Pope Francis Called On The Nuns To Be Women Of Hope...

[Dominican Nuns Menlo Park]

"He [Pope Francis] called on the nuns to be women of hope, saying that hope “nourished by listening , contemplation , patience.”

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-visits-camaldolese-monastery-of-santa

 

Pope Francis visits Camaldolese Monastery of Sant'Antonio Abate

 

 

2013-11-21 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis just concluded a visit to the Camaldolese Monastery of Sant’Antonio Abate at the foot of Rome's Aventine hill. He went to the cloistered convent to celebrate Vespers with the nuns on the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, dedicated by the Church to all cloistered religious. He is not the first Pope to visit the convent on the Aventine – both Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II made the short trip across Rome’s Tiber river to visit. The Vespers was solemn, the nuns chanting the office in air filled with incense.
In his homily, based on the readings, Pope Francis spoke about Mary, calling her the mother of Hope. He called on the nuns to be women of hope, saying that hope “nourished by listening , contemplation , patience.” Pope Francis said, that while at the foot of the cross, when everything seems really over, all hope might have been cut off.
“[Mary], too, in that moment, might have said if she remembered the promises of the Annunciation : ‘It was not true! I was deceived .‘ But she did not,” the Pope said. “Instead, she, who was blessed because she believed, by her faith that sees the new future bloom and waits hopefully for the tomorrow of God.”
He went on to say the only lamp on the tomb of Jesus was the hope of the mother, who at that time was the hope of all humanity. He then asked them, is that lamp still burning in the monastery? Do they expect this tomorrow of God? Pope Francis said the mother of hope sustains us in times of doubt and difficulty , discomfort and apparent defeat , and in true human losses.
“Mary, our Hope,” concluded Pope Francis. Help us to make our lives an offering pleasing to our Heavenly Father, and a joyful gift for our brothers, an attitude that always looks to tomorrow .
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[Golden Years]

That is really beautiful!  Thanks for posting. 

[BarbTherese]

It is a beautiful homily! Thank you for sharing.

 

Our contemplatives in a special way have much to say to all of us.  I recall that Thomas Merton wrote that contemplatives should share the fruits of their contemplation in the parlour - and something that our Carmelites here do actively and willingly.

 

Read in today's meditation another message of Hope from St Gregory the Great (c.540-604) : http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=commentary&localdate=20131128

Excerpt only: "Let this be far from the hearts of the faithful, let it be far from those who believe by their faith that there is another life, and who love it by their activities... What is our mortal life except a way? Consider carefully, my friends, what sort of thing it is to grow weary with the exertions of the way, and yet to be unwilling that the way be ended!... Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist."

 

I think that we can be people of Hope and 'sight' of Heaven and without loosing any real compassion and action insofar as possible for the suffering and tragedies in this world of every kind."  To take it to heart and integrated that Jesus died to save all and that St Paul pointed out that this includes creation itself 'groaning in hope', not only mankind.

 

St Paul to Romans Ch 8 http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__PYW.HTM

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God;

20 for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope

21 that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;"