Pope instills optimism in religious: do not judge your vocation based on successes

Francis presided over the Presentation of the Lord in Saint Peter’s Basilica. It is the day dedicated to religious life and it is one of the celebrations that begins in a most evocative way: with this procession of candles.

In this part of the ceremony the Pope used to remain standing, but on this occasion he sat down, probably due to knee problems that prevent him from walking.

Hundreds of religious participated in the mass and the Pope dedicated the homily to them to suggest some points on which to reflect.

FRANCISCO
“Sometimes we run the risk of conceiving our vocation in terms of results, goals and success. We move in search of spaces, notoriety, numbers. It is a temptation. The Spirit, on the other hand, does not ask us for this. He wants us to cultivate daily fidelity, to be docile to the little things that have been entrusted to us.”

He asked men and women to reflect on their vision of the consecrated life, that society can sometimes judge it as useless.

FRANCISCO
“The world often sees her as a waste. But look, that handsome boy became a monk, that beautiful girl became a religious, but what a waste. If he were ugly, but no. They are handsome, what a waste. So we think. Perhaps, we see it as a reality of the past, something useless. But we, the Christian community, religious men and women, what do we see?”

In the liturgy there were very symbolic moments of unity, because together with the Pope celebrated the Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenians, Rafael Bedros XXI Minassian.

The patriarch was elected by the synod of his constituency. And it is possible that the Pope will recognize them during a liturgical celebration that both celebrate together.

Romereports.com