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November 5, 2023XXXI Sunday
Dear young people
We have arrived at a beautiful moment of our gathering in the church, the meeting with Jesus in the Eucharist. We gathered around the altar to celebrate the sacrament of love, the sacrament of the presence of Jesus Christ among us. It is he who makes us the people of God. He calls us to follow him; he invites us to be with him and to put the Gospel at the center of our lives.
As you have heard from the Gospel, Jesus rebukes the leaders of the people because instead of serving the faithful, they pursue their own interests. This reminder, however, does not only concern those with specific leadership responsibilities in the Church or the society.
Indeed, your priests must not dominate you but help you on your journey, to grow in faith and to discern your specific vocation. And you have the right to find in your priests, people consecrated to God at the service of your faith journey. I know that your priests are busy bringing you Jesus and his love. The adults among you love you and support you in your journey of Christian formation.
In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us of a fundamental truth that I would like to underline: all of us are called to be children of God because God is indeed the father of all. We are all brothers and sisters. God created, wanted, and called us to life because he loves us. None of you exist by chance. All of you are the fruit of a thought of God. You are a desire of God that comes proper on earth.
Jesus presents himself to us as the true master.
How many teachers do you have in life? Be careful whom you look at to learn the meaning of life. Do not follow false teachers; do not follow those who promise you false happiness obtained through money, power, and dominion over others. Don't believe these teachers.
Dearest friends, have Jesus as your only teacher. Learn from him and his Gospel the true values and meaning of life.
Jesus reveals to us that we are all wanted by God for great things. God has a great plan for each of us. And we must grow in friendship with Jesus and each other to discover our vocation.
Jesus teaches us that if one of you wants to be truly great, he must make himself small and serve his brothers and sisters. That is, he must love. Only those who truly love, live to the fullest. Only those who give their lives for love fully realize themselves and make the church, the world, and the society more beautiful.
God loves you and He gave us Jesus.
DEAR FRIENDS, love and give your life with joy.
Life is a precious, wonderful, and unrepeatable gift. Don't waste your time on useless or empty things. Get involved in community life. Be friends with each other. Often meet together to pray and share your journey. True friendship is that which makes you grow in faith and love.
Be friends of Jesus and friends of each other. Walk together on the path of good.
Your priests and older friends who walk with you are at your side so you can grow and understand your vocation.
There will be no shortage of opportunities to meet and share the joy of being friends of Jesus and to follow him with our whole selves.
May Mary, Mother of God and our mother, who welcomed the word of God into her heart, help you to listen to the Lord's call and respond generously to her invitation. Don't be afraid to follow Jesus; don't be afraid to be truly happy with him.
