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Pope Tells Pilgrims at Vigil: Let Unifying Love Be Your Measure; Self-giving Love Your Mission!

Sydney, Jul 19, 2008 (CNA).- Alongside the WYD cross and the icon of Mary, and under the "magnificent constellation of the Southern Cross," the Pope delivered a message to pilgrims gathered at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney for the final night of WYD08, inspiring them to offer hope, strive for unity, learn from the lessons of the St. Augustine and to transform their families, communities and nations empowered by the Holy Spirit.

"Tonight we focus our attention on how to become witnesses," said the Pope."Indeed, society today is being fragmented by a way of thinking that is inherently short-sighted, because it disregards the full horizon of truth- the truth about God and about us."

"By its nature, relativism fails to see the whole picture. It ignores the very principles which enable us to live and flourish in unity, order and harmony.,,"What is our response, as Christian witnesses, to a divided and fragmented world?" asked the Pope.

"How can we offer the hope of peace, healing and harmony to those 'stations' of conflict, suffering and tension which you have chosen to march with this World Youth Day Cross?Unity and reconciliation cannot be achieved through our efforts alone," said the Pope who called upon the pilgrims to look to God and the Church to find that unity.

He warned not to construct artificial unity, which only undermines unity in the end."It is the Spirit, in fact, who guides the Church in the way of all truth and unifies her in communion and in the works of ministry.""Unity is the essence of the Church… It is a gift we must recognize and cherish. Tonight, let us pray for the resolve to nurture unity:contribute to it! Resist any temptation to walk away! For it is precisely the comprehensiveness, the vast vision, of our faith- solid yet open, consistent yet dynamic, true yet constantly growing in insight- that we can offer our world."

"Be watchful! Listen! Through the dissonance and division of our world, can you hear the concordant voice of humanity?" asked the Pope, who said that all humanity harbours a "cry for recognition, for belonging, for unity...Who satisfies that essential human yearning to be one, to be immersed in communion, to be built up, to be led to truth? The Holy Spirit.so the more we allow the Spirit to direct us, the more perfect will be our configuration to Christ and the deeper our immersion in the life of the Triune God."

The Pope told of how he decided to study the witnesses to the Holy Spirit whom he described as "the neglected person of the Blessed Trinity," which is how he discovered the works of the Saint Augustine. He proclaimed the lessons of St. Augustine, saying that "at first [Augustine] was suspicious of the Christian teaching that God had become man. "Yet his experience of the love of God present in the Church led him to … three particular insights about the Holy Spirit."

The first was that "the 'Holy' and 'Spirit' refer to what is divine about God... what is shared by the Father and the Son." Hence, "Augustine concluded that the Spirit's particular quality is unity."The second insight of Augustine, said the Pope was the understand of "the Holy Spirit is abiding love.""What further understanding might we gain from this insight? Love is the sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit!" proclaimed the Pope.

"The third insight- the Holy Spirit as gift- Augustine derved from meditating on a Gospel passage we all know and love: Christ's conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. The Spirit is "God's gift" – the internal spring, who truly satisfies our deepest thirst and leads us to the Father."

"The Holy Spirit is God eternally giving himself; like a never-ending spring he pours four nothing less than himself. In view of this ceaseless gift, we come to see the limitations of all that perishes, the folly of the consumerist mindset. We begin to understand why the quest for novelty leaves us unsatisfied and wanting. Are we not looking for an eternal gift? The spring that will never run dry?"

"Dear young people…Inspired by the insights of Saint Augustine: let unifying love be your measure; abiding love your challenge; self giving love your mission! These gifts of the Spirit- each of which, as Saint Francis de Sales reminds us, is a way to participate in the one love of God- are neither prizes nor rewards."

The Pope went on to distinguish the value of practical action with and without faith.

"What constitutes our faith is not primarily what we do but what we receive. After all, many generous people who are not Christian may well achieve far more than we do. Friends, do you accept being drawn into God's Trinitarian life? Do you accept being drawn into his communion of love?"

Turn to the Holy Spirit, the Pope implored the youth, "Turn to him dear young people, and you will find the true meaning of renewal."

Finally, the Pope praised the beauty of the night's vigil saying,"Tonight, gathered under the beauty of the night sky, our hearts and minds are filled with gratitude to God for the great gift of our Trinitarian faith… Let us invoke the Holy Spirit: he is the artisan of God's works. Let his gifts shape you!...

"In the end, life is not about accumulation. It is much more than success. To be truly alive is to be transformed from within, open to the energy of God's love. In accepting the power of the Holy Spirit you too can transform you families, communities and nations. Set free the gifts! Let wisdom, courage, awe and reverence by the marks of greatness!"

The Pope concluded with messages in the official WYD08 languages, as well as delivering a message in Chinese.


Flood of Youth Makes Pilgrimage to Final WYD Mass

Sydney, Jul 19, 2008 (CNA).- Over 180,000 pilgrims waving national flags and hoisting camping gear are processing through the streets of Sydney city today towards Southern Cross Precinct where the Final Mass for WYD08 will be held.

The six mile (10 kilometre) walk began early this morning in North Sydney where pilgrims walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, through Darling Harbour and the suburbs of Sydney to arrive at Randwick racecourse, within the Southern Cross Precinct. The trek took most of the youth around 3.5 hours.

WYD organisers said that the pilgrims will be “witnesses to Christ, to one another and also to the non-pilgrim community,” as they walk to the racecourse.

Holding a four meter long Philippine flag walking along the Sydney Harbour Bridge between a group of about 12 pilgrims, Rissy, 21, said, “It is such a humbling experience to be here. Philippines sent over 4,000 pilgrims to WYD08 and is the homeland to thousands of Australian-Filipino Catholics.

Lukasz Grabowski, 25, one of approximately 2,000 pilgrims from Poland, spoke to CNA before commencing the walk from North Sydney. He said that this was his second world Youth Day having attended the previous WYD in Colonge, Germany.

“I met my wife at the last WYD,” he told CNA, “We got married in April. We thought that either we could go to a beach for a week and lie there in the sun or go to WYD. We decided to come here for praise-giving to God. WYD is our honeymoon.”

“I think it is fantastic for people to come together to experience the faith. It is so wonderful that we are all from different nations but we can come and pray together, sing together and be happy together.”

Lukasz said he has lots of different jackets and piles of clothes to keep him warm during the sleepout.

“Or I could just dance in the light and mingle with the people!”

A Vigil liturgy lead by the Pope will be held at the Southern Cross Precinct at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The largest concert of all the youth festival will precede the Vigil, at which bands and artists will give performances, continuing the festive atmosphere of the week.

The themes of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit will be explored during the Evening Vigil, in preparation for the Final Mass with the Pope.

Pilgrims are expected to give testimonies of their WYD experiences before the Pope gives an address to the gathered pilgrims.

After the Vigil, over 250,00 pilgrims will spend the night under the stars of the Australian sky at Randwick Racecourse.

The Pope will spend the night at St. Mary’s Cathedral.