Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On July 20, at Randwick Racecourse, the Holy Father Benedict XVI presided the Closing Mass for the 23rd World Youth Day, during which he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 24 young people.
“On the day of Pentecost, as we heard in the first reading, the Risen Lord, seated at the right hand of the Father, sent the Spirit upon the disciples gathered in the Upper Room,” the Holy Father said in the homily. “In the power of that Spirit, Peter and the Apostles went forth to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. In every age, and in every language, the Church throughout the world continues to proclaim the marvels of God and to call all nations and peoples to faith, hope and new life in Christ... May the fire of God’s love descend to fill your hearts, unite you ever more fully to the Lord and his Church, and send you forth, a new generation of apostles, to bring the world to Christ!”
The Pope later meditated on the “power” of the Holy Spirit, which is “the power of God’s life,” as well as “the soul of the Church, the love which binds us to the Lord and one another, and the light which opens our eyes to see all around us the wonders of God’s grace.” Benedict XVI highlighted the presence and power of the Spirit in the grandeur of the natural beauty of Australia and in the young people gathered from all over the world: “We have seen the Church for what she truly is: the Body of Christ, a living community of love, embracing people of every race, nation and tongue, of every time and place, in the unity born of our faith in the Risen Lord.”
Today, as well, through the grace of the Sacraments, “The power of the Spirit never ceases to fill the Church with life.” We are the ones who should “We have to let it break through the hard crust of our indifference, our spiritual weariness, our blind conformity to the spirit of this age.” Benedict XVI then pointed out the importance of daily prayer, “private prayer in the quiet of our hearts and before the Blessed Sacrament, and liturgical prayer in the heart of the Church. Prayer is pure receptivity to God’s grace, love in action, communion with the Spirit who dwells within us, leading us, through Jesus, in the Church, to our heavenly Father.”
Before ascending into Heaven, the Risen Lord told his disciples: “You will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Father then expressed his desire to thank the Lord for the gift of faith in Australia, and then turned his attention to Oceania in general, thanking Him for “all those heroic missionaries, dedicated priests and religious, Christian parents and grandparents, teachers and catechists who built up the Church in these lands – witnesses like Blessed Mary MacKillop, Saint Peter Chanel, Blessed Peter To Rot, and so many others!” He then asked the youth, “What will you leave to the next generation?” He continued, saying, “The power of the Holy Spirit does not only enlighten and console us. It also points us to the future, to the coming of God’s Kingdom... The outpouring of Christ’s Spirit upon humanity is a pledge of hope and deliverance from everything that impoverishes us. It gives the blind new sight; it sets the downtrodden free, and it creates unity in and through diversity. This power can create a new world: it can ‘renew the face of the earth’!”
“Empowered by the Spirit, and drawing upon faith’s rich vision, a new generation of Christians is being called to help build a world in which God’s gift of life is welcomed, respected and cherished – not rejected, feared as a threat and destroyed. A new age in which love is not greedy or self-seeking, but pure, faithful and genuinely free, open to others, respectful of their dignity, seeking their good, radiating joy and beauty. A new age in which hope liberates us from the shallowness, apathy and self-absorption which deaden our souls and poison our relationships. Dear young friends, the Lord is asking you to be prophets of this new age, messengers of his love, drawing people to the Father and building a future of hope for all humanity.”
The world needs this renewal. In many societies, “side by side with material prosperity, a spiritual desert is spreading.” The Church “especially needs the gifts of young people, all young people. She needs to grow in the power of the Spirit who even now gives joy to your youth and inspires you to serve the Lord with gladness.” The Pope then told the youth: “Open your hearts to that power!” He also renewed his particular appeal to those “whom the Lord is calling to the priesthood and the consecrated life,” that they may not be afraid to say “yes” to Jesus.
Lastly, Benedict XVI mentioned the Sacrament of Confirmation, recalling that the confirmands are “sealed” with the gift of the Spirit and sent forth to be witnesses of Christ. Receiving the “seal” of the Holy Spirit means “being indelibly marked, inalterably changed, a new creation. For those who have received this gift, nothing can ever be the same!... Being “sealed with the Spirit” means not being afraid to stand up for Christ, letting the truth of the Gospel permeate the way we see, think and act, as we work for the triumph of the civilization of love.” The Pope invited all to pray for those who were to be confirmed, “that the power of the Holy Spirit will revive the grace of our own Confirmation.”
At the close of the Mass, Benedict XVI led the recitation of the Angelus and commented on the Gospel passage of young Mary and the angel sent by God. “Imagine how she must have felt. She was filled with apprehension, utterly overwhelmed at the prospect that lay before her... As Mary stood before the Lord, she represented the whole of humanity. In the angel’s message, it was as if God made a marriage proposal to the human race. And in our name, Mary said yes.”
The Pontiff continued: “In fairy tales, the story ends there, and all “live happily ever after”. In real life it is not so simple. For Mary there were many struggles ahead, as she lived out the consequences of the ‘yes’ that she had given to the Lord... Throughout her trials she remained faithful to her promise, sustained by the Spirit of fortitude. And she was gloriously rewarded.” He then concluded, saying: “Dear young people, we too must remain faithful to the ‘yes’ that we have given to the Lord’s offer of friendship. We know that he will never abandon us. We know that he will always sustain us through the gifts of the Spirit. Mary accepted the Lord’s “proposal” in our name. So let us turn to her and ask her to guide us as we struggle to remain faithful to the life-giving relationship that God has established with each one of us. She is our example and our inspiration, she intercedes for us with her Son, and with a mother’s love she shields us from harm.”
Offering his farewell to the youth, the Pope announced the location for the next international World Youth Day: “Dear Friends, the time has come for me to say good-bye – or rather, to say arrivederci! I thank you all for your participation in World Youth Day 2008, here in Sydney, and I look forward to seeing you again in three years’ time. World Youth Day 2011 will take place in Madrid, Spain. Until then, let us continue to pray for one another, and let us joyfully bear witness to Christ before the world. May God bless you all.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 21/7/2008)
