prayer is the first step of discernment

At the general audience in Saint Peter’s Square, Francis explained that “the saints teach us to address God with simplicity and familiarity, not by reciting words like a parrot. Being with Him we will recognize what really matters in our lives. He once again remembered the tortured people of Ukraine.

Vatican City () – Prayer is the “first constituent element” of discernment, Pope Francis explained this morning at the general audience, before the multitude of pilgrims from various parts of the world gathered in Saint Peter’s Square. He thus resumed this Wednesday his cycle of catechesis dedicated to this dimension of Christian life.

“To know what happens inside us -he explained-, we must discern where feelings and ideas come from, where they lead me, to what decision”. But in this “prayer is an indispensable help, especially when it comes to affections, allowing us to address God with simplicity and familiarity, as we speak with a friend. It is knowing how to go beyond thoughts, to enter into intimacy with the Lord with an affectionate spontaneity. The secret of the life of the saints is familiarity and trust with God, which grows in them and makes it easier for them to recognize what pleases him. True prayer -he underlined- is familiarity and trust with God, not reciting prayers like a parrot”.

This helps to understand that discernment “is not a chemically pure method, it does not claim absolute certainty, because it is about life, and life is not always logical, it has many aspects that cannot be enclosed in a single category of thought” . Significantly – Francis recalled – the first miracle performed by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark is an exorcism (Mk 1, 21-28), in which he frees a man from a false idea of ​​God. When the possessed says “Have you come to destroy us?” he is doubting that God wants our happiness.

“Many people, including Christians” – commented the Pope – think the same: “They doubt that he wants our happiness; moreover, some fear that taking his proposal seriously means ruining our lives, mortifying our desires, our strongest aspirations”. Sometimes even “the idea arises within us that God is asking too much of us”. The sign of the encounter with the Lord is joy. Sadness or fear are signs of estrangement from Him”, as happens to the rich young man in the Gospel.

“Discernment is not easy – added Francis – because appearances are deceiving, but familiarity with God can gently dissolve doubts and fears, making our lives more and more receptive to his “friendly light”, according to the beautiful expression of Saint John Henry Newman. The saints shine by the light they reflect and show in the simple gestures of every day the loving presence of God, who makes the impossible possible.”

“It is said that two spouses who have lived together for a long time loving each other -said the pontiff- end up resembling each other. Something similar can be said of affective prayer: it gradually but effectively makes us more and more capable of recognizing what is important, naturally, as something that springs from the depths of our being. This, he concluded, is the relationship we must have in prayer: a smile, a simple gesture and not reciting words that do not reach the heart. Talk to Jesus like a friend talks to another friend. It is a grace that we must ask for each other: to see Jesus as our best friend, our most faithful friend, who does not blackmail and above all who never abandons us, not even when we distance ourselves from Him. door of the heart.

In the greetings to the faithful, Francis then returned, as every week, to address his thoughts to the Ukrainian people, so cruelly tried. “This morning – he added – I was able to speak with Cardinal Krajewski who has just returned from the Ukraine and he told me terrible things. Let us think of Ukraine and pray for this martyred people”. Lastly, he referred to the feast of the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael that is celebrated tomorrow, and he wished that each one let himself be guided by them to “recognize and follow the voice of the inner Master, who speaks in the secret of conscience” .