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The theme for the XXIII World Youth Day (WYD) Sydney is taken from Acts 1:8
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses.”
In his Homily, our Pope talked extensively about the Holy Spirit bringing out the richness of the third-person of the Trinity in numerous names such as ‘Principal Agent of Salvation’, ‘Soul’, ‘Vital Breath of Christian Life’ and ‘Principle of Communion’ to name a few. The whole homily was centered on the mission of the church in and through the Holy Spirit.
We acknowledge Pope John Paul II’s thoughts on the youth today, “In young people the Church sees herself and her mission to mankind: with them she faces the challenges of the future, aware that all humanity needs to be rejuvenated in spirit. This pilgrimage of the young members of the people builds bridges of brotherhood and hope between continents, peoples and cultures. It is a journey which is always in action, like life, like youth.” (Letter Of John Paul II To Cardinal Eduardo Francisco Pironio On The Occasion Of The Seminar On World Youth Days Organized In Czestochowa, March 8, 1996, #2)
The Church sees the young as “Leading characters in evangelization and participants in the renewal of society” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici No.46)
We are aware that the world is in need of peace. The challenges of peace are increasing day by day as more and more young people lose their way. The energy and power of the youth often are used to nurture the weeds rather than seeds in their backyards. (Cf. Matthew 13:24-30)
The invitation to shoulder the responsibility of bringing a new world of peacefulness is indelibly present in the hearts and minds of the young at Sydney. It needs a constant renewal and conversion which are essential for a mission of peace. As John Paul II rightly puts it, “Charity does not compromise with error, but goes out towards everyone to open up the paths to conversion” (Message Of His Holiness John Paul II To Youth Of The World On The Occasion Of The II World Youth Day, 1987)
Charity is the answer to the challenges of peace and justice. Jesus is the incarnate love of God though whom we learn and take part in the ‘Agape’ of God (unconditional love). The ‘young’ love must necessarily mature more on into ‘Agape’ by reflecting on the goodness of God, coming from God’s Heart because Charity is a vocation, a responsibility, a ‘duty’ of the universal Church. (Deus Caritas Est)
WYD Sydney finds its fulfillment in the great love of Christ and the Church in the apostolate awaiting the young people when they return home. Let us remember the young in our daily prayers, that those times of grace at Sydney may linger in their hearts so that they may continue their service as missionaries of peace, and will not hesitate to reply, “God, here am I! Send me! Send us!”
Father Antony Lazar, MSC
July 24, 2008
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