"When I was 17 years old," Pope Francis points out in the video message made by the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network in collaboration with Vatican Media and archdiocese of Los AngelesI was a student and I worked, I had my projects. I didn't think at all about becoming a priest. But one day I entered the parish... and there was God waiting for me! begins by saying Pope Francis.
Open 'The Pope's VideoThe photos of his youth - at school, in the family, in church - then give way to scenes from the daily life of today's young people: times change, but the Lord's ability to speak to the heart of those who seek him does not change.
"Sometimes we don't listen to it."
"God continues to call young people today as well, sometimes in ways we never imagined. At times we did not hear it because we are very busy with our things, with our projects, even with our Church things."
"But the Holy Spirit He also speaks to us through dreams, and he speaks to us through the concerns that young people feel in their hearts," the Pontiff continued. "If we accompany their journey, we will see how God does new things with them. And we will be able to welcome his call in ways that better serve the Church and the world of today."
And the Pope encourages: "Let us trust in young people! And, above all, let us trust in God: because He calls each one of us! Let us pray that the ecclesial community will welcome the desires and doubts of young people who feel the call to live the mission of Jesus in life: be it priestly life or religious life".
"God calls each one".
"The challenge, then, is that of trust in young people, in their ability to contribute significantly to the Church and to the world. In fact, in the video Pope Francis invites us to hope in young people and, above all, in God, 'because He calls each one of us,'" encourages the World Prayer Network.
"Our God is a God who takes seriously the lives and gifts of young people," said Archbishop José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles. "The mission of the Church," continues the bishop of the largest U.S. diocese, who contributes to the production of this video with the professionals of his digital team, "is to walk with young people to help them grow in their faith and work to transform this world into the Kingdom that God wants for his people.
"Examine one's vocation with freedom and respond with courage."
On the other hand, the international director of the Pope's World Prayer Network, Fr. Cristobal Fones, S.J., recalls that "trust in young people is essential to encourage them to freely examine their own vocation and to respond to it with courage. An approach to vocation ministry that truly values dialogue and accompaniment also accepts and welcomes the concrete concerns, questions and aspirations of the young person as an important component of the vocational process".
"Moreover, the Pope tells us that, through the words of young people-sometimes even challenging or questioning-God can also indicate new paths for today's Church, and even offer us an occasion for our own conversion."
The Pope's prayer intentions for the month of January was "For the right to education: Let us pray that migrants, refugees and those affected by wars may always see their right to education respected, education necessary to build a more humane world".
