The following is from Pope Benedict's recently published message to youth in preparation for 'WYD' (a co-ed event - dubbed 'Catholic Woodstock' by critics - which, unfortunately, has been marked by sacrilege and is typically replete with rock music & immodest dress)... [Note: Paragraphs have been combined below]
"Men and women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough. Saint Augustine was right when he said 'our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you'. The desire for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear his 'imprint'. God is life, and that is why every creature reaches out towards life... To set God aside is to separate ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of fulfilment and joy... In some parts of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity, of work and of the family – we see a certain 'eclipse of God' taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity. For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit... You are constantly being offered easier choices, but you yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive and cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God can show us the authentic way, and only the faith we have received is the light which shines on our path. Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have received from your families; strive to respond responsibly to God’s call, and to grow in your faith."
The Holy Father also reminded that "a world without God becomes a 'hell': filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope" and he advised young people to "learn to 'see' and to 'meet' Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey."
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