On 23-27 August, the 10th National Meetings of Young Russian Catholics were held in Saint-Petersburg,and its slogan referred to the fresh planet Youth Days in Lisbon: “Mary got up and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).
At the end of his speech in Spanish, the pope encouraged his listeners in improvised words in Italian, not to forget that they were “recipients of large Russia... Peter I, Catherine II and the large enlightened empire, a land of large culture and humanity.” As expected, the Pope's message in Poland was regarded as "shocking".
Here is the full text of the Holy Father's speech:
“Dear young, dear young: peace and joy of Jesus be with you. 3 weeks ago, we celebrated planet Youth Day with young people from all over the planet in Lisbon. present I feel large joy that I am here, sharing this minute of religion and hope with you. The slogan of this planet Youth Day was, “Mary got up and went with haste” (Lk 1:39). I want to offer you 3 thoughts about this slogan so that you can then follow them in your reflection, working in groups, each according to your competences.
First thought: called out. God calls us to go, God sends us to go and go. all 1 of you as Mary calls God. That is how: everyone is called by God, chosen and called. We're all chosen and summoned. Ask yourselves: am I chosen, chosen? Am I called? Yes, the Lord has called you from the beginning of your life, calling you with your names. You have been called before the talents we have, before our merit, before our darkness and wounds, before all things have been called. Called after us, you and you. God does not address the crowd, no. God comes to you alone.
Elizabeth, who was barren, and Mary – Virgin: 2 women who became witnesses, but what? The transforming power of God. God transforms. This is the experience of God’s love pouring out, which he cannot halt separating. so Mary got up and went immediately, went quickly. He must emergence in haste. erstwhile God calls, we can't sit still. We must rise, and be hasty, for the world, the brother, who suffers, who is on the side and does not know God's hope, needs to receive it, needs to receive God's joy. I get up hastily to bring the joy of God. That's the first password: we're called and we're to leave.
Second thought: God's love is for all and the Church is all. God’s love is recognized by her hospitality. God always accepts, creates, creates space so that we all have a place to dedicate ourselves to others, he pays attention to the needs of others. Mary remained 3 months with Elizabeth, helping her in her needs. These 2 women form a space for fresh lives to be born: John the Baptist and Jesus. But they besides make space for each other, communicate. The Church is an open-hearted parent capable of accepting, especially all those who request greater care. The church is simply a loving parent due to the fact that it is simply a home of the loving and the called. How many wounds, how many despairs, can be healed where individual can feel accepted! And the Church accepts us. Therefore, I dream about the Church, in which no 1 feels unnecessary, in which no 1 considers 1 besides much. Please, let the Church not be a "customs office" to choose those who can come and those who are not permitted to do so. No, it's for everyone, everybody! Admission's free. And then let everyone hear Jesus' call to follow him, to see what he is like before God; and for this way we request teachings and sacraments. Let us remember the Gospel: erstwhile the host of the feast sends a servant to a parting road, he says, “Go... and invitation all you meet” (cf. Mt 22, 9). Don't forget those words: everyone. The church is for all: young and old, healthy and sick, just and sinners. That is what Jesus meant: all, all, all.
And the 3rd thought: it is vital that young people and the aged open themselves to each other. erstwhile young people meet with older ones, they have the chance to gain the wealth of their experiences and experience them. Elders, gathering young people, find in them the promise of a future of hope. It is crucial that you young people talk to the elders, talk to your grandparents, perceive to your grandparents, perceive to this life experience that goes beyond your parents' experience. The point of Mary's encounter with Elizabeth is dreams; they both dreamed. The young dream and the old dream. And it was the dream, the ability to dream, the imagination of next day that sustained and sustained the unity of generations, as the prophet Joel reminds us: “Your elders will have dreams, and your young men will have visions” (Jl 3:1 [according to the Millennium Bible]). And so the aged dream of many things: democracy, unity of nations...; while the young prophesy, they are called to form the environment and peace. Elizabeth, through the wisdom of years—she was already old—is strengthening Mary, who was young and full of grace, led by the Spirit.
Dear young people, I do not want to preach a long speech. I call on you to be bridge builders, bridge builders between generations, recognizing the dreams of those who have gone forward along the way. The alliance between generations revives the past and culture of the nation. I want you, young Russians, to be architects of peace in the midst of so many conflicts, among the many polarizations that environment you from all sides that can be seen in our world. I call upon you to be seed growers of reconciliation, tiny seeds, which during this winter war will not emergence on the icy land at present, but will flourish in the spring to come. As I said in Lisbon, have the courage to replace fears with dreams. Let fears be replaced by dreams. Don't manage your fears, but be dream entrepreneurs. Get the luxury of dreams of large things!
Dear young people: thank you for the time you have given me, for wanting to share with me a part of your dreams and your hopes, your fears and sufferings. Thank you, Barbara, for her household testimony. I thank Alexander for his evidence of life. Thank you. And thank you all for the evidence you are giving present at this meeting.
I invitation you to look at Mary, that you may meet the Lord, beginning in your heart and quickly, with haste, bring him to those who are far away, to those who request him. Be a sign of hope, a sign of peace and joy, like Mary, so that you may, with the same "humb handmaiden," change the past in which you live. Play for the future by being anchored in the roots of your grandparents. Greetings. I'm glad I could get through to you. I grant you my blessing. I pray for you and ask you not to forget to pray for me.”
After speaking this message in Spanish, the pope added in Italian:
"Never forget the inheritance. You are heirs to the large Russia, the large Russia of the saints, the rulers, the large Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that empire—the great, enlightened [country] large culture and large humanity. Never renounce this legacy, you – heirs of the large parent of Russia – go forward with it. And thank you – thank you for your way of being, for your way of being Russian.”
For: Sunday.pl
photo public domain
