Pope to youth at WYD Panama: the
Church isn’t “cool”–it’s “love"
 |
| Welcoming ceremony and opening of World Youth Day 2019 in Panama.(Vatican Media) |
At the Welcoming Ceremony of the 34th World Youth Day,
before thousands of young pilgrims, Pope Francis shares his vision of a Church
that dreams, and loves.
By Seán-Patrick Lovett
The party began at dawn. As the sun rose over the Panama
Canal, colourful groups of flag-waving, singing, swinging, World Youth Day
pilgrims were already on the march. Their destination: the 2.5km-long Coastal
Beltway, called the Cinta Costera, that flanks the Pacific Ocean on one side,
and the Panama City skyline on the other.
The Location
The scenic beauty of the location, its easy accessibility
and size, made it the perfect choice to host the Welcoming Ceremony and
Official Opening of the 34th World Youth Day. Throughout the
day, pilgrims were animated and entertained by music, song and dance. So by the
time Pope Francis arrived, driven through the crowd in his white popemobile,
everyone was, as they say in the trade, thoroughly warmed up and rearing to go.
The programme
Pope Francis looked in his element: affectionately holding
hands with five young WYD representatives, gratefully accepting their
gift of a locally woven papal stole, attentively watching the multicultural
performances of the WYD anthems, actively listening to the multilinguistic
presentations of the WYD patron saints (Oscar Romero, Martin de Porres, Rose of
Lima, John Bosco, Juan Diego and, of course, John Paul II).
The Pope’s words
Then it was the young peoples’ turn to listen to the Pope.
“Peter and the Church walk with you”, he began. “We want to tell you not to be
afraid, to go forward with the same fresh energy and restlessness that helps
make us happier and more available…not to create a parallel Church that would
be more ‘fun’ and ‘cool’ thanks to a fancy youth event”.
Pope Francis acknowledged the sacrifices faced by many of
the young people in getting here. But, he reminded them, “a disciple is not
merely someone who arrives at a certain place, but one who sets out decisively,
who is not afraid to take risks and keeps walking”. “This is the great joy”,
the Pope insisted, “to keep walking”.
A dream named Jesus
As thousands of young people applauded with approval and
shouted aloud in agreement, Pope Francis reminded them how “the culture of
encounter is a call inviting us to dare to keep alive a shared dream… A dream
that has a place for everyone… A dream named Jesus”. St Oscar Romero provided
the inspiration for the Pope when he quoted from a homily of the martyred
Archbishop of San Salvador: “Christianity is not a collection of truths to be
believed, of rules to be followed, or of prohibitions…Christianity means pursuing
the dream for which Jesus gave His life: loving with the same love with which
He loved us”.
A love that makes sense
The final part of the Pope’s reflections with the youth
people gathered in Panama City on Thursday evening, was dedicated to a definition
of love: “A love that does not overwhelm or oppress, cast aside or reduce to
silence, humiliate or domineer”. The love of the Lord, he said, “is a daily,
discreet and respectful love, one that is free and freeing, a love that heals
and raises up. It is the quiet love of a hand outstretched to serve, a
commitment that draws no attention to itself”. This, said Pope Francis, is “a
love that makes sense”.
The first encounter between the Pope and the young people of
World Youth Day in Panama concluded with them repeating, together with him:
“Lord, teach me to love you as you have loved us”.
A perfect prayer to end a perfect day.
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