Vatican
City, 30 June 2013 (VIS) – The Pope has written a message to the
participants in the Sixth Youth Day, to be held in Kaunas, Lithuania
from 28 to 30 June.
The
Pope writes, “Jesus wants to be your friend, … a master of truth
and life who will show you the path to happiness, to your
self-realization according to God's plan for each of you. And this,
Jesus' friendship, which brings us mercy and the love of God, is
'free', a pure gift. He asks nothing of you in return, He asks only
that you welcome Him. Jesus wishes to love you for what you are, even
in your fragility and weakness as, touched by His love, you may be
renewed”.
“The
encounter with God's love in the friendship of Christ is possible
first and foremost through the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist
and the Reconciliation. … Jesus always forgives us. Another
privileged way to grow in Christ's friendship is to listen to His
word. The Lord speaks to us … through the Sacred Scriptures, He
speaks to us through prayer. … And here I would like to emphasize
the beauty of simple contemplative prayer, accessible to all, old and
young, the cultured and the simple; it is the prayer of the Sacred
Rosary. … Indeed, in the Rosary, repeating Hail Mary, we meditate
upon the Mysteries, the events in the life of Christ, in order to
know him and love him more”.
“Christ's
love is not an illusion … neither is it reserved to the few. … Do
not be afraid to live in faith! Be witnesses to Christ in your daily
lives, with simplicity and courage. To those you meet, to your peers,
show above all the face of the mercy and love of God, Who always
forgives, encourages and gives hope. Always show care for others,
especially to the poorest and weakest, thereby living in fraternal
love, against all forms of egotism and narrow-mindedness”.
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