Dear
Friends,
I often think back on the
World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008.
There we had an experience of a great festival of faith
in which the Spirit of God was actively at work,
building deep communion among the participants who had
come from all over the world. That gathering, like those
on previous occasions, bore rich fruit in the lives of
many young people and in the life of the whole Church.
Now we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day,
to be held in Madrid in August 2011. Back in 1989,
several months before the historic fall of the Berlin
Wall, this pilgrimage of young people halted in Spain,
in
Santiago de Compostela. Now,
at a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover its
Christian roots, our meeting will take place in Madrid
with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus
Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I
encourage you to take part in this event, which is so
important for the Church in Europe and for the universal
Church. I would like all young people – those who share
our faith in Jesus Christ, but also those who are
wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe in him – to
share this experience, which can prove decisive for
their lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus,
risen and alive, and of his love for each of us.
1. At the
source of your deepest aspirations
In every period of history,
including our own, many young people experience a deep
desire for personal relationships marked by truth and
solidarity. Many of them yearn to build authentic
friendships, to know true love, to start a family that
will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and
real security, all of which are the guarantee of a
serene and happy future. In thinking of my own youth, I
realize that stability and security are not the
questions that most occupy the minds of young people.
True enough, it is important to have a job and thus to
have firm ground beneath our feet, yet the years of our
youth are also a time when we are seeking to get the
most out of life. When I think back on that time, I
remember above all that we were not willing to settle
for a conventional middle-class life. We wanted
something great, something new. We wanted to discover
life itself, in all its grandeur and beauty. Naturally,
part of that was due to the times we lived in. During
the Nazi dictatorship and the war, we were, so to speak,
“hemmed in” by the dominant power structure. So we
wanted to break out into the open, to experience the
whole range of human possibilities. I think that, to
some extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary is
present in every generation. Part of being young is
desiring something beyond everyday life and a secure
job, a yearning for something really truly greater. Is
this simply an empty dream that fades away as we become
older? No! Men and women were created for something
great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough.
Saint Augustine was right when he said “our hearts are
restless till they find their rest in you”. The desire
for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us
and that we bear his “imprint”. God is life, and that is
why every creature reaches out towards life. Because
human beings are made in the image of God, we do this in
a unique and special way. We reach out for love, joy and
peace. So we can see how absurd it is to think that we
can truly live by removing God from the picture! God is
the source of life. To set God aside is to separate
ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive
ourselves of fulfilment and joy: “without the Creator,
the creature fades into nothingness” (Second Vatican
Council,
Gaudium et Spes, 36). In
some parts of the world, particularly in the West,
today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider
faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the
life of society. Even though the set of values
underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like
the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity,
of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse
of God” taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit
not an outright rejection of Christianity, is
nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a
denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest
identity.
For this
reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your
faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You
are the future of society and of the Church! As the
Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is
vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is
particularly true today. Many people have no stable
points of reference on which to build their lives, and
so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing
mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is
equally valid, that truth and absolute points of
reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does
not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability,
confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the
moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive
from previous generations solid points of reference to
help you to make choices and on which to build your
lives: like a young plant which needs solid support
until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree
capable of bearing fruit.
2.
Planted and built up in Jesus Christ
In order to
highlight the importance of faith in the lives of
believers, I would like to reflect with you on each of
the three terms used by Saint Paul in the expression:
“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the
faith” (cf. Col 2:7). We can distinguish three
images: “planted” calls to mind a tree and the roots
that feed it; “built up” refers to the construction of a
house; “firm” indicates growth in physical or moral
strength. These images are very eloquent. Before
commenting on them, I would like to point out that
grammatically all three terms in the original text are
in the passive voice. This means that it is Christ
himself who takes the initiative to plant, build up and
confirm the faithful.
The first
image is that of a tree which is firmly planted thanks
to its roots, which keep it upright and give it
nourishment. Without those roots, it would be blown away
by the wind and would die. What are our roots? Naturally
our parents, our families and the culture of our country
are very important elements of our personal identity.
But the Bible reveals a further element. The prophet
Jeremiah wrote: “Blessed are those who trust in the
Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree
planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall
stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For
the prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust
in God. From him we draw our life. Without him, we
cannot truly live. “God gave us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Jesus himself tells us
that he is our life (cf. Jn 14:6). Consequently,
Christian faith is not only a matter of believing that
certain things are true, but above all a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an encounter with
the Son of God that gives new energy to the whole of our
existence. When we enter into a personal relationship
with him, Christ reveals our true identity and, in
friendship with him, our life grows towards complete
fulfilment. There is a moment, when we are young, when
each of us wonders: what meaning does my life have? What
purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a
very important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for
some time. We start wondering about the kind of work we
should take up, the kind of relationships we should
establish, the friendships we should cultivate... Here,
once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware
quite early on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest.
Then later, after the war, when I was in the seminary
and at university on the way towards that goal, I had to
recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this
really the path I was meant to take? Is this really
God’s will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to
him and completely at his service? A decision like this
demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But
then came the certainty: this is the right thing! Yes,
the Lord wants me, and he will give me strength. If I
listen to him and walk with him, I become truly myself.
What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of
his will. In this way life becomes authentic.
Just as the
roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so
the foundations of a house give it long-lasting
stability. Through faith, we have been built up in Jesus
Christ (cfr Col 2:7), even as a house is built on its
foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of
saints who built their lives on the word of God. The
first is Abraham, our father in faith, who obeyed God
when he was asked to leave his ancestral home and to set
out for an unknown land. “Abraham believed God, and it
was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called
the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). Being built up in Jesus
Christ means responding positively to God’s call,
trusting in him and putting his word into practice.
Jesus himself reprimanded his disciples: “Why do you
call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk
6:46). He went on to use the image of building a house:
“I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like
a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the
foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst
against that house but could not shake it because it had
been well built” (Lk 6:47-48).
Dear
friends, build your own house on rock, just like the
person who “dug deeply”. Try each day to follow Christ’s
word. Listen to him as a true friend with whom you can
share your path in life. With him at your side, you will
find courage and hope to face difficulties and problems,
and even to overcome disappointments and set-backs. You
are constantly being offered easier choices, but you
yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive and
cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God
can show us the authentic way, and only the faith we
have received is the light which shines on our path.
Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have
received from your families; strive to respond
responsibly to God’s call, and to grow in your faith. Do
not believe those who tell you that you don’t need
others to build up your life! Find support in the faith
of those who are dear to you, in the faith of the
Church, and thank the Lord that you have received it and
have made it your own!
3. Firm
in the faith
You are
“planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the
faith” (cf. Col 2:7). The Letter from which these
words are taken was written by Saint Paul in order to
respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city
of Colossae. That community was threatened by the
influence of certain cultural trends that were turning
the faithful away from the Gospel. Our own cultural
context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the
ancient Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of
secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the
lives of people and society by proposing and attempting
to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells
us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled
with selfishness, broken families, hatred between
individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love,
joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals
and nations accept God’s presence, worship him in truth
and listen to his voice, then the civilization of love
is being built, a civilization in which the dignity of
all is respected, and communion increases, with all its
benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be
seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents
that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There
are others who, while not yielding to these enticements,
have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with
inevitable negative effects on their moral lives.
To those
Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the
Apostle Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and
resurrection. This mystery is the foundation of our
lives and the centre of Christian faith. All
philosophies that disregard it and consider it
“foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23) reveal their limitations with
respect to the great questions deep in the hearts of
human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I
too want to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We
firmly believe that Jesus Christ offered himself on the
Cross in order to give us his love. In his passion, he
bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins,
obtained forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God
the Father, opening for us the way to eternal life. Thus
we were freed from the thing that most encumbers our
lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even
our enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest
of our brothers and sisters and all those in difficulty.
Dear
friends, the Cross often frightens us because it seems
to be a denial of life. In fact, the opposite is true!
It is God’s “yes” to mankind, the supreme expression of
his love and the source from which eternal life flows.
Indeed, it is from Jesus’ heart, pierced on the Cross,
that this divine life streamed forth, ever accessible to
those who raise their eyes towards the Crucified One. I
can only urge you, then, to embrace the Cross of Jesus,
the sign of God’s love, as the source of new life. Apart
from Jesus Christ risen from the dead, there can be no
salvation! He alone can free the world from evil and
bring about the growth of the Kingdom of justice, peace
and love to which we all aspire.
4.
Believing in Jesus Christ without having seen him
In the
Gospel we find a description of the Apostle Thomas’s
experience of faith when he accepted the mystery of the
Cross and resurrection of Christ. Thomas was one of the
twelve Apostles. He followed Jesus and was an eyewitness
of his healings and miracles. He listened to his words,
and he experienced dismay at Jesus’ death. That Easter
evening when the Lord appeared to the disciples, Thomas
was not present. When he was told that Jesus was alive
and had shown himself, Thomas stated: “Unless I see the
mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the
mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not
believe” (Jn 20:25).
We too want
to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel
his presence even more powerfully. For many people
today, it has become difficult to approach Jesus. There
are so many images of Jesus in circulation which, while
claiming to be scientific, detract from his greatness
and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after
many years of study and reflection, I thought of sharing
something of my own personal encounter with Jesus by
writing a book. It was a way to help others see, hear
and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to
make himself known. Jesus himself, when he appeared
again to his disciples a week later, said to Thomas:
“Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your
hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn
20:27). We too can have tangible contact with Jesus and
put our hand, so to speak, upon the signs of his
Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments
that he draws particularly near to us and gives himself
to us. Dear young people, learn to “see” and to “meet”
Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to
us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the
sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and
always grants us his forgiveness. Recognize and serve
Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and
sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.
Enter into a personal dialogue
with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith. Get to know
him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of
the Catholic Church. Converse with him in prayer, and
place your trust in him. He will never betray that
trust! “Faith is first of all a personal adherence
of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is
a free assent to the whole truth that God has
revealed” (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, 150).
Thus you will acquire a mature and solid faith, one
which will not be based simply on religious sentiment or
on a vague memory of the catechism you studied as a
child. You will come to know God and to live
authentically in union with him, like the Apostle Thomas
who showed his firm faith in Jesus in the words: “My
Lord and my God!”.
5.
Sustained by the faith of the Church, in order to be
witnesses
Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you
believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29).
He was thinking of the path the Church was to follow,
based on the faith of eyewitnesses: the Apostles. Thus
we come to see that our personal faith in Christ, which
comes into being through dialogue with him, is bound to
the faith of the Church. We do not believe as isolated
individuals, but rather, through Baptism, we are members
of this great family; it is the faith professed by the
Church which reinforces our personal faith. The Creed
that we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us from the
danger of believing in a God other than the one revealed
by Christ: “Each believer is thus a link in the great
chain of believers. I cannot believe without being
carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help
support others in the faith” (Catechism
of the Catholic Church, 166).
Let us always thank the Lord for the gift of the Church,
for the Church helps us to advance securely in the faith
that gives us true life (cf. Jn 20:31).
In the
history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have
always drawn from the glorious Cross of Christ the
strength to be faithful to God even to the point of
offering their own lives. In faith they found the
strength to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail
over every adversity. Indeed, as the Apostle John says,
“Who is it that conquers the world but the one who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The
victory born of faith is that of love. There have been,
and still are, many Christians who are living witnesses
of the power of faith that is expressed in charity. They
have been peacemakers, promoters of justice and workers
for a more humane world, a world in accordance with
God’s plan. With competence and professionalism, they
have been committed in different sectors of the life of
society, contributing effectively to the welfare of all.
The charity that comes from faith led them to offer
concrete witness by their actions and words. Christ is
not a treasure meant for us alone; he is the most
precious treasure we have, one that is meant to be
shared with others. In our age of globalization, be
witnesses of Christian hope all over the world. How many
people long to receive this hope! Standing before the
tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days
earlier, as he was about to call the dead man back to
life, Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “If you
believe, you will see the glory of God” (cf. Jn 11:40).
In the same way, if you believe, and if you are able to
live out your faith and bear witness to it every day,
you will become a means of helping other young people
like yourselves to find the meaning and joy of life,
which is born of an encounter with Christ!
6. On the
way to World Youth Day in Madrid
Dear
friends, once again I invite you to attend World Youth
Day in Madrid. I await each of you with great joy. Jesus
Christ wishes to make you firm in faith through the
Church. The decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to
follow him is not an easy one. It is hindered by our
personal failures and by the many voices that point us
towards easier paths. Do not be discouraged. Rather,
look for the support of the Christian community, the
support of the Church! Throughout this year, carefully
prepare for the meeting in Madrid with the bishops,
priests and youth leaders in your dioceses, parish
communities, associations and movements. The quality of
our meeting will depend above all on our spiritual
preparation, our prayer, our common hearing of the word
of God and our mutual support.
Dear young
people, the Church depends on you! She needs your lively
faith, your creative charity and the energy of your
hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new
energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a
grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of
God. The Church in Spain is actively preparing to
welcome you and to share this joyful experience of faith
with you. I thank the dioceses, parishes, shrines,
religious communities, ecclesial associations and
movements, and all who are hard at work in preparing for
this event. The Lord will not fail to grant them his
blessings. May the Virgin Mary accompany you along this
path of preparation. At the message of the angel, she
received God’s word with faith. It was in faith that she
consented to what God was accomplishing in her. By
proclaiming her “fiat”, her “yes”, she received
the gift of immense charity which led her to give
herself entirely to God. May she intercede for each one
of you so that, in the coming World Youth Day you may
grow in faith and love. I assure you of a paternal
remembrance in my prayers and I give you my heartfelt
blessing.
From the
Vatican, 6 August 2010, Feast of the Transfiguration of
the Lord.
BENEDICTUS
PP. XVI
