separateurCreated with Sketch.

Pope: Know thyself – and here’s how

Pope-Francis-Audience-October-05-2022
Kathleen N. Hattrup - published on 10/10/22
This advice isn't just for the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, but also for our spiritual life.

Pope Francis is an advocate of the Ancient Greek aphorism, "Know thyself."

"Almost complementary” to prayer in discerning God's will is self-knowledge, he says.

As a tool in the process of self-knowledge, the pope recommends a hallmark of Jesuit spirituality: the examen prayer.

At the general audience of October 5, he shared some questions that might characterize this prayer:

~ What happened in my heart in this day? “Lots of things happened …” Which? Why? 

~ What traces did they leave in my heart? 

~ What satiates my heart? 

~ To see: What passed by today? 

~ What happened? 

~ What made me react? 

~ What made me sad? 

~ What made me joyful? 

~ What was bad, and did I harm others? 

Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.