VATICAN Rereading one’s own life to discover the small miracles of God

In the general audience in Saint Peter’s Square, Francis continued the catechesis on discernment. With a view to World Mission Day, he encouraged us to pray for those who, sent throughout the world, “write with their lives a love story at the service of the Gospel.”

Vatican City () – “Getting used to rereading one’s own life educates the gaze, refines it, allows us to notice the small miracles that the good God works in us every day”, Pope Francis explained today to the groups of pilgrims gathered in Peter’s Square for the usual Wednesday general audience.

Continuing with the cycle of catechesis dedicated to the theme of discernment, Francis focused on the importance of knowing one’s own history well in order to make decisions. “Our life -he commented- is the most valuable “book” that has been given to us, a book that unfortunately many do not read or do so too late, before they die. And yet, precisely in that book is found what we seek in vain by other paths.

He then cited the example of St. Augustine, who wrote in his Confessions: “And behold, you were inside me and I was outside, and on the outside I was looking for you; and deformed as I was, I threw myself on the beauties of your creatures. You were with me but I was not with you”. And the great philosopher’s invitation to “go back into oneself” is still valid for each of us today. “Many times – observed the pontiff – we too have had the experience of Augustine, of finding ourselves prisoners of thoughts that distance us from ourselves, of stereotyped messages that harm us – ‘I’m no good at all’, ‘Everything goes wrong for me ‘, ‘I’ll never do anything good’, ‘that’s life’ – and we fell apart. Reading one’s own history -he went on to say- also means recognizing the presence of these “toxic” elements, but in order to later broaden the plot of our history, learning to recognize other things, making it richer, more respectful of complexity, and also making it able to see the discreet way in which God acts in our life”.

“A reading, a service, a meeting – Francis exemplified – that at first glance may be considered of little importance, at a later moment transmit inner peace, transmit the joy of living and suggest new initiatives to do good. Stopping and acknowledging these things is critical.” Because “good is always hidden, it is always silent,” he explained. Because God’s style is discreet, it is not imposed; it is like the air we breathe, we do not see it but it makes us live, and we realize it only when we lack it”.

An interesting exercise in this sense can be to tell someone about your life. “It is a beautiful experience that the bride and groom do,” observed the pontiff. It is one of the most beautiful and intimate forms of communication, telling one’s life. It allows us to discover things hitherto unknown, small and simple, but, as the Gospel says, it is precisely from small things that great things are born”. Then, reiterating the invitation to recover the practice of the examination of conscience, he added that it is not only about “taking stock of the sins that we commit -and we commit many-, but also asking ourselves ‘What has happened inside of me? have I felt joy?’ What gave me joy? I was sad? What made me sad? And so learn to discern what happens within us.

When he greeted the groups present, Pope Francis did not stop directing his thoughts to the martyred Ukraine: “Let us pray for the terrible things that are happening there – he said – the torture, the deaths, the destruction”. He also remembered the victims of the floods in Nigeria and World Mission Day, which is celebrated next Sunday. Pope Francis invited us to pray “especially for the missionaries who, sent to different parts of the world, write with their lives a love story at the service of the Gospel. In this month of missions, let us try to understand better and better the mission that the Lord has entrusted to each one of us. Let us ask him to accompany and bring to fulfillment with his grace everything we do”.