“Now is the time to get up! Let’s get up quickly! Let’s carry, like Mary, Jesus inside us to pass it on to everyone! In this beautiful phase of your life, go forward, and don’t put off what the Holy Spirit can achieve in you!” This is what His Holiness Pope Francis wrote in his message on the occasion of the 37th World Youth Day
On the occasion of the thirty-seventh World Youth Day, which will be celebrated on November 20, 2022, His Holiness Pope Francis sent a message to young people under the title “Mary arose and went with haste” in which he wrote the theme of the World Youth Day in Panama was: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. “. After that event, we resumed the path toward a new goal – Lisbon 2023 – and allowed God’s call to rise and rise to resonate in our hearts. In 2020, we meditated on the word of Jesus: “Boy, I tell you: Arise!” Last year, we were inspired by the figure of Saint Paul the Apostle, to whom the Risen Lord Jesus said: “Rise up! I will make you a witness to this vision.” In the period that still separates us from Lisbon, we will walk with the Virgin of Nazareth, who, following receiving the Good News, “arose and went in haste” to go and help her cousin Elizabeth. The verb in common in the three subjects is ‘to rise’, an expression that also takes the meaning of ‘resurrection’ and ‘awakening to life’. In these last difficult times, torn apart by the tragedy of human war, tested by a pandemic, Mary once once more opens to everyone and especially to you, young people like her, the path of closeness and encounter. I hope, and I firmly believe, that the experience that many of you will have in Lisbon, in August of next year, will be a new beginning for you young people – and with you – for all of humanity.
Pope Francis continued, saying that, following the Annunciation, Mary might focus on herself, and on her worries and fears because of her new situation. But she didn’t. She put all her trust in God. I thought rather of Elizabeth. She got up and went out to where life and movement. Although the shocking news of the angel caused an “earthquake” in her plans, the young woman did not allow this to paralyze her, because Jesus, the power of the resurrection, was within her. She carried within her from now on the lamb that was slain and living forever. She got up and set out, because she trusted that God’s plans were the best possible project for her life. Thus, Mary became the temple of God, a picture of the church that walks, the church that goes out and puts itself in service, and the church that carries the Good News! Experiencing the presence of the risen Christ in our personal lives, and meeting him “alive”, is the greatest spiritual joy, and the rebirth of light that cannot leave anyone “immobilized” in their place. Rather, it sets us in motion immediately and motivates us to carry this good news to others, and to witness to the joy of this encounter. This is what moved the first disciples to hurry up and see what happened in the days that followed the resurrection: “They left the tomb with great fear and joy, and hurried to the disciples bringing the good tidings.” Resurrection accounts often use two verbs: “wake up and rise.” With these two actions, the Lord Jesus pushes us to step out into the light, and allow Him to lead us to cross the threshold of all our closed doors. It is an expressive picture of the church. We too, as disciples of the Lord and as a Christian community, are called to rise quickly and enter into the dynamic of the Resurrection and allow the Lord to lead us on the paths that He wants to show us. The Mother of God is a model for young people who walk and do not stand still in front of the mirror, looking at their own pictures or “traps” on the Internet. She was rushing outward. She is the Easter woman, and she is in a state of constant exodus, an exodus from herself towards the other par excellence who is God, and towards others, brothers and sisters, especially the most needy, as was her cousin Elizabeth.
The Holy Father added that St. Ambrose wrote, commenting on the Gospel of St. Luke, that Mary hurried towards the mountain “because she was happy with the promise and desired to do faithful service, with the impulse that came from her inner joy. And if she was filled with God, where might she have been?” You go fast, except to the top? The grace of the Holy Spirit cannot be slowed down.” Therefore, Mary’s speed is the care of service, the proclamation of joy, and the immediate answer to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Mary allowed her elderly cousin’s need to question her. She did not back down, and did not remain indifferent. She thought of others more than she thought of herself. This added dynamism and enthusiasm to her life. Each of you can ask yourself: What is my reaction to the needs that I see around me? Do I immediately think of a justification for not committing, or do I care and be ready to serve? Of course, you cannot solve all the problems of the world. But, perhaps you can start with the problems of the people close to you, and the issues of your country. They once told Mother Teresa, “You are just a drop in the ocean.” She replied, “But if I don’t do it, the ocean will be one drop less.” Faced with a concrete and urgent need, we must act quickly. How many people in the world are waiting for a visit from someone to take care of them! How many elderly, sick, imprisoned, and refugees need our compassionate look, our visit to them, and a brother or sister who goes beyond the barriers of indifference!
Pope Francis asked, “What is the “speed” that moves you, dear young people? What makes you feel the need to move, to the point where you cannot stand still? Many – tormented by the pandemic, war, forced migration, poverty, violence, and climate disasters – ask: Why is this happening to me? Why am I specifically? And why now? Whereas the fundamental question of our life is: Who am I? The speed of the young woman of Nazareth is like the speed of those who received special gifts from the Lord and might not help but share them and make the great grace they experienced overflow upon others. It is the speed of those who know how to put the needs of others above their own. Mary is the example of the young woman who does not waste her time looking for the attention or approval of others – as happens when we rely on “likes” on social media – but rather moves to seek the authentic connection, which comes from encounter, sharing, love and service. After the Annunciation happened, and since she left her home to go to visit her cousin, Mary has never stopped crossing distances and times to visit her children who need her loving help. If God resurrects our journey, then it will lead us directly to the heart of each of our brothers and sisters. How many testimonies we receive from people visited by the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother! How many remote places on earth, and over the centuries, where Mary visited her people by apparitions or by special graces! Practically, there is no place on this earth that Mary has not visited. The Mother of God walks in the midst of her people, impelled by her tenderness full of love, and she takes upon herself our concerns and our vicissitudes. Wherever there is a shrine, a church, or a chapel dedicated to her, her children flock to her in great numbers. What are the most common ways to express popular piety? Pilgrimages, feasts, supplications, receiving pictures in homes and other tangible examples of the living relationship between the Mother of the Lord Jesus and her people, who visit each other mutually!
The Pontiff added that a good speed always pushes us towards the higher and towards the other. But there is also the bad speed, for example the speed that leads us to live superficially, to take everything lightly, without commitment or interest, and without actually participating in the things we do, the speed when we live, study, work, meet others, without To live the moment deeply. This can happen in interpersonal relationships: in the family, when we don’t really listen to others and never devote time to them, and in friendships, when we expect a friend to entertain us and respond to our needs, then we avoid him immediately and go to another if we see that he is in crisis and needs us, Even in romantic relationships, between the betrothed, few have the patience to get to know each other and understand each other in depth. This same attitude can be found in school, at work and in other areas of daily life. So all these things that are quickly lived out are very difficult to bear fruit. And there is the danger of remaining sterile. In this context, we read in the Book of Proverbs: “The thoughts of glory are due to the wind, and all calves – that is, bad speed – are due to want.”
When Mary finally arrived at the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the Pope continued, a wonderful meeting took place! Elizabeth experienced in herself a wonderful intervention from God, who gave her a son in her old age. She had every impulse to speak for herself first, but she was not full of herself, but was motivated to receive her young cousin and the fruit of her womb. As soon as she heard her greetings, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. These surprises and interventions of the Holy Spirit happen, when we experience true hospitality, and when we put the guest first, not ourselves. This is what we see also in the story of Zacchaeus. We read in the Gospel of Luke: “When Jesus came to that place, [حيث كان زكّا]He raised his edge and said to him: O Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I must stay at your house today. So he hastily descended and made him happy.” Many of us have experienced encountering Jesus unexpectedly: for the first time in him we experience closeness and respect, the absence of prejudice and condemnation, and a look of mercy that they have never found in others. But not only that, we also felt that Jesus is not content with that He looks at us from afar, but he wants to stay with us, and share his life with us.The joy of this experience generated in us the speed to receive him, and the urgent need to stay with him and get to know him better. He hosted Zacharias and Elizabeth, Mary and Jesus!Let us learn from these two elderly people the meaning of hospitality! , as well as the elders in your communities, what does it mean for them to be hospitable to God and to others. It will help you to listen to the experience of those who preceded you. Dear young people, the time has come for you to set out quickly once more towards concrete encounters, towards a real welcome for those who are different from us, as happened between Young Mary and Elder Elizabeth. Only thus will we overcome distances – between generations, between social classes, between ethnic groups, between groups and groups of every kind – and wars as well. Young people are always the hope of unity c. A threat to a divided and divided humanity. But only if they had a memory, if they only listened to the tragedies and dreams of the elderly. It is no coincidence that war has returned to Europe while the generation that lived through it in the last century is disappearing. Therefore, there is a need for a covenant between the young and the elderly so that we do not forget the lessons of history, and in order to overcome the polarization and extremism of this time.
The greatest ink added when he wrote to the people of Ephesians, Saint Paul declared: “In Christ Jesus, you are the ones who were the most promising, you have made approaches to the blood of Christ. . Jesus is God’s answer to the challenges of humanity at all times. And this answer, which Mary had in her mind when she went to meet Elizabeth. The greatest gift that Mary gave to her elderly cousin was that she carried Jesus to her. Certainly, the tangible help you gave her was also very valuable. However, nothing might fill the house of Zechariah with such great joy and meaning as the presence of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary, who became the abode of the living God. In that mountainous region, without uttering a single word, Jesus, with his presence, announced his first Sermon on the Mount: He silently proclaimed the blessing of the small and humble who trust in God’s mercy. Therefore, my message to you, young people, and the great message of the Church is Jesus! Yes, He Himself, His infinite love for each one of us, His salvation and the new life He has given us. And Mary is the model that teaches us how to receive this great gift in our lives and how to communicate it to others, so that we, in turn, become carriers of Christ, bearers of His merciful love, and His generous service to suffering humanity.
The Holy Father continued saying that Mary was a girl like many of you. She was one of us. Thus, Archbishop Tonino Bello wrote regarding her: “Holy Mary, […] We know very well that you are destined to sail into the depths of the ocean. But if we compel you to sail near our coasts, it is not because we want to bring you down to our coastal navigation levels. but because when we see you near the shores of our disappointment, we may realize that we too are called to venture, like you, into the oceans of freedom.” From Portugal, as I mentioned in the first letter of this Trilogy, many young people left during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, – from Among them are many missionaries – to unknown worlds, so that they also share their experience with Jesus with other peoples and nations.And to this land, at the beginning of the twentieth century, Mary wanted to make a special visit, when from Fatima to all generations the powerful and wonderful message of God’s love called for To each of you I renew my warm invitation to participate in the great pilgrimage of young people across the continents, which will culminate in World Youth Day in Lisbon next August, and remind you that on November 20 next, the Feast of Christ the King, we will celebrate On World Youth Day in private churches around the world In this regard, the recent document issued by the Department of Laity, Family and Life – “Pastoral Guidelines for the Celebration of World Youth Day in Private Churches” – To be very useful to all the people who work in the pastoral work of young people.
Pope Francis concluded his message on the occasion of the 37th World Youth Day by saying, “Dear young people, I dream that on World Youth Day you will be able to experience once more the joy of encountering God and brothers and sisters.” After long periods of distance and isolation, we will find together in Lisbon – with God’s help – the joy of fraternal embrace between peoples and between generations, the embrace of reconciliation and peace, and the embrace of the new sent brotherhood! May the Holy Spirit kindle in your hearts the desire to rise up and the joy of walking together in a synodal manner, abandoning false boundaries. Now is the time to get up! Let’s get up quickly! And let us, like Mary, carry Jesus within us to pass it on to all! In this beautiful phase of your life, walk forward, and do not delay what the Holy Spirit can achieve in you! With all my heart I bless your dreams and your steps.
