“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”
(cf. Col 2:7), is the theme that tens of thousands of young Catholics
around the world are currently focusing on as they prepare for World Youth
Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain. And to help them in the final countdown, today
Pope Benedict published his message for the event in which he reminisces
over the difficult choices he too faced as a young man, while encouraging
young people to look beyond the “stabilities and securities” of this world:
Below the text in full:
Dear Friends,
I often think back on the World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008. There we
had an experience of a great festival of faith in which the Spirit of God
was actively at work, building deep communion among the participants who
had come from all over the world. That gathering, like those on previous
occasions, bore rich fruit in the lives of many young people and in the
life of the whole Church. Now we are looking forward to the next World Youth
Day, to be held in Madrid in August 2011. Back in 1989, several months
before the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, this pilgrimage of young
people halted in Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. Now, at a time when
Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, our meeting will
take place in Madrid with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ,
firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I encourage you to take part in this
event, which is so important for the Church in Europe and for the universal
Church. I would like all young people – those who share our faith in Jesus
Christ, but also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe
in him – to share this experience, which can prove decisive for their
lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and alive, and of his
love for each of us.
1. At the source of your deepest aspirations
In every period of history, including our own, many young people experience
a deep desire for personal relationships marked by truth and solidarity. Many
of them yearn to build authentic friendships, to know true love, to start a
family that will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and real
security, all of which are the guarantee of a serene and happy future. In
thinking of my own youth, I realize that stability and security are not the
questions that most occupy the minds of young people. True enough, it is
important to have a job and thus to have firm ground beneath our feet, yet
the years of our youth are also a time when we are seeking to get the most
out of life. When I think back on that time, I remember above all that we
were not willing to settle for a conventional middle-class life. We wanted
something great, something new. We wanted to discover life itself, in all
its grandeur and beauty. Naturally, part of that was due to the times we
lived in. During the Nazi dictatorship and the war, we were, so to speak,
“hemmed in” by the dominant power structure. So we wanted to break out into
the open, to experience the whole range of human possibilities. I think
that, to some extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary is present in
every generation. Part of being young is desiring something beyond everyday
life and a secure job, a yearning for something really truly greater. Is
this simply an empty dream that fades away as we become older? No! Men and
women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will
ever be enough. Saint Augustine was right when he said “our hearts are
restless till they find their rest in you”. The desire for a more
meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear his
“imprint”. God is life, and that is why every creature reaches out towards
life. Because human beings are made in the image of God, we do this in a
unique and special way. We reach out for love, joy and peace. So we can see
how absurd it is to think that we can truly live by removing God from the
picture! God is the source of life. To set God aside is to separate
ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of
fulfilment and joy: “without the Creator, the creature fades into
nothingness” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 36). In some parts
of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude
God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the
life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes
from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of
solidarity, of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse of God”
taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of
Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a
denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.
For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and
of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it
is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today.
Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their
lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of
relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and
absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does
not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind
conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to
receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to
make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which
needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree
capable of bearing fruit.
2. Planted and built up in Jesus Christ
In order to highlight the importance of faith in the lives of believers, I
would like to reflect with you on each of the three terms used by Saint
Paul in the expression: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the
faith” (cf. Col 2:7). We can distinguish three images: “planted” calls to
mind a tree and the roots that feed it; “built up” refers to the
construction of a house; “firm” indicates growth in physical or moral
strength. These images are very eloquent. Before commenting on them, I
would like to point out that grammatically all three terms in the original
text are in the passive voice. This means that it is Christ himself who
takes the initiative to plant, build up and confirm the faithful.
The first image is that of a tree which is firmly planted thanks to its
roots, which keep it upright and give it nourishment. Without those roots,
it would be blown away by the wind and would die. What are our roots?
Naturally our parents, our families and the culture of our country are very
important elements of our personal identity. But the Bible reveals a
further element. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Blessed are those who trust
in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by
water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat
comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not
anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For the
prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust in God. From him we
draw our life. Without him, we cannot truly live. “God gave us eternal
life, and this life is in his Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Jesus himself tells us that
he is our life (cf. Jn 14:6). Consequently, Christian faith is not only a
matter of believing that certain things are true, but above all a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an encounter with the Son of God that
gives new energy to the whole of our existence. When we enter into a
personal relationship with him, Christ reveals our true identity and, in
friendship with him, our life grows towards complete fulfilment. There is a
moment, when we are young, when each of us wonders: what meaning does my
life have? What purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a very
important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for some time. We start
wondering about the kind of work we should take up, the kind of
relationships we should establish, the friendships we should cultivate...
Here, once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware quite early
on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest. Then later, after the war, when
I was in the seminary and at university on the way towards that goal, I had
to recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this really the path I
was meant to take? Is this really God’s will for me? Will I be able to
remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision like this
demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the
certainty: this is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and he will
give me strength. If I listen to him and walk with him, I become truly
myself. What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of his will.
In this way life becomes authentic.
Just as the roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so the
foundations of a house give it long-lasting stability. Through faith, we
have been built up in Jesus Christ (cfr Col 2:7), even as a house is built
on its foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of saints who
built their lives on the word of God. The first is Abraham, our father in
faith, who obeyed God when he was asked to leave his ancestral home and to
set out for an unknown land. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to
him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23).
Being built up in Jesus Christ means responding positively to God’s call,
trusting in him and putting his word into practice. Jesus himself
reprimanded his disciples: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do
what I tell you?” (Lk 6:46). He went on to use the image of building a
house: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my
words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who
dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river
burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well
built” (Lk 6:47-48).
Dear friends, build your own house on rock, just like the person who “dug
deeply”. Try each day to follow Christ’s word. Listen to him as a true
friend with whom you can share your path in life. With him at your side,
you will find courage and hope to face difficulties and problems, and even
to overcome disappointments and set-backs. You are constantly being offered
easier choices, but you yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive
and cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God can show us the
authentic way, and only the faith we have received is the light which
shines on our path. Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have
received from your families; strive to respond responsibly to God’s call, and
to grow in your faith. Do not believe those who tell you that you don’t
need others to build up your life! Find support in the faith of those who
are dear to you, in the faith of the Church, and thank the Lord that you
have received it and have made it your own!
3. Firm in the faith
You are “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col
2:7). The Letter from which these words are taken was written by Saint Paul
in order to respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city of
Colossae. That community was threatened by the influence of certain
cultural trends that were turning the faithful away from the Gospel. Our
own cultural context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the ancient
Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that
aims to make God marginal in the lives of people and society by proposing
and attempting to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells us
that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken
families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of
love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations
accept God’s presence, worship him in truth and listen to his voice, then
the civilization of love is being built, a civilization in which the
dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its
benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism
or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus
Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have
simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects
on their moral lives.
To those Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the Apostle
Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and resurrection. This mystery is
the foundation of our lives and the centre of Christian faith. All
philosophies that disregard it and consider it “foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23)
reveal their limitations with respect to the great questions deep in the
hearts of human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I too want
to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We firmly believe that Jesus
Christ offered himself on the Cross in order to give us his love. In his
passion, he bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins, obtained
forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God the Father, opening for us
the way to eternal life. Thus we were freed from the thing that most
encumbers our lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even our
enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest of our brothers and
sisters and all those in difficulty.
Dear friends, the Cross often frightens us because it seems to be a denial
of life. In fact, the opposite is true! It is God’s “yes” to mankind, the
supreme expression of his love and the source from which eternal life
flows. Indeed, it is from Jesus’ heart, pierced on the Cross, that this
divine life streamed forth, ever accessible to those who raise their eyes
towards the Crucified One. I can only urge you, then, to embrace the Cross
of Jesus, the sign of God’s love, as the source of new life. Apart from
Jesus Christ risen from the dead, there can be no salvation! He alone can
free the world from evil and bring about the growth of the Kingdom of
justice, peace and love to which we all aspire.
4. Believing in Jesus Christ without having seen him
In the Gospel we find a description of the Apostle Thomas’s experience of
faith when he accepted the mystery of the Cross and resurrection of Christ.
Thomas was one of the twelve Apostles. He followed Jesus and was an
eyewitness of his healings and miracles. He listened to his words, and he
experienced dismay at Jesus’ death. That Easter evening when the Lord
appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not present. When he was told that
Jesus was alive and had shown himself, Thomas stated: “Unless I see the
mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails
and my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25).
We too want to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel his
presence even more powerfully. For many people today, it has become
difficult to approach Jesus. There are so many images of Jesus in
circulation which, while claiming to be scientific, detract from his
greatness and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after many years
of study and reflection, I thought of sharing something of my own personal
encounter with Jesus by writing a book. It was a way to help others see,
hear and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to make himself
known. Jesus himself, when he appeared again to his disciples a week later,
said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand
and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn 20:27). We too can
have tangible contact with Jesus and put our hand, so to speak, upon the
signs of his Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments that
he draws particularly near to us and gives himself to us. Dear young
people, learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is
present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the
sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and always grants us his
forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our
brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.
Enter into a personal dialogue with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith.
Get to know him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of the
Catholic Church. Converse with him in prayer, and place your trust in him.
He will never betray that trust! “Faith is first of all a personal
adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free
assent to the whole truth that God has revealed” (Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 150). Thus you will acquire a mature and solid faith, one which
will not be based simply on religious sentiment or on a vague memory of the
catechism you studied as a child. You will come to know God and to live
authentically in union with him, like the Apostle Thomas who showed his
firm faith in Jesus in the words: “My Lord and my God!”.
5. Sustained by the faith of the Church, in order to be
witnesses
Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed
are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29). He
was thinking of the path the Church was to follow, based on the faith of
eyewitnesses: the Apostles. Thus we come to see that our personal faith in
Christ, which comes into being through dialogue with him, is bound to the
faith of the Church. We do not believe as isolated individuals, but rather,
through Baptism, we are members of this great family; it is the faith
professed by the Church which reinforces our personal faith. The Creed that
we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us from the danger of believing in a
God other than the one revealed by Christ: “Each believer is thus a link in
the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the
faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 166). Let us always thank the Lord for
the gift of the Church, for the Church helps us to advance securely in the
faith that gives us true life (cf. Jn 20:31).
In the history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have always drawn
from the glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be faithful to God even
to the point of offering their own lives. In faith they found the strength
to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail over every adversity. Indeed,
as the Apostle John says, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one
who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The victory born of
faith is that of love. There have been, and still are, many Christians who
are living witnesses of the power of faith that is expressed in charity.
They have been peacemakers, promoters of justice and workers for a more
humane world, a world in accordance with God’s plan. With competence and
professionalism, they have been committed in different sectors of the life
of society, contributing effectively to the welfare of all. The charity
that comes from faith led them to offer concrete witness by their actions
and words. Christ is not a treasure meant for us alone; he is the most
precious treasure we have, one that is meant to be shared with others. In
our age of globalization, be witnesses of Christian hope all over the
world. How many people long to receive this hope! Standing before the tomb
of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days earlier, as he was about to
call the dead man back to life, Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “If
you believe, you will see the glory of God” (cf. Jn 11:40). In the same
way, if you believe, and if you are able to live out your faith and bear
witness to it every day, you will become a means of helping other young
people like yourselves to find the meaning and joy of life, which is born
of an encounter with Christ!
6. On the way to World Youth Day in Madrid
Dear friends, once again I invite you to attend World Youth Day in Madrid.
I await each of you with great joy. Jesus Christ wishes to make you firm in
faith through the Church. The decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to
follow him is not an easy one. It is hindered by our personal failures and
by the many voices that point us towards easier paths. Do not be
discouraged. Rather, look for the support of the Christian community, the
support of the Church! Throughout this year, carefully prepare for the
meeting in Madrid with the bishops, priests and youth leaders in your dioceses,
parish communities, associations and movements. The quality of our meeting
will depend above all on our spiritual preparation, our prayer, our common
hearing of the word of God and our mutual support.
Dear young people, the Church depends on you! She needs your lively faith,
your creative charity and the energy of your hope. Your presence renews,
rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth
Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God. The
Church in Spain is actively preparing to welcome you and to share this
joyful experience of faith with you. I thank the dioceses, parishes,
shrines, religious communities, ecclesial associations and movements, and
all who are hard at work in preparing for this event. The Lord will not
fail to grant them his blessings. May the Virgin Mary accompany you along
this path of preparation. At the message of the angel, she received God’s
word with faith. It was in faith that she consented to what God was
accomplishing in her. By proclaiming her “fiat”, her “yes”, she received
the gift of immense charity which led her to give herself entirely to God.
May she intercede for each one of you so that, in the coming World Youth
Day you may grow in faith and love. I assure you of a paternal remembrance
in my prayers and I give you my heartfelt blessing.
From the Vatican, 6 August 2010, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. |
