Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the Apostolic Almoner, has returned from Ukraine on perhaps his most dangerous trip.
While he was loading supplies into a van with a Catholic and Protestant bishop, someone shot at them.
During his General Audience, Pope Francis spoke about the cardinal's recent experience.
POPE FRANCIS
This morning, I was able to talk to Cardinal Krajeski, who is back from Ukraine and he told me terrible things. Let us think about Ukraine and pray for this suffering people.
Last week, after pausing to speak about his trip to Kazakhstan, the Pope resumed his weekly catechesis on discernment.
On this occasion, he explained that affections play an important role in discernment. He said that they can help a person get in touch with God or keep them from connecting with God. And to prevent this distancing from God, Pope Francis proposed praying with simplicity.
POPE FRANCIS
To be in prayer is to open my heart to Jesus, to get closer to Jesus, to let Jesus come into my heart and make us feel His presence. And there, we can discern—when Jesus is there and when we are present with our thoughts.
The Pope said that repeating prayers without stopping to consider their meaning does not allow God to enter the heart.
He also said that there are many ways of praying, like that of a religious who worked as the porter of a school.
POPE FRANCIS
And every time he approached the chapel, he would look at the altar and say, 'Hello' because he was close to Jesus. He didn't need to say 'blah, blah, blah.' He didn't. Just, 'Hello, I am close to you and you are close to me.'
Discernment is a very important theme for Pope Francis. On many occasions, he has stressed the importance of learning to discern in order to have a deeper faith life.
JRB
TR: KG
