Pope encourages young people to be witnesses of hope
Source: Vatican News
Pope Francis greets the faithful following his Palm Sunday Mass and Angelus and prays for the sick and their families, and all those who self-sacrificingly care for them.
After his Palm Sunday Mass today, Pope Francis prayed the Angelus and then greeted the faithful joining him "through the means of social communication." In particular, he said his thoughts went out to young people all over the world, who are spending the Diocesan World Youth Day "in an unprecedented way."
Sunday 5 April should have been the day when the young people of Panama, where the last World Youth Day took place in 2019, hand over the cross to young people from Lisbon, where the next World Youth Day will be taking place in 2022.
"This very significant gesture" has been postponed and will now be taking place on Christ the King Sunday, on 22 November, Pope Francis explained. "While waiting for that moment, I urge you, young people to cultivate and witness to the hope, to the generosity, the solidarity of which we are all in need in this difficult moment."
Looking ahead, Pope Francis noted that Monday 6 April marks the UN's International Day of Sports for Development and Peace. But in this period many sporting events have been suspended. Despite this, he said, we are able to see the best fruits of sports emerge: "resistance, team spirit, fraternity…". So, he urged: "let's launch sports for peace and development once again!"
Pope Francis concluded by asking the faithful to "journey in faith through Holy Week in which Jesus suffers, dies and rises." He invited all those unable to participate in the liturgical celebrations to "gather together in prayer at home, aided by the means of technology.
He said: "Let us hold close spiritually those who are sick and their families, and all those who self-sacrificingly care for them. Let us pray for the deceased in the light of paschal faith. Everyone is present in our hearts, in our thoughts, in our prayers."
Finally, the Pope prayed that Mary "walk with us and sustain our hope," as we "follow Jesus on the way of the cross that leads us to the glory of the Resurrection."
LINK
World Youth Day 2022 - http://jmj.patriarcado-lisboa.pt/#/en