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Illustration: Loneliness by Hans Thoma 1880 (National Museum in Warsaw)
POPE FRANCIS GENERAL AUDIENCE
Saint Peter’s Square – Wednesday, 26 October 2022
“Desolation can be an indispensable wake-up call for life”
Reading from the book of Sirach (2:1-5)
My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Be sincere of heart and steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of adversity. Cling to him, do not leave him, that you may prosper in your last days. Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient. For in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation.
Catechesis on Discernment. 7. The matter of discernment. The Desolation
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Discernment, as we have seen in previous catecheses, is not primarily a logical procedure; it is about actions, and actions also have an affective connotation, which must be recognized, because God speaks to the heart. Let us then go to the first affective mode, the object of discernment, that is, desolation. What is it?
The desolation has been defined as follows: “The darkness of the soul, the inner turmoil, the urge towards low and earthly things, the restlessness due to various agitations and temptations: thus the soul inclines to distrust, is without hope and without love, and finds itself lazy, lukewarm, sad, as if separated from its Creator and Lord” (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises , 317). We all experience this. I believe that in one way or another, we have experienced this, the desolation. The problem is how we can read it, because it too has something important to tell us, and if we are in a hurry to get rid of it, we risk losing it.
No one would want to be desolate, sad: this is true. We would all like a life that is always joyful, cheerful and fulfilled. Yet this, besides not being possible – because it is not possible – would not even be good for us. In fact, the change of a vice-oriented life can start from a situation of sadness, of remorse for what has been done. The etymology of this word, “remorse”, is very beautiful: the remorse of conscience, we all know this. Remorse: literally it is the conscience that bites, that does not give peace. Alessandro Manzoni, in The Betrothed, gave us a splendid description of remorse as an opportunity to change life. This is the famous dialogue between Cardinal Federico Borromeo and the Unnamed, who, after a terrible night, shows up shattered by the cardinal, who turns to him with surprising words: “‘You have good news to give me, and you make me sigh so much?’ Good news, me?” – said the other. “I have hell in my heart […]. You tell me, if you know, what is this good news.” “That God has touched your heart, and wants to make you his own,” the cardinal replied calmly” (chap. XXIII). God touches your heart and you get something inside, sadness, remorse for something, and it is an invitation to start a roadway. The man of God can notice in depth what moves in the heart.
It is important to learn how to read sadness. We all know what sadness is: everyone.
But do we know how to read it? Do we know how to understand what it means to me?
In our time, it – sadness – is mostly viewed negatively, as an evil to be escaped from at all costs, and instead it can be an indispensable wake-up call for life, inviting us to explore richer and more fertile landscapes that transience and escapism do not allow.
St Thomas defines sadness as a pain of the soul: like nerves for the body, it reawakens attention to a possible danger, or to a disregarded good (cf. Summa Th. I-II, q. 36, a. 1).
Therefore, it is indispensable for our health, it protects us so that we do not harm ourselves and others. It would be much more serious and dangerous not to feel this feeling and move on. Sadness sometimes works like traffic lights: “Stop, stop! It’s red, here. Stop.”
On the other hand, for those who have the desire to do good, sadness is an obstacle with which the tempter wants to discourage us. In that case, one must act in a manner exactly contrary to what has been suggested, determined to continue what one had set out to do (cf. Spiritual Exercises, 318). Think of work, study, prayer, a commitment we have made: if we left them as soon as we feel boredom or sadness, we would never accomplish anything.
This is also an experience common to the spiritual life: the road to good, the Gospel reminds us, is narrow and uphill, it requires a fight, a victory of self. I start praying, or devote myself to good work and, strangely enought, just then I think of things to do urgently – not to pray and not to do good things. We all have this experience. It is important for those who want to serve the Lord not to be led by desolation. And this that … “But no, I don’t feel like it, this is boring …”: be careful. Unfortunately, some decide to abandon the life of prayer, or or the choice they have made, marriage or religious life, driven by desolation, without first stopping to read this state of mind, and especially without the help of a guide.
A wise rule says not to make changes when you are desolate. It will be the ime afterwards, rather than the mood of the moment, to show the goodness or otherwise of our choices.
Interestingly, in the Gospel, Jesus rejects temptations with an attitude of firm resolve (cf. Mt3:14-15; 4:1-11; 16:21-23). Trial situations come to Him from various sides, but always, finding in Him this steadfastness, determined to do the Father’s will, they fail and cease to hinder the way. In the spiritual life, trial is an important moment, the Bible explicitly reminds us of this and says thus: “If you present yourself to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for temptation” (Sir 2:1). If you want to go on the right path, prepare yourself: there will be obstacles, there will be temptations, there will be moments of sadness. It is like when a professor examines the student: if he sees that he knows the essential points of the subject, he does not insist: he has passed the test. But it must pass the test.
If we know how to go through loneliness and desolation with openness and awareness, we can come out strengthened from a human and spiritual point of view. No trial is beyond our reach; No test will be greater than what we can do. But do not run away from trials: see what this trial means, what it means that I am sad: why am I sad? What does it mean that I am in desolation right now? What does it mean that I am in desolation and cannot go on?
St Paul reminds us that no one is tempted beyond his ability, because the Lord never abandons us and, with him near, we can overcome every temptation (cf. 1 Cor 10:13).
And if we don’t win it today, we get up again, walk and we will win it tomorrow.
But do not remain dead – so to speak – don’t stay defeated for a moment of sadness, of desolation: go ahead. May the Lord bless you on this journey – be brave! – of the spiritual life, which is always walking.
Summary
Dear brothers and sisters:
In our continuing catechesis on discernment, we now consider what the spiritual masters call “desolation”, those moments when we experience interior darkness, unrest and distance from God and from the consolations of faith.
For our spiritual growth, it is important to confront these dark nights of the soul and to discern what the Lord wishes to tell us through them. At times, desolation can be a summons to acknowledge our sinfulness and to embrace God’s offer of love and forgiveness. Saint Thomas says that our souls, like our bodies, can experience a kind of pain that makes us aware of threats to our spiritual health. At other times, the experience of desolation can be a temptation to grow slack in prayer and in the discipline of the Christian life. Here too, the great spiritual teachers urge us not to yield to this temptation, but to persevere, confident that by this testing the Lord will guide us to a fuller understanding of his gracious plan for our lives and a deeper union with him in faith, hope and love.
