens food security in many parts of the world. David Beasley, Rome-based World Food Program (WFP) executive director, said on April 21 that the world was already facing "the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II" in 2020 before the pandemic.

"So today, with COVID-19, I want to emphasize that we are not only facing a global health pandemic, but also a global humanitarian catastrophe," he told the United Nations Security Council via video link. "If we don't prepare and act now - to ensure access, avoid funding gaps and trade disruptions - we could face multiple famines of biblical proportions within a few months."

According to WFP, 130 million people worldwide are on the verge of starvation during the pandemic.

In his homily in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, his Vatican residence, Pope Francis reflected on Christ as our intercessor before God.

"We are used to praying Jesus to give us this grace, that other one, to help us, but we are not used to contemplating Jesus showing the wounds to the Father, to Jesus, the intercessor, to Jesus praying for us," said the Pope .

“Let's think about this a little… For each of us Jesus prays. Jesus is the intercessor. Jesus wanted to bring his wounds with him to show them to the Father. It's the price of our salvation, "he said.

Pope Francis recalled an event in chapter 22 of Luke's Gospel when Jesus said to Peter during the Last Supper: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to sift all of you like wheat, but I prayed that your faith could not to fail."

"This is Peter's secret," said the pope. "Jesus' prayer. Jesus prays for Peter, so that his faith cannot be lacking and he can - affirms Jesus - confirm his brothers in the faith".

"And Peter was able to go far, from coward to brave, with the gift of the Holy Spirit thanks to Jesus' prayer," he added.

April 23 is the feast of San Giorgio, namesake of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. The Vatican celebrates the pope's "name day" as an official state holiday.