Reflection based on paragraph 159 of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation “Christus Vivit” or “Christ Lives”.
C. Rubini CTC, Vatican News
Apostolic Exhortation
An Apostolic Exhortation is an epistle in the various series of official epistles published by the Pope in the Catholic Church. Apostolic exhortations are next in line to the cyclical epistles, which are at the forefront of their chain of importance.
Chapter Five
The title of the fifth chapter is “The Ways of the Youth”. While describing the anxieties, anxieties and anxieties of the youth, Pope Francis advises the youth to “follow your hopes and dreams.
159. I hope you will think seriously about yourself in order to ultimately strive to grow. Along with all the other exciting things about youth is the beauty of seeking “righteousness, faith, love and peace” (2 Tim 2:22). This does not mean that you will lose any of your spontaneity, boldness, excitement and softness. Becoming an adult does not mean giving up the best of your life situation. If you do, the Lord will rebuke you once: “I remember the faithfulness of your youth and the love of your bride. I remember that you followed me in the wilderness in a land that was not cultivated (Jer 2:2). (Courtesy. P.O.C preparation).
Through this exhortation, the Pope has reminded us that “young hearts are by nature ready to change, to retreat and rise, to learn from life.” Appearance is not what makes a person great. Young people, too, can become Thai roots of holiness, faith, and goodness. Young people are the present and future of the Church. The Pope once said that when the experience of the elders and the knowledge of the youth are combined, the world can yield a lot of good. Here the Pope says that among all the other exciting things about youth there is also the beauty of seeking “righteousness, faith, love, peace” (2Timothy 2:22); This does not mean that you will lose any of your spontaneity, boldness, excitement and softness. “Becoming an adult doesn’t mean you have to give up the best of your life.”
Adults have a wealth of experiences, insights and knowledge matured by seeing, experiencing and learning from various aspects of life. Similarly, the youth have the ability, energy and creativity to better understand and use the changes of time and utilize them for the good of the society. When we use the wealth in the hands of these two groups for the good of all, we can create a new world. Therefore, when the Pope reminds the society of the duty of the youth to listen to their voices and make their dreams come true without neglecting them because of their age, it is assured that a new era can be created with the youth.
Papa also hints at the youth of the heart in this passage. The characteristics of youth often surprise us. This exhortation of the Youth Synod, which strives to bring the youth full of immense will and radiance and its goodness to the forefront of the Church, makes the youth think about Jesus. What the Holy Father brings to young people as a gift from Jesus is about an eternally youthful heart. Quoting St. Paul the Apostle, the Pope asking us to become a new man and to remove the leavens and old habits of life, is also pointing out the things that are necessary to form a new heart in us to be full of youth.
Having said to attain youth at heart, the Pope shares his hope that young people will think seriously about themselves in order to ultimately strive to grow in this passage. Along with all the other exciting things about youth is the beauty of seeking “righteousness, faith, love and peace” (2 Tim 2:22). What the Holy Father is doing is explaining that this does not mean that you lose anything of your spontaneity, courage, passion and tenderness.
God created the sea and gave light to man to use it. When man used that light, boats, canoes and ships were born from it. God has invested so much potential in every person. Youth is the time to give birth to possibilities. Like the wise virgins, when the lamps go out in life’s circumstances, we can bear a hundred fruits when we go forth into the lands to which we are sent, seeing the possibility of oil to prove again. The young Christ is an extraordinary survivor of life’s adversities, of wind, call, isolation, and humiliation. From birth to death, the young Christ was surrounded by a thousand arms of challenges. But Christ journeyed by completing the mission that heaven asked him to complete through his short life. Christ’s example will strengthen us and help us not to fall, and even if we fall, the lamp will not go out.
If love is the face of youth and its beauty is compassion, mercy, humility, meekness, patience and forbearance, these will never alienate us from others. It is when selfishness is filled with the need to own everything, the interactions with others are lost and the walls are built and held. Today’s market mentality, which turns everything into a mere profit-seeking business, is when we reach love relationships and the tendency to isolate ourselves and isolate ourselves joins us.
A bold youth who does not hesitate to seek new horizons and take on bigger challenges. In fact, the Pope wants such young people to bravely come to the forefront of the Church. Or to be in the front row of such a youthful opening of the soul. In today’s world, the Pope gives us a hint that the spring of the soul and youthful courage are very necessary to face new horizons and crises in order for the church and faith to move forward. When the desire to live is lost, life becomes a mirage confined to wealth and comforts. It becomes like relaxation in old age, the reluctance to take on new things, the enthusiasm to leave the comforts and face the challenges is lost. The Pope points out that this is proof that youth is wasted.
Young people should look at life from near and far. We have to find a way to evaluate life like a painter who evaluates his work of art from a distance. In that case, we can find the necessary changes in our lives and bring positive changes to the society. That is how many individuals like St. Francis of Assisi, who shared their youth for the good of the world and the Church, remain alive even today, hidden from the world.