POPE's MESSAGE TO THE YOUTH

VATICAN - Pope's Message to the youth: “If you find your sustenance in Christ, my dear young people, and if you live profoundly in him as did the Apostle Paul, you will not be able to resist speaking about him and making him known and loved by many of your friends and contemporaries.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “If you find your sustenance in Christ, my dear young people, and if you live profoundly in him as did the Apostle Paul, you will not be able to resist speaking about him and making him known and loved by many of your friends and contemporaries...

The Church depends on you for this demanding mission. Do not be discouraged by the difficulties and trials you encounter.” This was the message that Pope Benedict XVI sent out to the youth of the world in his Message for the XXIV World Youth Day, which will be celebrated on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009, on a diocesan level.“My dear friends, follow the example of Paul and be witnesses to the Risen Christ! Make Christ known, among your own age group and beyond, to those who are in search of “the great hope” that would give meaning to their lives.

If Jesus has become your hope, communicate this to others with your joy and your spiritual, apostolic and social engagement. Let Christ dwell within you, and having placed all your faith and trust in him, spread this hope around you.” The Pope exhorts the youth to make choices that demonstrate their faith, and not let themselves be attracted by “false illusions,” and not to give in to the “ rationale of selfish interests...

True Christians are never sad, even if they have to face trials of various kinds, because the presence of Jesus is the secret of their joy and peace.” After recalling the encounter held in Sydney in July of last year, the journey towards the international encounter in Madrid in 2011, which will bear the theme from the words of Saint Paul: “Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7), he mentioned the reflection for 2009, on the affirmation of Saint Paul: “We have set our hope on the living God” (1 Tim 4:10), and in 2010, on the question put to Jesus by the rich young man: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mk 10:17).

In making reference to the theme chosen for this year, Benedict XVI highlighted that “The question of hope is truly central to our lives as human beings and our mission as Christians, especially in these times. We are all aware of the need for hope, not just any kind of hope, but a firm and reliable hope, as I wanted to emphasize in the Encyclical Spe Salvi. Youth is a special time of hope because it looks to the future with a whole range of expectations.”

In this time of our lives, we face certain existential questions and obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable and we ask ourselves: “where can I obtain and how can I keep alive the flame of hope burning in my heart?”“As I wrote in the Encyclical Spe Salvi, politics, science, technology, economics and all other material resources are not of themselves sufficient to provide the great hope to which we all aspire.

This hope 'can only be God, who encompasses the whole of reality and who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain' (no. 31). This is why one of the main consequences of ignoring God is the evident loss of direction that marks our societies, resulting in loneliness and violence, discontent and loss of confidence that can often lead to despair,” the Pope said, noting that “the crisis of hope is more likely to affect the younger generations.

In socio-cultural environments with few certainties, values or firm points of reference, they find themselves facing difficulties that seem beyond their strength.” In light of this aspect, the Pope makes reference to the many youth who are “have been wounded by life. They often suffer from personal immaturity caused by dysfunctional family situations, by permissive and libertarian elements in their education, and by difficult and traumatic experience.

For some – unfortunately a significant number – the almost unavoidable way out involves an alienating escape into dangerous and violent behavior, dependence on drugs and alcohol, and many other such traps for the unwary.” To speak of hope to these young people, we need “a new evangelization aimed at helping younger generations to rediscover the true face of God, who is Love.”

To the youth “in search of a firm hope,” Benedict XVI addressed the very words that Saint Paul wrote to the persecuted Christians in Rome at that time: 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit' (Rom 15:13). During this Jubilee Year dedicated to the Apostle of the Gentiles on the occasion of the two thousandth anniversary of his birth, let us learn from him how to become credible witnesses of Christian hope.”Reflecting on Saint Paul, “witness to hope,” the Pope mentioned that he “found himself immersed in difficulties and trials of various kinds” however he never lost hope, which had come from his encounter with the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, where “he was inwardly transformed by the Divine Love he had met in the person of Jesus Christ...

For Paul, hope is not simply an ideal or sentiment, but a living person: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”“Just as he once encountered the young Paul, Jesus also wants to encounter each one of you, my dear young people,” Benedict XVI said, recalling that “when we express our faith in prayer, we find him even in times of darkness because he offers himself to us. Persevering prayer opens the heart to receive him.”

The Pope then exhorted the youth to “Make space for prayer in your lives! To pray alone is good, although it is even more beautiful and fruitful to pray together, because the Lord assured us he would be present wherever two or three are gathered in his name. here are experiences, groups and movements, encounters and courses in which to learn to pray and thus grow in the experience of faith. Take part in your parish liturgies and be abundantly nourished by the word of God and your active participation in the Sacraments.”

The Message concludes by recalling that also on the path is the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope: “She who incarnated the hope of Israel, who gave the world its Saviour, and who remained at the foot of the Cross with steadfast hope, is our model and our support. Most of all, Mary intercedes for us and leads us through the darkness of our trials to the radiant dawn of an encounter with the Risen Christ.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 5/3/2009)