Aug. 13 – Pray for the Fruits of World Youth Day
Last Sunday, over a million people gathered with Pope Francis in Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day. It is inspiring that over a million people would disrupt their lives to travel to gather in prayer with the Pope.
Here is an excerpt form Pope Francis’ homily at World Youth Day this past Sunday August 6:
After these exciting days … what will we take back with us as we resume our daily lives? … I would respond with these three words: to shine, to listen, and to be unafraid.
The first: to shine. Jesus is transfigured … Dear young friends, today we too need something of this burst of light, so that it can fill us with hope as we face the many failures of each day and the darkness that assails us in life, and respond to them with the light of the resurrection of Jesus. For he is the light that never sets, the light that shines even in the dead of night. … He illumines our vision, our hearts, our minds, our desire to do something with our lives. The Lord’s light always shines.
Yet, I would like to tell you that we do not radiate light by putting ourselves in the spotlight, for that type of light is blinding. No, we cannot illumine others by projecting a perfect, well-ordered, refined image of ourselves, or by appearing to be powerful and successful, strong but without light. No, we radiate light – we shine – by welcoming Jesus into our hearts and learning to love as he does. To love like Jesus: that is what makes us shine, makes us do works of love. Friends, I am telling you the truth: whenever you do works of love, you become light. But the moment you stop loving others and become self-centered, you extinguish your light.
The second verb is to listen … Listen to what Jesus is saying to you. “But I don’t know what he is saying to me.” Well, take the Gospels and read there what Jesus is saying, what he is saying to your heart. For he has the words of eternal life for us, he reveals that God is our Father, that God is love. He shows us the way of love. Listen to Jesus; otherwise, even if we set out with good intentions along paths that seem to be of love, in the end those paths will be seen as selfishness disguised as love. Be careful of selfishness disguised as love! Listen to Jesus, for he will show you which paths are those of love. Listen to him.
Finally the third word: to be unafraid. Do not be afraid … As young people, you may be tempted at this time to lose heart, to think you fall short, or to disguise your pain with a smile. As young people, you want to change the world – and it is very good that you want to change the world – you want to work for justice and peace. You devote all your life’s energy and creativity to this, but it still seems insufficient. Yet, the Church and the world need you, the young, as much as the earth needs rain. To all of you, dear young people, who are the present and the future, yes to all of you, Jesus now says: “Have no fear, do not be afraid!”
Peace,
– Fr. Kevin
