THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: FIRST STEP TO FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 26, 2001 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. today there was a meeting between Pope John Paul and young people on the sprawling Sykhiv esplanade in front of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church outside of Lviv. The encounter, with 500,000 youth present, took the form of a Liturgy of the Word and included a homily by the Pope, the singing of that part of the Akathistos hymn which focuses on Christ, the prayer of the faithful in diverse languages and dances by young people.

The youth had gathered in early afternoon on the esplanade for songs, dances and witnessing to their faith, and the celebration lasted into the evening, long after the Holy Father's departure at 8 p.m. Before the final papal blessing several Polish and Ukrainian youth were recognized for their work in favor of reconciliation between their communities. Lviv is about 40 miles (60 kilometers) from the Polish border.

"Today," the Pope declared, "Christ asks you the same question that He asked the Apostles: 'Will you also go away?'. And you, young people of Ukraine, how do you reply? I am sure that with me you too will make your own the words of Peter: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life'."

"Yes, dear young people," he emphasized, "Christ has the 'words of eternal life'. His words last for ever and above all they open for us the gates of eternal life. When God speaks, His words give life, they call things into existence, they direct our journey, they restore disappointed and broken hearts and pour fresh hope into them."

The Holy Father then turned his focus to the Ten Commandments, saying they "have permanent value, because they are the fundamental law of humanity, written in the conscience of every person. They are the first step to freedom and eternal life. ... In today's world we see profound and rapid social changes and many moral points of reference have become shaky, throwing people into confusion and sometimes despair. The Decalogue is like a compass in a stormy sea which enables us to keep on course and reach land. This is why today I wish to present the commandments of the Decalogue to you anew, young people of Ukraine, in a symbolic way, so that they will be your 'compass', the solid point of reference for building your present and your future."

"'You shall love the Lord your God'. We must give God the first place in our lives. For this reason the first three commandments are concerned with our relationship with Him. ... The pressure is strong today to replace the true God with false gods and deceptive aims. Material things are today's idols. If they are sought and used as means and instruments of good, they are a help to us. However, they should never occupy the first place in man's heart, even less in the heart of young people, who are called to fly high, towards the most beautiful and most noble ideals!"

The Holy Father explained that "the other seven commandments refer to our relations with our neighbors. They show us the path which enables us to establish relationships with other human beings marked by respect and love, based on truth and justice. Those who put this divine law into practice often find themselves going against the current. Young people of Ukraine, Christ asks you to go against the current! He asks you to be defenders of His law and to put it into practice in proper behaviour in daily life."

"Your country is going through a difficult and complex transition from the totalitarian regime which oppressed it for so many years to a society at last free and democratic. Freedom however needs strong, responsible and mature consciences. Freedom is demanding, and in a sense is more costly than slavery!

"For this reason, as I embrace you like a father, I say to you: choose the narrow path that the Lord is showing you through His commandments. They are words of truth and life. The path that often seems wide and easy later shows itself to be deceptive and false. Do not go from the slavery of the communist regime to the slavery of consumerism, another form of materialism which, without explicitly rejecting God, actually does deny Him by excluding Him from life."

"Without God you will not be able to do anything good. With His help, however, you will be able to face all the challenges of the present moment. You will succeed in making demanding decisions, against the current, as for example the decision to stay confidently in your own country, without giving in to the illusions of an easy life abroad. You are needed here, young people."

Pope John Paul concluded: "Before leaving you, I wish to add a final word: love the Church! She is your family and the spiritual building of which you are called to be the living stones."

At a certain point of the encounter with young people, with the rain becoming more persistent, the Holy Father had to leave the stage for about 20 minutes to change his rain-soaked clothes. Upon his return, he spontaneously broke into song, singing a Polish tune about rain, and improvising afterwards that "rain makes children grow." Reacting to the enthusiastic response of the young people, he then sang another Polish melody about the sun.

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