Holy Father,
We are drawn to the interior life even if at first glance we are judged as a superficial and
thoughtless generation. Deep within ourselves, we feel drawn to the beautiful and the good as sources
of truth. The value of silence, as in this Vigil, fascinates us, even if at times it instills fear because of
a sense of emptiness. Holy Father, I would like to ask you: how can we truly encounter the Risen
Lord in our lives and be sure of his presence even in the midst of trials and uncertainties?
To launch this Jubilee Year, Pope Francis released a document called Spes non confundit,
which means “hope does not disappoint”. In that document, he wrote: «In the heart of each person,
hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come» (Spes non confundit, 1). In the
Bible, the word “heart” usually refers to a person’s innermost being, which includes our conscience.
Our understanding of what is good, then, reflects how our conscience has been shaped by the
people in our lives; those who were kind to us, who listened to us with love and who helped us. Those
people helped to raise you in goodness and, therefore, to form your conscience to seek the good in
your daily choices.
Dear young people, Jesus is the friend who always accompanies us in the formation of our
conscience. If you truly want to encounter the Risen Lord, then listen to his word, which is the Gospel
of salvation. Reflect on your way of living, and seek justice in order to build a more humane world.
Serve the poor, and so bear witness to the good that we would always like to receive from our
neighbours. Adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, the source of eternal life. Study, work, and love
according to the example of Jesus, the good Teacher who always walks beside us.
At every step, as we seek what is good, let us ask him: stay with us, Lord (cf. Lk 24:29). Stay
with us, because without you we cannot do the good we desire. You want our good; indeed, you are
our good. Those who encounter you also want others to encounter you, because your word is a light brighter than any star, illuminating even the darkest night. Pope Benedict XVI liked to say that those
who believe are never alone. In other words, we encounter Christ in the Church, that is, in the
communion of those who sincerely seek him. The Lord himself gathers us together to form a
community of believers who support one another. How much the world needs missionaries of the
Gospel who are witnesses of justice and peace! How much the future needs men and women who are
witnesses of hope! Dear young people, this is the task that the Risen Lord entrusts to each one of us!
Saint Augustine wrote: «You stir us to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made
us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you... Lord, I would seek you... and calling
upon you is an act of believing in you» (Confessions, I, 1). Following those words of Augustine, and
in response to your questions, I would like to invite each of you, dear young people, to say to the
Lord: “Thank you, Jesus, for calling me. My desire is to remain as one of your friends, so that,
embracing you, I may also be a companion on the journey for anyone I meet. Grant, O Lord, that
those who meet me may encounter you, even through my limitations and frailties.” Through praying
these words, our dialogue will continue each time we look at the crucified Lord, for our hearts will
be united in him. Finally, my prayer for you is that you may persevere in faith, with joy and courage!
Thank you.
