Carmen Álvarez Cuadrado
About 70,000 young people filled the National Stadium in Lima for the Vigil with Pope Leo XIV. And the welcome was spectacular...
And after several minutes of tireless applause, the song that has already become the anthem of this tour rang out once more. “Alma misionera” has been heard throughout the entire trip and, of course, in Peru as well. And, once again, it was sung by the pope.
Pope Leo XIV heard several testimonies. For example, that of this young woman. She was involved in youth ministry.
But even as I was experiencing that joy in my work, my family and I began to go through a very painful time. People who were very important to us passed away: my uncle Edi; my grandparents, Simón and Tomasa; my aunt Guille; my cousin Oli; my nephew Eita; and my best friend Angy. It was a pain we couldn’t quite come to terms with.
She realized she was broken and couldn't go on alone, so she sought spiritual help. In his speech, the pope spoke about how Jesus gave his life and, even in the midst of suffering, continued to love.
POPE LEO XIV
Sometimes we wonder why God allows certain things to happen or why He seems to remain silent when we need Him most.
Dear young people, when you are suffering, turn to Jesus. Don’t be afraid to speak to Him honestly, even when you struggle to find the words to pray. He knows our tears and the questions we still don’t know how to answer.
The pope also discussed a question that might linger in one's mind: Does following God's will mean giving up one's dreams? Here is his answer:
POPE LEO XIV
Don't be fooled. How could something that hurts us bring us happiness? God knows our deepest desires, even better than we do ourselves. He has placed within us the desire to love and to be happy, and He wants to bring that desire to its fullest expression.
And this moment of light added an emotional touch to Pope Leo XIV’s vigil with the youth in their home.
