Society and the Catholic
Church need young people because they "improve the world", Pope
Francis said Tuesday in his message for World Youth Day to be
held in Panama City on April 9.
In a video message to the hopeful participants at WYD,
Francis warned against "young people who are couch potatoes."
"May you be capable of great things," he said.
Francis also said that being young does not mean being
disconnected from the past.
"Mary was little more than an adolescent, like many of you.
Yet in the Magnificat, she echoes the praises of her people and
their history," Francis said.
"This shows us that being young does not mean being
disconnected from the past. Our personal history is part of a
long trail, a communal journey that has preceded us over the
ages.
"Like Mary, we belong to a people. History teaches us that,
even when the Church has to sail on stormy seas, the hand of God
guides her and helps her to overcome moments of difficulty.
"The genuine experience of the Church is not like a flash
mob, where people agree to meet, do their thing and then go
their separate ways.
"The Church is heir to a long tradition which, passed down
from generation to generation, is further enriched by the
experience of each individual.
"Your personal history has a place within the greater history
of the Church.
The pontiff gave youth tips on how to remain connected,
following Mary's example.
"At the end of each day, we can stop for a few minutes to
remember the good times and the challenges, the things that went
well and those that went wrong.
"In this way, before God and before ourselves, we can express
our gratitude, our regrets and our trust. If you wish, you can
also write them down in a notebook as a kind of spiritual
journal.
"This means praying in life, with life and about life, and it
will surely help you to recognize the great things that the Lord
is doing for each of you.
"As Saint Augustine said, we can find God in the vast fields
of our memory.
The pope also called for "creative fidelity in building the
future".
"A society that values only the present tends to dismiss
everything inherited from the past, as for example the
institutions of marriage, consecrated life and priestly mission.
"These end up being seen as meaningless and outdated forms.
People think it is better to live in "open" situations, going
through life as if it were a reality show, without aim or
purpose.
"Don't let yourselves be deceived! God came to enlarge the
horizons of our life in every direction. He helps us to give due
value to the past so as better to build a future of happiness.
"Yet this is possible only if we have authentic experiences
of love, which help us concretely to discern the Lord's call and
to respond to it. For only that can bring us true happiness.
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