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INTENTION : |
We pray for young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary's life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.
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World need the gifts, enthusiasm of young people
The life of a young person and the vocation to which God calls each one is "holy ground" that pastors and parents must respect, nurture and encourage, Pope Francis wrote in Christus Vivit,
Christus Vivit ("Christ Lives"), the Pope's reflections on the 2018 Synod of Bishops on young people, the faith and vocational discernment, is a combination letter to young people about their place in the Church and a plea to older members of the Church not to stifle the enthusiasm of the young, but to offer gentle guidance when needed.
In the document, Pope Francis talked about how the sex abuse crisis, a history of sexism and an overly narrow focus on just a handful of moral issues can keep young people away from the Church.
But he also said many young people want to know and understand the teachings of the Church and, despite what many people think, they long for and need times of silent reflection and opportunities to serve their communities.
"A Church always on the defensive, loses her humility and stops listening to others, leaves no room for questions, loses her youth, and turns into a museum," Pope Francis wrote. "How, then, will she be able to respond to the dreams of young people?"
Keep the Church youthful
Young people have a natural desire to improve the life of the Church and the world around them, the pope said. If older people in the Church let the young people try, it will keep the Church youthful.
Each young person's heart should thus be considered 'holy ground,' a bearer of seeds of divine life, before which we must "take off our shoes to draw near and enter more deeply into the mystery." - Pope Francis
"Let us ask the Lord to free the Church from those who would make her grow old, encase her in the past, hold her back or keep her at a standstill," Pope Francis wrote.
The core of the Pope's message to young people was that they remember they are loved by God and saved by Jesus, who continues to live and act in the world and in their lives.
"His love is so real, so true, so concrete, that it invites us to a relationship of openness and fruitful dialogue," the Pope said, even when one is angry with God. "He does not get upset if you share your questions with Him. When you don't talk to Him, He is concerned when you are not open to dialogue with Him."
Pope Francis urged parishes and dioceses to rethink their young and young adult programmes and to make changes based on what young people themselves say they want and need.
"Young people need to be approached with the grammar of love, not by being preached at," he said. "The language that young people understand is spoken by those who radiate life, those who are there for them and with them. And those who, for all their limitations and weaknesses, try to live their faith with integrity."
Directly addressing young people, Pope Francis said, "Take risks, even if it means making mistakes. Don't go through life anaesthetised or approach the world like tourists."
He said that the youth ministry must not be elitist or focus only on the teens and young adults already active in the Church's life. It must be "a process that is gradual, respectful, patient, hopeful, tireless and compassionate," as Jesus was when He walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
"Each young person's heart should thus be considered 'holy ground,' a bearer of seeds of divine life, before which we must 'take off our shoes to draw near and enter more deeply into the mystery.'
Discovering one's vocation
He said that discovering one's vocation "has to do with finding our true selves in the light of God and letting our lives flourish and bear fruit."
The Pope said that for most young people, that will mean marrying, forming a family, and working.
"Within the vocation to marriage we should acknowledge and appreciate that 'sexuality, sex, is a gift from God. It is not taboo. It is a gift from God, a gift the Lord gives us,'" he wrote. Sexuality "has two purposes: to love and to generate life. It is passion, passionate love. True love is passionate. Love between a man and a woman, when it is passionate, always leads to giving life. Always. To give life with body and soul."
Pope Francis also encouraged young people not to dismiss out of hand the fact that God may be calling them to priesthood or religious life.
God's call to each person is individual, made-to-measure just for him or her, the Pope said, so discovering that call can be done only with calm, silence, prayer and the wise help of someone who truly knows how to listen and ask the right questions.
A vocation, he said, is a gift that "will help you live to the full and become someone who benefits others, someone who leaves a mark in life; it will surely be a gift that will bring you more joy and excitement than anything else in this world. Not because that gift will be rare or extraordinary, but because it will perfectly fit you. It will be a perfect fit for your entire life."
Cindy Wooden, CNS
Mary of Nazareth
In the heart of the Church, Mary shines forth. She is the supreme model for a youthful Church that seeks to follow Christ with enthusiasm and docility. While still very young, she accepted the message of the angel, yet she was not afraid to ask questions (cf. Lk 1:34). With open heart and soul, she replied, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord" (Lk 1:38).
Today, Mary is the Mother who watches over us, her children, on our journey through life. Mary our Mother looks to this pilgrim people: a youthful people whom she loves, and who seek her in the silence of their hearts amid all the noise, the chatter and the distractions of the journey. Mary illumines anew our youth.
Pope Francis, Christus Vivit
Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, (2019)
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