the examination of conscience teaches us the ‘passwords’ of the spiritual life

During the general audience, and continuing with his catechesis on discernment, the pontiff invited the faithful to rediscover this daily practice handed down by Christian tradition. On the feast of Saint Faustina Kowalska, the call to seek salvation in mercy, even in the face of the drama of the war in Ukraine. The example of Saint Francis: his consecration to God, service to men and brotherhood with creatures.

Vatican City () – Truly knowing oneself is an indispensable step in accepting God’s will in our lives. Pope Francis said this today, addressing the pilgrims present in Saint Peter’s Square for the weekly General Audience.

Continuing with the catechesis on the theme of discernment, he explained how this dimension of Christian life, along with the prayer, requires “knowledge of oneself, it involves our human faculties: memory, intellect, will, affections. We often do not know how to discern because we do not know ourselves well enough, and therefore we do not know what we really want.” “At the root of spiritual doubts and vocational crises – Francis continued – there is often an insufficient dialogue between religious life and our human, cognitive and affective dimension. Forgetting the presence of God in our lives goes hand in hand with ignorance about ourselves.

Knowing oneself is not difficult, but it requires “a patient work of interior excavation”. “It requires the ability to stop, to ‘disconnect the autopilot’, to become aware of the way we do things, of the feelings that inhabit us, of the recurring thoughts that condition us – many times without us realizing it. It also requires us to distinguish between emotions and spiritual faculties. ‘I feel’ is not the same as ‘I am convinced’; ‘I feel like’ is not the same as ‘I want’.”

And to describe this work of interior excavation, the pontiff used the image of a common experience for those who must access personal or precious data on a computer: “The spiritual life -he said- also has its ‘passwords’: there are words that touch the heart because they refer to what sensitizes us the most. The tempter, that is, the devil, knows these key words well, and it is important that we also know them, so as not to find ourselves where we do not want”. Knowing how to recognize these passwords is, in fact, the way to “protect us from those who present themselves with persuasive words to manipulate us, but also to recognize what is really important to us, and to be able to distinguish it from the trends of the moment or from flashy slogans and superficial”.

In this sense, Francis pointed out the practice of examining conscience at the end of each day, a great help that the Christian tradition has always recommended: “calmly review what happens in our day,” the Pope explained, “learn to notice in our evaluations and choices to which we give more importance, what we look for and why, and what we have found in the end”. Above all, learn to recognize what satisfies my heart. Because only the Lord can give us confirmation of what we are worth. He tells us every day since the cross: he has died for us, to show us how valuable we are in his eyes. There is no obstacle or mistake that can prevent the tender embrace of him “.

During the greetings to the groups present in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pope referred to today’s feast, Saint Faustina Kowalska, which became an opportunity to return once again to the drama of the war in Ukraine. “Through her – recalled Francis addressing the Poles, Kowalska’s compatriots -, God asked the world to seek salvation in her mercy. Let us remember it especially today, thinking above all of the war in Ukraine. As I said last Sunday at the Angeluslet us trust in the mercy of God, which can change hearts, and in the maternal intercession of the Queen of Peace”.

Finally, the Pope addressed the Italian pilgrims and reminded them of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, celebrated yesterday: “I invite everyone to imitate him: may his example of consecration to God, service to men and brotherhood with creatures, guide your way.”