Speaking at his general audience in St Peter's Square on a cold, cloudy morning on Nov 16, the pope spoke about spiritual desolation and approaching prayer without solely seeking "emotional gratification" or as "a mere exchange."

"Many of our prayers are also somewhat like this: they are requests for favours addressed to the Lord, without any real interest in him," Pope Francis said.

"It does us a great deal of good to learn to be with him, to be with the Lord, to learn to be with the Lord without ulterior motives, exactly as it happens with people we care for: we wish to know them more and more because it is good to be with them," he added.

The pope pointed to the example of a child's relationship with his parents. He said that children often look to their parents for what they can give them: a toy, some money, ice cream, etc. It is only when one grows up that the realization occurs that the greatest gift is one's parents, to be with them.

"Dear brothers and sisters, the spiritual life is not a technique at our disposal, it is not a program for inner ‘well-being' that it is up to us to plan. No. It is the relationship with the Living One, with God," Francis said.

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