Vatican
City, 9 July 2013 (VIS) – On the afternoon of Saturday 6 July in
the Vatican's Paul VI Hall the Pope met with seminarians, novices and
young people discerning their vocations in celebration of the Year of
Faith. In a lively environment with profound testimonies and music,
the young people awaited the arrival of the Holy Father, who was
received with enthusiastic applause. “Now you applaud, and you
celebrate, as this is the time of your 'honeymoon'”, said the Pope,
“but when the honeymoon ends, what happens next? I heard a
seminarian, a good seminarian, who said he wanted to serve Christ,
but for just ten years, after which he would think about starting a
new life... This is dangerous! Listen carefully: all of us, even the
oldest among us, we too find ourselves under pressure from this
culture of the provisional; and this is dangerous, because we no
longer commit our lives once and for all. I'll be married for as long
as I'm in love, I'll become a nun for a little while, and then we'll
see; I'll become a seminarian to become a priest but I'm not sure how
it will turn out. This is not what Jesus wants! … Nowadays, making
a definitive choice is very difficult. It was easier in my day,
because culturally a definitive choice was preferred, be it for
matrimonial life, or consecrated life, or the priestly life. But in
the present day a definitive choice is not easy. We are all victims
of this culture of the provisional”.
“I
would like you to think about this”, the Holy Father continued:
“How can be we free of this culture of the provisional? We need to
learn how to close the door of our innermost being, from the inside.
… but when we always leave a key outside, just in case – that is
not enough. We need to learn to close the door from the inside! And
if I am not sure, I think, I will take my time, and when I feel sure
– in Jesus, you understand, because without Jesus no-one is sure! -
when I feel sure, I'll close the door. Do you understand this? What
is the culture of the provisional?”
The
Holy Father commented that wherever there are consecrated persons,
seminarians, religious and young people, there is joy. “But where
does this joy come from? … And on Saturday night, shall I return to
going out dancing with my old friends?... Does joy come from the
things I own .. from having the most extreme experiences?”. The
Pope advised that if is necessary to buy something - a telephone, a
scooter or a car, for instance – one should shun ostentatiousness
in favour of humbler options, and consider how many children still
die of hunger.
“True
joy is not found in material things”, he continued. “It is born
of the encounter and relations with others, from feeling accepted,
understood and loved; from accepting, understanding and loving; and
not for the sake of a fleeting interest. … Joy is born of the
gratification of encountering others, of hearing oneself say 'You are
important to me', and not necessarily in words. This is beautiful,
and this is what God helps us to understand”.
“True
joy is contagious, and sustains us. However, when you find a
seminarian or a novice who is too serious, too sad, something isn't
right! They do not share in the joy of the Lord. … Sadness is not
holiness! St. Teresa said, “A sad nun is a bad nun” … Please,
no more sour-faced nuns or priests!” .
Pope
Francis repeated that “the root of sadness in pastoral life lies
precisely in that lack of paternal or maternal feeling that comes
from a poor experience of consecration, which should instead lead to
fruitfulness. It is impossible to conceive of a priest or nun who is
not fruitful: this is not Catholic! This joy is the beauty of
consecration”.
“To
be joyful witnesses to the Gospel you need to be authentic and
coherent”, he went on. “And this is another word I wish to
emphasise to you -authenticity. Jesus fought against hypocrites,
against those who, to put it clearly, are two-faced. … This is a
responsibility for all adults, all formators. And to those formators
present here today, I urge you to give an example of coherence to the
young. Do we want coherent young people? Then we must be coherent
ourselves! On the contrary, the Lord recounts what the Pharisees said
to the people of God: 'Do what they say, but not what they do!'
Coherence and authenticity!”
The
Holy Father urged the young people to be transparent in confession
and to tell the truth without fear, as this transparency makes us
humble. “Tell the truth without hiding anything,without unclear
words, as you are speaking to Jesus through your confessor, and Jesus
knows the truth. Only He always forgives!”
The
Pope emphasised that, a vocation is based on four pillars: spiritual
life, intellectual life, apostolic life and community life”. Here
the Holy Father stressed the dangers of gossip, a problem born of
community life. “Gossip conceals envy, jealousy, ambition”. He
commented that “not speaking ill of others is a good route to
holiness!” and reiterated the importance of cultivating friendships
to avoid both isolation or profligacy in relationships, as “a
priest or other consecrated person can never be an island, but rather
must always be willing to encounter others”.
Pope
Francis concluded by emphasising the need for a missionary Church,
not a passive Church, and urged the young people present not to fall
prey to the temptation to participate in the “sport of
complaining”. Instead, he encouraged them to “be positive,
cultivate a spiritual life and, at the same time, go forth, be
capable of meeting people, especially the most scorned and
disadvantaged. Do not be afraid of swimming against the current. Be
contemplative and missionary. Keep the Virgin Mary with you always,
and please, pray the Rosary, do not forget! Keep Our Lady with you in
your homes, just as the Apostle John did. May she accompany and
protect you always. And pray for me too, because I too need your
prayers; I too am a poor sinner, although we continue to press
forward”.
Finally,
all those present proceeded from the Vatican Gardens to St. Peter's
Basilica.
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