Pope Francis continues his weekly audiences on discernment: Spiritual consolation “is an experience of interior joy, consisting in seeing God’s presence in everything.”

“Do not fear desolation; face it with perseverance, do not evade it,” Pope Francis said in his weekly general audience, continuing on his theme of discernment.

Pope Francis recounts his visit to Bahrain and the interfaith dialogue that occurred there: "Meeting each other and praying together, we felt we were of one heart and one soul."

“We must not remain defeated by a moment of sadness,” Pope Francis said in his Wednesday general audience about desolation, continuing his discussion of discernment.

“The plea for peace cannot be suppressed,” Pope Francis said today. “It rises from the hearts of mothers; it is deeply etched on the faces of refugees, displaced families, the wounded and the dying.”

Discernment is the narrative reading of the good moments and the dark moments, the consolations and desolations we experience in the course of our lives.