Continuing his weekly catechesis on discernment, Pope Francis focused on a third ingredient: desire. He described desire as a compass that guides a person and can help give direction to a person's life.
The Pope explained that desire “is not a craving in the moment,” but rather it “lasts over time, even a long time, and tends to materialize.” These desires can drive people to persevere through life's challenges.
SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters:
In our continuing catechesis on spiritual discernment, we have considered the importance of prayer and growth in self-knowledge. Today we consider a necessary element of discernment, which is desire, the deep longing for happiness and fulfillment present in the human heart. In our spiritual tradition, desire is seen as evidence of our innate yearning for God and the peace that He alone can give: a kind of compass directing our lives to their ultimate goal.
In seeking the Lord and trusting in his promises, we find the strength to persevere amid difficulties, to accept sacrifices joyfully, and to strive in all things to live in accordance with His will. In the Gospels, Jesus often asks those who seek a miracle what it is that they ask of Him (i.e, Mk 10:51). Our own dialogue with the Lord in prayer helps us to articulate our inmost desires and to allow him to work miracles of grace and healing in our lives. For that is Jesus’ own greatest desire: to make us sharers in His own divine life and to enable us to find, in Him, our eternal happiness and fulfillment.
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims taking part in today’s Audience, especially those from England, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Ghana, Vietnam and the United States of America. Upon all of you I invoke the joy and peace of Christ our Lord. God bless you!
