The Pope reflected on the “desire” factor for spiritual discernment in his catechism in a public audience on Wednesday. The Pope stressed that desire is a product of a profound meaning that can resist difficulties in the face of difficulties. Desire to stand the test of time.
(Vatican news network) On the morning of October 12, Pope Francis presided over the public reception on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Square, continuing the theme of the catechism. This time the Pope explained the “desire” factor, which is linked to discernment, stating that “discrimination is a form of research, and research is always due to something that we lack but that we know”. Desire “is a yearning for perfection, a perfection that will never be achieved, a sign of the presence of God in us”.
The Pope explained first of all that “desire” comes from Latin and means “lack of stars, lack of reference points to guide the path of life”, a lack that causes pain and insufficiency, but also a rush to obtain the good that is lacking. So “Desire becomes a compass to know where I am and where I am going, and a compass to know if I am still or moving. A man who never desires is a man who is still, perhaps a patient, almost dead”.
The Pope went on to explain that desire is a product of a profound meaning that can resist difficulties. He gave the example of a person who is thirsty, and if he can’t find water right away, he won’t stop for it and stop looking for it. As long as he could find water to drink, he was ready to make any sacrifices. Desire to stand the test of time. Another example: a young person who aspires to be a doctor must commit himself and know how to give up. “I have to set limits, know how to say ‘no’, say ‘no’ first to other professions, and also say ‘no’ to the entertainment and distractions that may be encountered, but the desire for him” allowed him to overcome these difficulties “.
Furthermore, the Pope recalled that “before Jesus performed miracles, he often asked the needy what they wanted”. For example, he asked the paralyzed man at the Betzada pool: “Do you want to be healed?” We ask, why did Jesus say this?
“The paralyzed man’s response, in fact, revealed a series of bizarre resistances to healing, and it wasn’t just him. Jesus’ question was an invitation to clarify one’s heart and to accept the leap in quality that could arise: to stop putting oneself and see one’s life as “a paralyzed man” who needs to be carried around, but the man in bed he doesn’t seem so convinced of him.
Through dialogue with the Lord, we learn to understand what we really want in life, the Pope said. “The paralyzed patient is typical of a person who says’ yes, I do ‘but does nothing for their own wishes. So,’ the desire becomes an illusion, does not take a step to make it happen ‘, but begins to complain.
“But beware, complaining is poison, it poisons people’s hearts and lives and doesn’t make you want to go on. You have to be cautious about complaining. If there is a complaint in the family, husband and wife will complain and between of them complaining, children who complain about fathers, or priests who complain about bishops, or bishops who complain about many other things … No, if you find yourself in the middle of complaining, be careful, it’s almost a shame, because it allows the desire to grow “.
Dwelling on the historical moment in which we live, the Pope emphasized that if on the one hand it seems to “encourage the maximum freedom of choice, at the same time consuming desire”, making it a passing thought. Thousands of proposals flood our heads, distracting us from what we really want. “Think of young people, for example, with cell phones in hand, looking for, looking …”, “But do you stop and think?”
“Many people suffer because they do not know what they want in their life; perhaps they have never touched their deepest desires. As a result, their life is spent between trials and conspiracies, never getting results and missing out on precious opportunities. So some changes, despite the desire in theory, are never implemented when the opportunity arises, lacking a strong desire to get things done “.
The Pope asked how we would respond today if Jesus asked us: “What would you like me to do for you?” The Pope replied: “Perhaps, finally, we can ask him to help us recognize the deep desire for him, which God has placed in our hearts”. “The Lord may have given us the power to recognize this desire” to “share in his fullness of life”. This is actually what God desires for us.
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