Pope: young people are the new
fertile soil of God
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| Pope Francis at the World Youth Day in Panama in January, 2019 (Vatican Media) |
In a message to the 20th Latin American Meeting of National
Youth Pastoral Leaders, underway in Peru, the Pope encourages the young people
to deepen their knowledge of the person of Jesus.
By Robin Gomes
The Latin American Meeting of National Youth Pastoral
Leaders is taking place in the Peruvian capital, Lima, November 18 to 23.
The initiative promoted by the Peruvian Bishops' Conference has as its theme,
“We young people are sacred land, the now of God.”
God's new fertile soil
In his message, the Pope tells youth pastoral leaders that
they are rendering a service to the Church that cannot be neglected.
“Young people,” he says, “speak to us and challenge us, they make
us realize the lights and shadows of our community, and with their enthusiasm
they encourage us to give responses in keeping with our times.”
“They are the fertile and new soil that God gives to
Christian communities,” the Pope says. He reminds those engaged in youth
ministry that they are entrusted with the task of accompanying young people
with "respect and benevolence in the journey of their personal maturity so
that they may be strengthened in faith and, with the grace of the Lord, bear
fruits of love and hope".
Jesus' friendship
The Holy Father notes that in Latin America, continent of
hope, as in the entire world, young people are “the now of God”, because his
Son Jesus, who is the manifestation of His goodness, walks and remains with
them, and through Jesus, the Father continues speaking to us in the language of
His love.
Recalling his words at the opening ceremony of the World
Youth Day in Panama on January 24th, the Holy Father says, “The love of the
Lord has to do more with raising up than knocking down, with reconciling than
forbidding, with offering new chances than condemning, with the future than the
past.”
Missionaries and witnesses
He thus exhorts the young people to deepen their knowledge
of the person of Jesus so that, living in the intimacy of His heart, they may
become missionary disciples and witnesses of His tenderness. In this way, other
young people will approach Jesus, who is forever young, and experience the joy
of His friendship and lead a life founded on fraternity and Christian
solidarity.
The meeting at the John Paul II House of Coexistence in Lima
is being attended by about 150 participants from different countries of Latin
America and the Caribbean. It provides opportunities for reflection, animation
and coordination to deepen the various aspects of youth pastoral care. Among
the objectives are also those of defining common lines of action and supporting
the work of national commissions for youth ministry.
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