VATICAN - Pope Benedict XVI and the youth of Rome diocese: “As you leave after this Liturgy with your hearts overflowing with the experience of God’s love, be ready to ‘dare’ to love in your families, in relations with your friends and also with those who hurt you”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - In preparation for the 22nd World Youth Day on 1 April, which this year is a diocesan celebration all over the world celebrated by every Catholic Bishop and his young people on the occasion of Palm Sunday, on Thursday 29 March the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI presided a Liturgy of Reconciliation for his own young people of Rome diocese in St Peter’s Basilica. In his homily the Pope said “This is a meeting around the Cross, a celebration of God’s mercy which each of you will be able to experience personally in the Sacrament of Confession. Every human heart begs for love, thirsts for love…even more the Christian who cannot live without love. Indeed unless we meet true love we cannot even say we are fully Christian … God’s love for us which began with creation revealed itself to us in the mystery of the Cross … Yes, it is the Cross which reveals the fullness of God’s love for us. A crucified love which does not end with the scandal of Good Friday but instead culminates in the joy of the Resurrection and Ascension into heaven and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Spirit of love though whom once again here this evening sins will be remitted and forgiveness and peace granted.”
The Holy Father said again that God’s love for mankind “expresses itself fully on the Cross … in the sacrifice of the Cross God continues to re-propose his love, his passion for every man and woman”. Addressing the young people he said: “with Baptism you were born to new life by virtue of God’s grace. However since this new life did not eliminate the weakness of human nature and inclination to sin, we are allowed to approach the Sacrament of Confession. Each time you do so with faith and devotion, God’s loving mercy moves you heart, after a careful examination of conscience, towards Christ’s minister. You express to him, and in him to Christ, your grief for sins committed, your firm resolve never to sin again and readiness to accept the acts of penance the priest will give you to repair the harm caused by sin… With the penitential washing of this Sacrament, we return to full communion with God and the Church, trustworthy company because she is a ‘universal sacrament of salvation’.”
Recalling the Gospel verse chosen for the theme of the 22nd World Youth Day - "Love one another as I have loved you " (Jn 13,34) -, Pope Benedict XVI continued : “Christ draws us to himself to be united with each of us so that, in turn, we may learn to love others as he loves us. Today there is a great need for more capacity to love others. After this Liturgy as you leave with your hearts overflowing with the experience of God’s love, be ready to ‘dare’ to love in your families, in relations with your friends and also with those who hurt you. Be ready to have an influence with authentic Christian witness in place of study and work, and be active in parish communities, groups, movements, associations and in every sector of society.”
The Pope addressed especially engaged couples encouraging them to live the time of engagement “with true love, which entails chaste and responsible reciprocal respect”, and to those whom the Lord calls to a life of consecration, he said “be ready to respond with a generous and unconditioned ‘yes’” The Pope concluded “My dear young people the world is waiting for your help to build the ‘civilisation of love’. Love’s horizon is truly vast, it includes the whole world!… Do not fear, trust in Christ and in his Church!” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 30/3/2007 - righe 43, parole 637)