In a video message, the Holy Father Francis greeted the the young people of the Archdiocese of Krakow on the occasion of the celebrations of the centenary of the birth of St. John Paul II. Recalling this year as the church celebrates the hundred years since the birth of St. John Paul II, Pope Francis said, “It is a good opportunity for me to address you, young people from Krakow, thinking about how much he loved young people, and remembering my coming among you for WYD 2016.”
In the video the Holy Father said, “St. John Paul II was an extraordinary gift from God to the Church and to Poland, your homeland. His earthly pilgrimage, which began on 18 May 1920 in Wadowice and ended 15 years ago in Rome, was marked by a passion for life and a fascination for the mystery of God, of the world and of man.”
“I remember him as a great man of mercy: I think of the Encyclical Dives in misericordia , the canonization of Saint Faustina and the institution of the Sunday of Divine Mercy. In the light of God’s merciful love, He understood the specificity and beauty of the vocation of women and men, understood the needs of children, young people and adults, also considering cultural and social conditions. Everyone could experience it. You too can experience it today, knowing its life and its teachings, available to everyone also thanks to the Internet,” Pope Francis added.
Pope Francis urged the youth, “Each and every one of you, dear boys and girls, bears the imprint of your family, with its joys and sorrows. Love and care for the family is a characteristic trait of John Paul II. His teaching represents a sure point of reference for finding concrete solutions to the difficulties and challenges that families face today (cf. Message to the Conference “John Paul II, the Pope of the family” , Rome, 30 October 2019).”
But personal and family problems are not an obstacle on the way to holiness and happiness. Nor were they for young Karol Wojtyła, who suffered the loss of his mother, brother and father as a boy. As a student he experienced the atrocities of Nazism, which took away many friends from him. After the war, as a priest and bishop he had to face atheist communism.
Pope Francis went on to say, “Difficulties, even harsh ones, are proof of maturity and faith; proof that it is overcome only on the basis of the power of Christ who died and rose again. John Paul II has reminded him of the whole Church since his first Encyclical, Redemptor hominis , where he says: «The man who wants to fully understand himself […] must, with his restlessness and uncertainty and also with his weakness and sinfulness, with his life and death, draw near to Christ. He must, so to speak, enter into him with all of himself “(n. 10).”
Pope Francis wished the youth to enter Christ with all their life. And he hoped that the celebrations of the centenary of the birth of St. John Paul II inspires them the desire to walk courageously with Jesus, who is “the Lord of risk, he is the Lord of always” beyond “.