Pope’s message to youth: “Be true to yourselves and spread peace”

During the diocesan celebration of the XXXIX World Youth Day, Pope Francis delivered a powerful message to the young attendees, urging them to stay authentic and promote peace in a world filled with distractions and superficiality.

“Do not settle for being ‘stars for a day’ on social media or in any other context. I remember once a beautiful young woman who wanted to be seen, in my homeland, and for a party she completely covered herself in makeup. I thought, after the makeup, what remains? Do not mask your soul, do not mask your heart, be as you are: sincere, transparent,” said Pope Francis during the homily at the mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, addressing the youth. He emphasized that “consensus does not save the world, nor does it bring happiness, but rather the gratuitousness of love.”

“Do not let yourself be infected by the eagerness – so common today – to be seen, approved, and praised,” highlighted the Pope. “Those who succumb to these fixations end up living in anxiety. They reduce themselves to ‘elbowing’, competing, pretending, compromising, selling their ideals just to gain a bit of approval and visibility. Your dignity is not for sale, be careful. God loves you just as you are: in His eyes, your pure dreams are worth more than success and fame, and the sincerity of your intentions is worth more than consensus. Do not be deceived by those who, promising futile things, actually want to instrumentalize you, condition you, and use you for their own interests. Be free in harmony with your dignity.”

“Who goes to war, with what face will they present themselves to God?” “It is not true that history is made by the violent and the arrogant, the proud. Many evils that afflict us are the work of man, deception from the Evil One, but everything is ultimately subject to God’s judgment. Those who destroy people, who wage wars, how will they face the Lord when they appear before Him? ‘Why did you start that war? Why did you kill?’ And what will they answer? Let’s think about this,” the Pontiff continued during his homily.

“At the end of this Eucharist,” the Pope added, “the young people from Portugal will hand over the symbols of the World Youth Day to the young Koreans: the Cross and the Icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani. This, too, is a sign: an invitation, for all of us, to live and bring the Gospel to every part of the earth, without stopping and without getting discouraged, rising after each fall and never ceasing to hope, as the message of this Day says: ‘Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength’. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on His Cross, and on Mary, our Mother: thus, even in difficulties, we will find the strength to move forward, without fearing accusations, without needing approval, with our own dignity and the certainty of being saved, accompanied by Mother Mary, without making compromises, without ‘spiritual makeup’, let us move forward, happy to be witnesses of truth and love for all. And please, do not lose your joy.”