'To all, I ask that you persevere in prayer': Pope Francis asks us to pray for ISIS militants

'[F]or the dead, the wounded, the families and for all the Belgian people.'

Pope Francis calls us to pray for the victims of the Brussels attack and their families - and for the ISIS militants and their families, who have succumbed to "cruel fundamentalism."

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) -  During his Wednesday audience, Pope Francis asked that people pray "to comfort the hearts of the afflicted and to convert the hearts of those people taken in by cruel fundamentalism."

He led a Hail Mary prayer then continued: "I renew an appeal to all people of good will to unite in the unanimous condemnation of these cruel abominations that have only caused death, terror and horror."

The pontiff then took a moment for a silent prayer for the victims of the terrorist attack, those who were wounded, the families of everyone affected and "for all the Belgian people."

Rather than condemning the behavior of the radical group, Pope Francis has called us to soften our hearts to them and understand that God's grace is greater than any other force.

In praying for a miracle, we are putting our faith in Him and are coming together to combat ISIS on a spiritual level. How great is God's glory? Should ISIS militants allow themselves to see the truth of Christ, all the horrific violence can finally come to an end.

Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the US bishops' conference, wrote to Archbishop Joseph De Kesel of Mechelen-Brussel to say he has been praying for terrorist attacks to stop. "The Church throughout the United States feels this senseless act of violence as a tragedy in our own family.

"Of course, the terror of the Crucifixion is overcome by the hope of the Resurrection. Through unity, courage and comforting of the victims, the people of Belgium remind me of the Apostles comforted by the Risen Lord. In the face of unspeakable violence, they refused to allow fear to be their final witness."

In closing, Kurtz wrote that Jesus died for our sins, so we should respond to Jihadist hatred with love and should "reject the extremists who would see us abandon our most vulnerable brothers and sisters."

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