Pictures with a pope are almost always characterized by broad smiles, but an event this week reflected even more joy than usual -- for both the Holy Father and those with him.
Leo met on November 13 with cloistered nuns who are members of the Ordinary Federal Assembly of the Federation of Augustinian Monasteries in Italy, which is a group of various monasteries who live according to the Rule of St. Augustine.
That means, of course, that they share their spirituality with Leo, who is an Augustinian priest.
Leo started off by mentioning a happy "coincidence."
I do not know if it is Providence, the coincidence that it is on exactly November 13, the Feast of all the saints of the Order, that we meet – a beautiful gift for everyone!
Religious orders generally have a feast in which the celebrate all of their saints and blesseds together, and many of them are in November, as the universal Church celebrates all of her saints on November 1. The Benedictines, for example, also celebrate all of their saints on November 13.
The Pope spoke to the nuns about various themes, including a factor that has already proven to be one of his emphases: the importance of listening. He quoted Pope Francis, noting "how important it is, in the sequela Christi, to walk together: to listen together to the voice of the Spirit and “to look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say, to build rapport, to be sensitive to the questions of our sisters and brothers, to let ourselves be enriched by variety."
He also emphasized the element of the joy that comes from union with God.
"Saint Augustine left us some beautiful pages in this regard," he said. "In his Confessions, he speaks about a joy granted to those who serve the Lord out of pure love (cf. 10:22-32) and concludes: 'The happy life is this – to rejoice unto You, in You, and for You; this it is, and there is no other' (ibid.). Full joy for man, especially for the Christian, is in communion with the Lord, in that intimacy with the heavenly Spouse to whom you, by vocation, dedicate your entire life."
The Pope invited the nuns to embrace the cloistered life "with enthusiasm," devoting themselves with "undivided love" to their calling.
... the liturgy, common and personal prayer, adoration, meditation on the Word of God, mutual help in community life. This will give you peace and consolation, and to those who knock on the doors of your monasteries, a message of hope more eloquent than a thousand words.
He also urged them to the "witness of charity," noting how their cloisters contain the world.
To spread the good scent of God throughout the world, then, strive to love one another with sincere affection, as sisters, and to carry in your hearts, in secret, every man and woman in this world, to present them to the Father in your prayers.
The charity they live as spiritual sisters is an antidote for our world, he explained:
In a society so focused on outward appearances, where people sometimes do not hesitate to violate the respect of others and their feelings in pursuit of a spotlight and applause, may your example of silent and hidden love help others to rediscover the value of daily and discreet charity, focused on the substance of loving one another and free from the slavery of appearances.
