2006-02-27 15:57:37

Pope’s message for 21st World Youth Day, 2006


(Feb. 27, 2006) - “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” is the theme suggested by Pope Benedict XVI for this year’s World Youth Day which will be observed across dioceses of the world on Palm Sunday, April 9. The choice of this theme from Psalm 119 is meant to encourage young people of the world in the love for Jesus through the reading of Holy Scriptures. “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ,” the Pope quoted St. Jerome and explained that the secret of being wise or having ‘an understanding heart,’ “is to train your heart to listen.” “This,” he said, “is obtained by persistently meditating on the word of God and by remaining firmly rooted in it through the commitment to persevere in getting to know it better.” The Pope urged the young people to “become familiar with the Bible, and to have it at hand so that it can be your compass pointing out the road to follow.” “By reading it, you will learn to know Christ,” said Pope Benedict.
He said that it is not easy to recognise and find authentic happiness in this world in which we live, where people are often held captive by the current ways of thinking. They may think they are “free”, but they are being led astray and become lost amid the errors or illusions of aberrant ideologies. The incarnate Word, Word of Truth, makes us free and directs our freedom towards the good, the Pope said and urged them to meditate often on the word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to be their teacher.
Pope Benedict said that the theme of next year’s World Youth Day will be: “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John, 13:34). The international celebration of World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, in July, 2008, will have as its theme: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).







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