杏MAP导航

By Benedict Mayaki, SJ

During his Catechesis at the Wednesday General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued reflecting on discernment, focusing on its indispensable 鈥渋ngredient鈥�: desire.

He said that 鈥渄iscernment is a form of searching, and searching, always stems from something we lack, but somehow know.鈥�

Desire

Explaining further about this knowledge of something we lack, but somehow know, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that spiritual teachers refer to it as 鈥�'desire' - a nostalgia for fullness that never finds full fulfilment, and is the sign of God鈥檚 presence in us.鈥�

He said that the Italian word desiderio, comes from the Latin term de-sidus which means 鈥渢he lack of the star,鈥� of the reference point, which orients our path of life.

鈥淚t evokes a suffering, a lack, and at the same time a tension to reach the good that is missing,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, and hence, desire is the 鈥渃ompass to understand where I am and where I am going.鈥�

Desire, the 杏MAP导航 continued, is 鈥渘ot the craving of the moment.鈥�

Illustrating further, the 杏MAP导航 referred to instances when we are thirsty, noting that if we do not find something to drink, we do not give up. On the contrary, our yearning for water increasingly occupies our thoughts and actions, until we become willing to make any sacrifice in order to quench our thirst.

鈥淥bstacles and failures do not stifle the desire; on the contrary, they make it even more alive in us,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said.

Desires last through time

鈥淯nlike the desire or emotion of the moment," he said, "desire lasts through time, even a long time, and tends to materialize."

He gave the example of a young person who wants to be a doctor, and embarks on a course of study and work that occupies years of their life.

This choice, the 杏MAP导航 explained, means he will have to set limits, say 鈥渘o鈥� to other courses of study, avoid diversions and distractions, especially during the most intense times of study.

It is thus, 鈥渢he desire to give his life a direction and reach that goal enables him to overcome these difficulties.鈥�

Desires and miracles

The 杏MAP导航 then highlighted that Jesus, before performing a miracle, often questioned the person about his or her desire.

Recalling the example of the paralytic at the pool of Bethsaida whom Jesus asked: 鈥淒o you want to be well?鈥� (Jn 5:6), 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that the paralytic鈥檚 answer reveals a series of strange resistances to healing, which do not relate only to him.

In fact, Jesus鈥� question was an invitation to bring clarity to his heart, to welcome a possible leap forward, to no longer think of himself and his life "as a paralytic," transported by others; however, the man does not seem to be convinced.

Here the 杏MAP导航 noted that 鈥渂y engaging in dialoguing with the Lord, we learn to understand what we really want from life.鈥�

Desire separates lasting projects from wishful thinking

鈥淥ften it is indeed desire that makes the difference between a successful, coherent and lasting project, and the thousands of wishes and good intentions with which, as they say, 'hell is paved with,'" the 杏MAP导航 said.

Particularly in this era which seems to promote the maximum freedom of choice, but at the same time reduces desire to the 鈥渄esire of the moment,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 suggested, we are bombarded by a thousand proposals, projects and possibilities, 鈥渨hich risk distracting us and not permitting us to calmly evaluate what we really want.鈥�

In this regard, he noted that many people suffer because 鈥渢hey do not know what they want from their lives,鈥� and because 鈥渢hey have probably never got in touch with their deepest desire.鈥� Thus, they risk 鈥減assing one鈥檚 existence between attempts and expedients of various kinds, never getting anywhere, and wasting precious opportunities. And so certain changes, though desired in theory, when the opportunity arises, are never implemented.鈥�

The desire to know God鈥檚 desire

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by asking what would be our answer if the Lord were to ask us, like the blind man in Jericho, 鈥渨hat do you want me to do for you?鈥�

He recommended that we answer by asking Him 鈥渢o help us know His deepest desire, that God himself has placed in our heart. And to give us the strength to make it materialize.鈥�