Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Young Friends,
“Go and make disciples of all nations.”
With these words, Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: “It was
wonderful to take part in World Youth Day, to live the faith together
with young people from the four corners of the earth, but now you must
go, now you must pass on this experience to others.”
Jesus is calling
you to be a disciple with a mission! Today, in the light of the word of
God that we have heard, what is the Lord saying to us? Three simple
ideas: Go, do not be afraid, and serve.
1. Go.
During these days here in Rio, you have been able to enjoy the
wonderfulexperience of meeting Jesus, meeting him together with others,
and you have sensed the joy of faith. But the experience of this
encounter must not remain locked up in your life or in the small group
of your parish, your movement, or your community. That would be like
withholding oxygen from a flame that was burning strongly. Faith is a
flame that grows stronger the more it is shared and passed on, so that
everyone may know, love and confess Jesus Christ, the Lord of life and
history (cf. Rom 10:9).
Careful,
though! Jesus did not say: “if you would like to, if you have the time”,
but: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Sharing the experience of
faith, bearing witness to the faith, proclaiming the Gospel: this is a
command that the Lord entrusts to the whole Church, and that includes
you; but it is a command that is born not from a desire for domination
or power but from the force of love, from the fact that Jesus first came
into our midst and gave us, not a part of himself, but the whole of
himself, he gave his life in order to save us and to show us the love
and mercy of God. Jesus does not treat us as slaves, but as free men, as
friends, as brothers and sisters; and he not only sends us, he
accompanies us, he is always beside us in our mission of love.
Where does
Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: he sends us to everyone.
The Gospel is for everyone, not just for some. It is not only for those
who seem closer to us, more receptive, more welcoming. It is for
everyone. Do not be afraid to go and to bring Christ into every area of
life, to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away,
most indifferent. The Lord seeks all, he wants everyone to feel the
warmth of his mercy and his love.
In
particular, I would like Christ’s command: “Go” to resonate in you young
people from the Church in Latin America, engaged in the continental
mission promoted by the Bishops. Brazil, Latin America, the whole world
needs Christ! Saint Paul says: “Woe to me if I do not preach the
Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16). This continent has received the proclamation of
the Gospel which has marked its history and borne much fruit. Now this
proclamation is entrusted also to you, that it may resound with fresh
power. The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the
joy that is so characteristic of you. A great Apostle of Brazil, Blessed
José de Anchieta, set off on the mission whenhe was only nineteen years
old. Do you know what the best tool is for evangelizing the young?
Another young person. This is the path to follow!
2. Do not be afraid.
Some people might think: “I have no particular preparation, how can I
go and proclaim the Gospel?” My dear friend, your fear is not so very
different from that of Jeremiah, a young man like you, when he was
called by God to be a prophet. We have just heard his words: “Ah, Lord
God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth”. God
says the same thing to you as he said to Jeremiah: “Be not afraid… for I
am with you to deliver you” (Jer 1:7,8). He is with us! “Do not be
afraid!” When we go to proclaim Christ, it is he himself who goes before
us and guides us. When he sent his disciples on mission, he promised:
“I am with you always” (Mt 28:20). And this is also true for us! Jesus
does not leave us alone, he never leaves you alone! He always
accompanies you.
And then,
Jesus did not say: “One of you go,” but “All ofyou go”: we are sent
together. Dear young friends, be aware of the companionship of the whole
Church and also the communion of the saints on this mission. When we
face challenges together, then we are strong, we discover resources we
did not know we had. Jesus did not call the Apostles to live in
isolation, he called them to form a group, a community. I would like to
address you, dear priests concelebrating with me at this Eucharist: you
have come to accompany your young people, and this is wonderful, to
share this experience of faith with them! But it is a stage on the
journey. Continue to accompany them with generosity and joy, help them
to become actively engaged in the Church; never let them feel alone!
3. The final word: serve.
The opening words of the psalm that we proclaimed are: “Sing to the
Lord a new song” (Psalm 95:1). What is this new song? It does not
consist of words, it is not a melody, it is the song of your life, it is
allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus, it is sharing
his sentiments, his thoughts, his actions. And the life of Jesus is a
life for others. It is a life of service. In our Second Reading today,
Saint Paul says: “I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win
the more” (1 Cor 9:19). In order to proclaim Jesus, Paul made himself “a
slave to all”. Evangelizing means bearing personal witness to the love
of God, it is overcoming our selfishness, it is serving bybending down
to wash the feetof our brethren, as Jesus did. Go, do not be afraid, and
serve. If you follow these three ideas, you will experience that the
one who evangelizes is evangelized, the one who transmits the joy of
faith receives joy. Dear young friends, as you return to your homes, do
not be afraid to be generous with Christ, to bear witness to his Gospel.
In the first Reading, when God sends the prophet Jeremiah, he gives him
the power to “pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant” (1:10). It is the same for you. Bringing the
Gospel is bringing God’s power to pluck up and break down evil and
violence, to destroy and overthrow the barriers of selfishness,
intolerance and hatred, so as to build a new world.
Jesus Christ
is counting on you! The Church is counting on you! The Pope is counting
on you! May Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always accompany you
withher tenderness: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Amen.