In this moment, "how many are praying, offering and interceding for the good of all. Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons," Francis said.
He noted that in the Gospel, the disciples are afraid of the storm, but Christ sleeps in the boat. The disciples lacked faith not because they stopped believing in Christ, but because they think he does not care about what happens to them.
"'Do you not care about me?' It is a phrase that wounds and unleashes storms in our hearts. It would have shaken Jesus too. Because he, more than anyone, cares about us. Indeed, once they have called on him, he saves his disciples from their discouragement," Francis said.
The storm, he said, "exposes our vulnerability and uncovers those false and superfluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities."
"'Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?' Lord, your word this evening strikes us and regards us, all of us."
The extraordinary Urbi et Orbi also included the opportunity for Catholics to receive a plenary indulgence by joining via the media, praying for the intentions of the pope, and having perfect contrition, as well as the will to receive sacramental confession and the Eucharist as soon as possible.
Pope Francis said during the hour of prayer that part of faith is realizing we are in need of salvation, that we are not self-sufficient.
"We need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars," he said. "Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck."
Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.