His Excellency José Alberto Moura
Archbishop of Montes Claros Minas Gerais, Brazil

photo: CNBB

Pope Francis asked the youth and their communities to prepare themselves well, overall spiritually, for the WYD in July in Rio de Janeiro. The encounter with him should be “a sign of faith for the whole world.” the youth should say to the world: it is good to follow Jesus; it is good to walk with Jesus; the message of Jesus is good; it is good to go out of oneself and to go to the periphery of the world and of the existence to bring Jesus! Three worlds: joy, cross, youth” (message from Palm Sunday 2012)

The Pontiff remembers that joy is not born from having many things, but from the encounter with Jesus. With Him we are not alone, even in difficult moments. He entered in Jerusalem to be crucified and showed that he gave all of himself for us. The joy of the faith in him fills the youth with certainty to overcome all of what is  opposed to the ideal of construction of a new way for society.

With Christ the youthful heart is perpetuated with the passing of years. We need those who face the challenges of a paganized world, that puts the having of things, pleasures and prestige as the meaning of life. Christ points to the road for the person to work for the greatness of the well-formed character to love, serve, promote the good family, good policy of real service to the common good, social inclusion, committed faith with the values of reign of God. Hence rises the kindness of heart, the overcoming of vices and of disordered passions…

The preparation for the World Youth Day has filled the youth of Brazil with ferver for them to begin the new road of conquering their place in the Church and in society, transforming them with the values of the new life in  Christ.

The WYD Cross and the icon of Mary are signs for the youth to perceive that following Jesus and putting into practice his example and his teachings, is capable of turning human living to be really transformed with the new ideal of life impregnated with love for God and His image. Without this, the human being would become too animalized, selfish and  without the perspective of conquering an idea really realized. With the example and the intercession of Mary, the youth will perceive the value, with her, to give support to salvation of so many persons that live on the waywardness of life with meaning.

However, the encounter with the Pope comes reinforced with the impulse for the after time, the end of WYD takes the road of permanent commitment of life, to help transform human living with the criteria of the Gospel.

Rio and the Church of all of Brazil are open to the Holy Father to bless the youth and all of us, for us to live more our commitment to help the youth to be and act as true renewing force of our human and Christian way.

God bless our youth, in order that they may be the protagonists in a new society, with the life of love and the promotion of good citizenship for all!

translated from Portuguese