Thank God for the World Youth Days! (Blessed John Paul II)

Here is an excerpt of the message of Blessed John Paul II as he thanked God for the gift of young people in the WYD celebrations.

Thank God for the World Youth Days! Thanks be to God for all the young people who have been involved in these past years! Many of them are now adults who continue to live their faith in their homes and work-places. I am sure, dear friends, that you too will be as good as those who preceded you. You will carry the proclamation of Christ into the new millennium.

When you return home, do not grow lax. Reinforce and deepen your bond with the Christian communities to which you belong. I look with confidence to this new humanity which you are now helping to prepare. I look to this Church which in every age is made youthful by the Spirit of Christ and today is made happy by your intentions and commitment. I look to the future and make my own the words of an ancient prayer, which sings the praise of the one gift of Jesus, the Eucharist and the Church:

"I give thanks to you, Father of us all, for the life and the knowledge which you revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory in every age! Just as this bread now broken was wheat scattered far and wide upon the hills and, when harvested, became one bread, so too let your Church be gathered into your kingdom from the far ends of the earth. You, O Lord almighty, have created the universe to the glory of your name; you have given people food and drink for their comfort, so that they may give you thanks, but to us you have given a spiritual food and drink and eternal life through your Son. Glory be to you forever! Amen.”

Theme for the WYD 2013: "Go and make disciples of all nations"

An excerpt of the theme for World Youth Day (WYD) 2013 in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil by Benedict XVI

Before all else, I invite you once more to take part in this important event. The celebrated statue of Christ the Redeemer overlooking that beautiful Brazilian city will be an eloquent symbol for us. Christ’s open arms are a sign of his willingness to embrace all those who come to him, and his heart represents his immense love for everyone and for each of you. Let yourselves be drawn to Christ! Experience this encounter along with all the other young people who will converge on Rio for the next World Youth Day! Accept Christ’s love and you will be the witnesses so needed by our world.

I invite you to prepare for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro by meditating even now on the theme of the meeting: “Go and make disciples of all nations!” (cf. Mt 28:19). This is the great missionary mandate that Christ gave the whole Church, and today, two thousand years later, it remains as urgent as ever. This mandate should resound powerfully in your hearts. The year of preparation for the gathering in Rio coincides with the Year of Faith, which began with the Synod of Bishops devoted to “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith”. I am happy that you too, dear young people, are involved in this missionary outreach on the part of the whole Church. To make Christ known is the most precious gift that you can give to others […]

What does it mean to be a missionary? Above all, it means being a disciple of Christ. It means listening ever anew to the invitation to follow him and look to him: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29). A disciple is a person attentive to Jesus’ word (cf. Lk10:39), someone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Teacher who has loved us so much that he gave his life for us. Each one of you, therefore, should let yourself be shaped by God’s word every day. This will make you friends of the Lord Jesus and enable you to lead other young people to friendship with him […]

May Our Lady, Star of the New Evangelization, whom we also invoke under the titles of Our Lady of Guadalupe, accompany each of you in your mission as a witness to God’s love!