Since we learned yesterday that China’s President Xi Jinping will be in Kazakhstan at the same time as Pope Francis (in one week!), it will be interesting to see if diplomats from either side – or both sides – would attempt to arrange a meeting between the two. Usually meetings at such a high level would take months to arrange but stranger things have happened in life. Many are asking: Would such a meeting be wise? Which side would gain – or lose – the most?
Stay tuned….
DISCERNMENT OFTEN COMES IN UNEXPECTED SIGNS FROM GOD
The weekly general audience took place today in St. Peter’s Square that, while hot and sun-splashed, was not enveloped by the scorching heat of weeks past.
Pope Francis took a ride around the piazza in the open papal jeep and was even joined by several children at one point.
Some Vatican media photos of the morning:
He introduced the second catechesis on his new series on discernment by saying, “in the process of making sound decisions about the meaning and direction of our lives, we now consider the witness of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. As a young soldier, Ignatius was gravely wounded in battle. During his long convalescence, he was unable to read his favorite novels of chivalry and heroic exploits. The only books at hand were the lives of the saints.”
And this is often how the Lord works, said Francis. He works through what we see as “apparent randomness in the events of life.” Ignatius did not have his preferred reading but was instead driven to the unexpected joy of reading about saints, about lives that changed his life, the books that became a turning point.
“Reading them, at first reluctantly,” said the Holy Father, “Ignatius came to realize that the stories of the saints brought him lasting joy and happiness, while the other stories left him ultimately arid and empty. This insight was the origin of the method of prayer and discernment that Ignatius left us in his celebrated Spiritual Exercises.”
Pope Francis explained that Ignatius, in his Spiritual Exercises, “speaks of the importance of distinguishing between worldly and spiritual thoughts, cultivating the latter, and allowing them, by God’s grace, to mature within our hearts. In time, then, we come to discern in prayer the often unexpected signs by which God makes himself known to us, leads us to conversion and shows us his will for our lives.”
A PAPAL SALUTE TO MOTHERS AND A PLEA FOR PEACE
At the end of the catechesis on discernment, Pope Francis pointed out that, “tomorrow we will celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Mary experienced God’s tenderness as a daughter, full of grace, and went on to give this tenderness as a mother, through union with the mission of her Son Jesus.”
He then expressed his “closeness to all mothers. In a special way, to those mothers who have children who suffer: those who are sick, those who are marginalized, those who are imprisoned. A special prayer goes to the mothers of young detainees: let hope never be lacking. Unfortunately, in prisons there are many people who take their own life, at times also young people. A mother’s love can save them from this danger. May Our Lady console all mothers distressed by the suffering of their children.”
The Pope also prayed for Ukraine and its people who have undergone a war for over six months. “I do not forget martyred Ukraine,” he said. asking everyone to “be a builder of peace and to pray that thoughts and plans of concord and reconciliation will spread in the world, …Today we are experiencing a world war, let us please stop!”
He entrusted the victims of all ways, especially the “dear people of Ukraine” to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Joan's Rome 