Today, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, marks the XXVIII World Day of Consecrated Life. For the participants of the meeting in preparation for the 2025 jubilee, it is a valuable opportunity to reflect, share and celebrate this feast together with many other consecrated persons from all over the world.
The brief opening prayer introduced the assembly to the theme of the day, "Growing of Charity," which was explored in depth during the workshop.
In the first part of the workshop, participants shared the personal, ecclesial, and socio-political joys and labors that they feel are most present in the context where they live.
Among the most heartfelt joys emerged communion, synodality, cross-cultural richness, generous and joyful response to the missionary call, creativity that manifests ecclesial vitality, commitment to justice and peace, and openness to grasp the signs of the times.
The greatest challenges are in the ethical and socioeconomic sphere, among which the issue of abuse emerges. Consecrated persons sense resistance to change, the difficulty in rediscovering the joy and positive identity of consecrated life, and the need for an engaged Church in the face of complex and urgent issues.
The second part of the workshop focused on the possible steps in living Christian charity on a personal, ecclesial and socio-political level. Living one's faith with authenticity, being credible witnesses of the Gospel and communion are the steps that can help one be a prophet in our time and become signs of reconciliation and peace in the world marked by so many evils: wars, poverty, discrimination...
The main moment of the day was the Eucharistic celebration in St. Peter's Basilica presided over by Pope Francis.
The Pontiff underlined the importance of waiting, taking inspiration from Simeon and Anna. “Their hearts - says Pope Francis - have remained awake, like an ever-burning torch... They have youth in their hearts... They have not sent their hope into retirement”. There are two obstacles to waiting for the Lord: neglect of the interior life and adaptation to the style of the world. He concluded by inviting consecrated persons and all Christians to cultivate the wait for the Lord because "by welcoming the Lord, the past opens up to the future, the old that is in us opens up to the new that He inspires.
The day ended with a visit to the Vatican Museums.
