Hajja Salesjana

converted to the newness of the Kingdom. He had to have the humility and courage needed to discern,” he said. Discernment, the Pope explained, is necessary in our spiritual journey, as it cautions against the rigid application of rules without a deep understanding of God’s will. “Discernment is important for all of us.” “Discernment,” he continued, “frees us from the illusion of omniscience and challenges the temptation to perpetuate familiar patterns. It is a burst of love that distinguishes between good and better, between what is helpful in itself and what is helpful here and now, between what may be good in general and what needs to be done now,” he said. “Discernment is a burst of love that distinguishes between what is good and what is better.” “Discernment ought to help us, even in the work of the Curia, to be docile to the Holy Spirit, to choose procedures and make decisions based not on worldly criteria, or simply by applying rules, but in accordance with the Gospel,“ the Pope explained. Journey The final word, journeying, the Pope said, is illustrated through the story of the Magi, who remind us of the “importance of journeying.” Pope Francis said that embracing the joy of the Gospel leads to discipleship, and calls us to embark on a journey toward the encounter with the Lord. “He sends us on a journey, draws us out of our comfort zones, our complacency about what we have already done, and in this way, he sets us free; he changes us and he enlightens the eyes of our heart to make us understand the great hope to which he has called us,“ he said. And warning against the dangers of fear, rigidity, and monotony, which lead to immobility and a failure to see the constant newness of God’s calling, the Pope said the Curia is called to pursue a constant search for truth and openness to growth. “In our service here in the Curia too, it is important to keep facing forward, to keep searching and growing in our understanding of the truth, overcoming the temptation to stand still and never leave the ‘labyrinth’ of our fears,” he added. He urged those present to avoid the trap of bureaucracy and mediocrity, and to remain vigilant against “rigid ideological positions” that separate us from reality and prevent us from moving forward. The journey, like that of the Magi, he said, always begins “from above,” guided by the call of the Lord and the illumination of God’s word. Call to love and humility Pope Francis concluded with a call to courage, love, and humility in our journey of faith and service. Sharing an anecdote about a “zealous priest” he acknowledged that it is not easy “to rekindle the embers under the ashes of the Church.” “Today we strive to kindle passion in those who have long since lost it.  Sixty years after the Council, we are still debating the division between ‘progressives’ and ‘conservatives,’ while the real difference is between lovers and those who have lost that initial passion. That is the difference. Only those who love fare forward,” he said. “Thank you,” Pope Francis said, “especially for all the work that you do in silence, listening, discerning, journeying.” And he invoked the Lord to grant the grace to rejoice in humble and generous service: “Please, may we never lose our sense of humour!” Photo by Courtnie Tosana - Unsplash.com 15 Jannar-Marzu 2025 hajja