Post date: Aug 16, 2013 12:03:08 PM
A few days before World Youth Day, Pope Francis visited the shrine of Our Lady of Aparacida. During the Mass for pilgrims, there, he addressed parents, teachers, priests and all those who care for young people. He told them that he had come to knock on the door of Our Lady, who loved and raised Jesus, and ask her to help us to pass on to our young people the values that can help them to build a world which is more just, united and fraternal. He went on to speak about three simple attitudes: hopefulness, openness to being surprised by God, and living in joy.
Hopefulness – Pope Francis spoke about the Reading from the Apocalypse (which is one of the Readings for the Feast of the Assumption): the description of the woman being pursued by a dragon which wants to eat her child. He went on to say that evil does not have the upper hand, God does. We should never allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the difficulties which face us, but hope in God who will never abandon us. Young people do not just want material things. They also need to be shown the spiritual values whose deepest roots are in the Christian faith.
Openness to being surprised by God – In the midst of our difficulties, God often surprises us, by turning our water into new wine; but he asks us to allow ourselves to be surprised by his love and to accept his surprises. Living in joy – Christians are never gloomy and cannot be pessimists. If we have a sense of how much Christ loves us, our hearts will light up with a joy that spreads to everyone around us.
Pope Francis concluded his homily by saying that Our Lady opened the door for us, let us in, and showed us her son. Now she says to us: “Do whatever he tells you.” “Yes, dear Mother, we are committed to doing whatever Jesus tells us; and we will do it with hope, trusting in God’s surprises and full of joy. Amen.”
Next Year of Faith discussion group at St. Hugh’s - Sat. 21st September after 10 am Mass.