Pope Francis on the feast of the presentation: learn from the patience of Simeon and Anna

On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Pope Francis indicated Simeon and Anna as models of a "patience of heart" that can keep hope alive in difficult moments.

“Simeon and Anna caressed the hope proclaimed by the prophets, even if it is slow to come true and grows silently among the infidelities and the ruins of our world. They did not complain about how wrong things are, but they patiently sought the light that shines in the darkness of history, ”Pope Francis said in his homily on February 2.

“Brothers and sisters, let us contemplate the patience of God and implore the confident patience of Simeon and also of Anna. In this way our eyes too can see the light of salvation and bring it to the whole world ”, said the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis offered Mass on February 2 on the occasion of the World Day of Consecrated Life, which for 25 years has been celebrated every year on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

The Mass for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also called Candlemas, began with the blessing of the candles and a procession in a St. Peter's Basilica in the dark.

The altar of the chair was lit with dozens of lighted candles, and the consecrated men and women present in the congregation also held small candles.

For the Candlemas festival, Catholics often bring candles to church to be blessed. They can then light these candles at home during prayer or in difficult times as a symbol of Jesus Christ, the light of the world.

In his homily, Pope Francis said that patience is not "a sign of weakness, but the strength of the spirit that allows us to 'carry the burden' ... of personal and community problems, to accept others as different from ourselves, to persevere in goodness when all seems lost, and to continue to advance even if overwhelmed by boredom and indolence “.

“Let's take a closer look at Simeone's patience. All his life he waited, exercising the patience of his heart, ”he said.

"In his prayer, Simeon had learned that God does not come in extraordinary events, but works in the midst of the apparent monotony of our daily life, in the often monotonous rhythm of our activities, in the little things that, working with tenacity and humility, we achieve in our efforts to do his will. Persevering patiently, Simeone did not tire with the passage of time. Now he was an old man, yet the flame still burned intensely in his heart “.

The pope said there are "real challenges" in consecrated life that require "patience and courage to continue advancing ... and respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit".

“There was a time when we responded to the call of the Lord and with enthusiasm and generosity we offered him our life. Along the way, along with the consolations, we've had our share of disappointments and frustrations, ”he said.

“In our life as consecrated men and women, it can happen that hope slowly fades due to unfulfilled expectations. We must be patient with ourselves and wait with hope for God's times and places, because he always remains faithful to his promises “.

The pope stressed that community life also requires "mutual patience" in the face of the weakness and shortcomings of one's brothers and sisters.

He said: "Keep in mind that the Lord does not call us to be soloists ... but to be part of a choir that can sometimes lose a note or two, but must always try to sing in unison."

Pope Francis said that Simeon's patience comes from the prayer and history of the Jewish people, who had always seen the Lord as "a merciful and kind God, slow to anger and full of unwavering love and faithfulness".

He added that Simeon's patience mirrored God's own patience.

“More than anyone else, the Messiah, Jesus, whom Simeon held in his arms, shows us the patience of God, the merciful Father who continues to call us, until our final hour,” he said.

"God, who does not demand perfection but sincere enthusiasm, who opens up new possibilities when all seems lost, who wants to open a breach in our hardened hearts, who lets the good seed grow without uprooting the weeds."

“This is the reason for our hope: that God will never tire of waiting for us… When we turn around, he comes looking for us; when we fall, it lifts us to our feet; when we return to him after having lost our way, he awaits us with open arms. His love is not weighed on the scales of our human calculations, but it unreservedly gives us the courage to start over ”, Pope Francis said.