"There was a time when we responded to the Lord's call, and with enthusiasm and generosity offered our lives to him. Along the way, together with consolations, we have had our share of disappointments and frustrations," he said.
"In our lives as consecrated men and women, it can happen that hope slowly fades as a result of unmet expectations. We have to be patient with ourselves and await in hope God's own times and places, for he remains ever faithful to his promises."
The pope noted that community life also requires "reciprocal patience" in the face of the weakness and failings in one's brothers and sisters.
He said: "Let us keep in mind that the Lord does not call us to be soloists ... but to be part of a choir that can sometimes miss a note or two, but must always try to sing in unison."
Pope Francis said that Simeon's patience was born of prayer and the history of the Jewish people, who had always seen the Lord as "a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and fidelity."
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 keeps calling us, even to our final hour," he said.
"God, who does not demand perfection but heartfelt 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 never tires of waiting for us ... When we turn away, he comes looking for us; when we fall, he lifts us to our feet; when we return to him after losing our way, he waits for us with open arms. His love is not weighed in the balance of our human calculations, but unstintingly gives us the courage to start anew," Pope Francis said.
Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.