"Everyone gathered here together, with youth coming from all corners of the earth, we wish for a place where we can all share peace and friendship. Overcoming obstacles, adjoining divides and uniting against violence and prejudice is all we wish for. This, itself, is what God wants of us. The church should become the seed to unite all of humanity."

Pope Francis emphasized the word "hope" repeatedly as he visited the Solmoe Sanctuary in Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong Province), and as he attended the sixth Asian Youth Day on August 15. During his Mass, the pope said, "I plea for you to have mercy and to treat those not able to hold down a respectable job as dignified people," and also that, "Youth without hope are no longer young. They are already old at heart."




In response to the worries held by Korean youth concerning the division of their country, the pope said that, "The fact that you share the same language with your brothers in the North can be the first aspect of hope. I sometimes say a silent prayer for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

After watching a play about the parable of the prodigal son, the pope felt deeply touched and added, "Don't forget that God never tires of forgiving and doesn't shy away from the long wait for us to return."

The pope said that, "Even with an abundance of material wealth, many of our close friends and colleagues are suffering from emotional drain, loneliness and hidden despair. The Bible says that the spirit of Jesus can grant new life in the minds of every individual and change any situation. Even the most abysmal circumstances can be turned around. This is a message that everyone of us at our school, work, home and local community should share with our peers, living at the same time."

He suggested ways to testify the Gospel in a, "genuine and joyful heart." First, the pontiff said, have faith in the power vested by Christ in each being. Second, keep close to the Lord through daily prayer. Third, have every thought, word and action be led by the wisdom and the power of the truth in the words of Christ. The pope said that everyone should keep these three in their daily thoughts and let them become the principles of life.

As he concluded, the pope thanked the Lord for blessing us and granting us the opportunity to gather here in this form. He asked the crowd to plea for the strength to faithfully testify to the love of the Lord across Asia and the world.

By Wi Tack-whan, Paik Hyun
Korea.net Staff Writers
whan23@korea.kr