 SÃO PAULO, Brazil, MAY 10, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI’s first full day in Brazil included a meeting with young people where he touched on themes as varied as protecting the environment and saintliness.
The Pope arrived to Brazil on Wednesday for an apostolic trip that includes Sunday’s opening of the 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Holy Father spoke with youth today, basing his discourse on the Gospel passage of the rich young man who asks Jesus how he can inherit eternal life. After Christ tells him to sell what he has and “come follow me,” the youth goes away sad.
The Pontiff said: “The question in the Gospel does not regard only the future. “On the contrary, it exists as a task in the present, in the ‘here’ and ‘now,'” the Holy Father said. “In short, the young man’s question raises the issue of life’s meaning. … [W]hat must I do so that my life is not wasted? “Jesus alone can give us the answer, because he alone can guarantee us eternal life. He alone, therefore, can show us the meaning of this present life and give it fullness.”
Apostles of youth Benedict XVI told the young people that Jesus’ answer lies in the affirmation of the goodness of God. “To understand what is good, we need help, which the Church offers us on many occasions, especially through catechesis,” the Pope explained. “Whoever keeps the commandments is on the way that leads to God. And you, young people of Brazil and Latin America, have you already discovered what is good? Do you follow the Lord’s commandments? “Many times, we who are pastors feel a sense of trepidation as we take stock of the situation in today’s world. We hear talk of the fears of today’s youth. “These fears reveal an enormous lack of hope: a fear of death […] fear of failure […] fear of remaining detached.”
Yet, the Holy Father told the youth that they “radiate so much joy and enthusiasm.” “I see you as Christ sees you,” he said, “with a gaze of love and trust, in the certainty that you have found the true way.” “You are the youth of the Church,” the Pontiff said. “I send you out, therefore, on the great mission of evangelizing young men and women who have gone astray in this world like sheep without a shepherd. Be apostles of youth.”
Marriage and riches Benedict XVI encouraged the young people to “respect and honor” marriage, “an institution of natural law, which has been raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament.” “God calls you to respect one another when you fall in love and become engaged, since conjugal life, reserved by divine ordinance to married couples, will bring happiness and peace only to the extent that you are able to build your future hopes upon chastity, both within and outside marriage,” he told them.
Recalling again the Gospel passage of the rich young man, the Pope told them that youthfulness is a treasure. “This episode causes us to reflect further on the treasure of youth,” he said. “It is not, in the first place, a question of material wealth, but of life itself, and the values inherent in youth. “From life springs freedom, which manifests itself, especially in this phase, as responsibility.” The Holy Father encouraged the young people to be open to a vocation to the consecrated life. “Some are called to a total and definitive self-giving, by consecrating themselves to God in the religious life — an ‘exceptional gift of grace,’ as the Second Vatican Council expressed it,” he said.
The Pontiff added: “I pray that in this moment of grace and profound communion in Christ, the Holy Spirit will awaken in the hearts of many young people an impassioned love, prompting them to follow and imitate Jesus Christ, chaste, poor and obedient, totally devoted to the glory of the Father and to love for their brothers and sisters.” Benedict XVI affirmed that the Church needs young people. He asked them to follow closely the progress of the 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean.
“My dear young people,” he concluded, “Christ is calling you to be saints. He himself is inviting you and wants to walk with you, in order to enliven with his Spirit the steps that Brazil is taking at the beginning of this third millennium of the Christian era.” ZE07051012
