21/11/21 프란치스코 교황 성하의 제36차 세계 젊은이의 날 담화(2021년 11월 21일)

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프란치스코 교황 성하의

제36차 세계 젊은이의 날 담화

(2021년 11월 21일)

 
‘일어나라. 내가 너를 네가 본 것의 증인으로 선택한다’(사도 26,16 참조)

 
사랑하는 젊은이 여러분, 
 
저는 다시 한번 여러분의 손을 잡고 여러분과 함께 2023년 리스본 세계청년대회를 향한 영적 순례길을 걸어가 보려고 합니다. 
 
감염병의 세계적 유행이 시작하기 직전에 제가 서명했던 지난해 담화의 주제는 “젊은이야, 내가 너에게 말한다. 일어나라!”(루카 7,14)였습니다. 주님께서는 우리가 체험하게 될 중대한 도전에 앞서 당신 섭리 안에서 우리를 미리 준비시키고 계셨던 것입니다. 
 
세계 각지에서 너무나 많은 사람들이 사랑하는 이를 잃은 고통과 사회적 고립을 겪었습니다. 보건 위기는 특히, 여러분과 같은 젊은이들에게 걸림돌이 되었습니다. 여러분의 삶은 학교나 대학교, 일터, 친목 모임 등 밖을 향해 있기 때문입니다. 여러분은 마주해 본 적 없는 어려운 상황들에 놓였습니다. 더욱 고된 상황에 놓인 이들이나 지원을 받지 못하는 이들은 혼란을 느꼈습니다. 점점 커지는 스트레스와 긴장, 분노 표출, 늘어나는 폭력은 말할 것도 없고, 가정불화, 실업, 우울감, 고독, 중독 행동의 증가를 우리는 목격하였습니다.
 
그러나 다행히도 이는 그저 동전의 한 단면이었습니다. 이번 체험은 우리의 약함을 증명하였지만, 우리가 연대를 지향한다는 사실을 포함하여 우리의 미덕들도 드러냈습니다. 우리는 세상 곳곳에서 많은 젊은이들을 포함한 수많은 사람들이 생명 구조에 도움을 주고 희망의 씨앗을 심으며 자유와 정의를 지키고 평화의 일꾼이자 다리를 놓는 사람으로 활동하는 것을 보았습니다. 
 
젊은이가 넘어질 때마다 어떤 의미에서는 온 인류가 넘어지는 것입니다. 반대로, 젊은이가 일어나면 이는 마치 온 세상이 일어나는 것과 같은 것도 사실입니다. 젊은이 여러분, 여러분이 손에 쥐고 있는 잠재력은 엄청납니다! 여러분이 마음에 지닌 힘은 정말로 대단합니다!
 
오늘도 하느님께서는 여러분 한 사람 한 사람에게 “일어나라!”라고 말씀하고 계십니다. 저는 이번 담화가 새 시대, 곧 인류 역사의 새로운 장을 우리가 준비하는 데에 도움이 되기를 간절히 바랍니다. 사랑하는 젊은이 여러분, 여러분 없이 우리는 새롭게 시작할 수 없습니다. 우리의 세상이 일어나려면, 여러분의 힘과 열의와 열정이 필요합니다. 그래서 저는 여러분과 함께 예수님께서 바오로 사도에게 하신 말씀이 담긴 사도행전 본문을 함께 묵상하고자 합니다. ‘일어나라. 내가 너를 네가 본 것의 증인으로 선택한다’(사도 26,16 참조).

바오로가 임금 앞에서 한 증언
 
2021년 세계 젊은이의 날 주제에 영감을 준 구절은 감옥에 투옥되었던 바오로가 아그리파스 임금 앞에서 변론하는 본문에서 고른 것입니다. 본래 그리스도인들의 적이자 박해자였던 바오로는 이제 그리스도에 대한 그의 신앙 때문에 재판을 받습니다. 사도는 그리스도와의 운명적 만남에 관하여 25년쯤이 흐른 뒤에 이야기했습니다. 
 
바오로는 그리스도인들을 잡기 위하여 다마스쿠스로 가고 있던 어느 날, 곧 “햇빛보다 더 밝은 빛”이 그와 그 일행 둘레를 비추기 전까지 자신이 그리스도인들을 박해했다고 말합니다(사도 26,13 참조). 그런데 바오로는 홀로 ‘소리’를 들었습니다. 바로 그의 이름을 부르시며 그에게 말씀하시는 예수님의 소리였습니다.
 
사울아! 사울아!
 
이 사건을 조금 더 깊이 살펴봅시다. 주님께서는 사울의 이름을 부르심으로써, 당신께서 사울을 인격적으로 알고 계셨음을 사울이 깨닫게 하셨습니다. 주님께서 “나는 네가 누구인지, 네가 무엇을 하려는지 안다. 그럼에도 내가 너에게 직접 말을 걸고 있다.”라고 말씀하시는 것 같았습니다. 주님께서는 중요하고 특별한 소명의 징표로 바오로의 이름을 두 번 부르십니다. 이는 주님께서 이전에 모세에게 하셨던 것(탈출 3,4 참조)과 사무엘에게 하셨던 것(1사무 3,10 참조)과 같습니다. 사울은 땅에 엎어져, 자신을 혼란에 빠뜨렸으나 해치지 않고 오히려 이름으로 불러주시는 하느님의 현현, 곧 위대한 신적 계시를 목격하고 있다는 사실을 깨닫습니다. 
 
그리스도와 인격적으로 그리고 자신의 이름으로 만나는 것만이 삶을 변화시킵니다. 예수님께서는 당신이 사울을 아주 잘, ‘속속들이’ 알고 계시다는 것을 보여 주십니다. 비록 사울은 박해자이지만, 비록 사울의 마음에는 그리스도인들에 대한 적개심이 그득하지만, 예수님께서는 그것이 무지에서 비롯되었다는 것을 알고 계십니다. 예수님께서는 그에게 당신 자비를 보여 주고자 하십니다. 과분하고 조건 없는 사랑인 이 은총은 사울의 삶을 극적으로 변화시키는 빛이 될 것입니다. 
 
주님, 주님은 누구십니까?
 
사울은 자기 이름을 부르시는 이 신비로운 존재 앞에서 이렇게 여쭈어봅니다. “주님, 주님은 누구십니까?”(사도 26,15) 이는 결정적인 질문이고, 머지않아 우리 모두 여쭈어야 할 질문입니다. 다른 이들이 예수님에 대하여 말하는 것을 듣는 것만으로는 충분하지 않습니다. 우리가 직접 스스로 예수님께 말을 걸어야 합니다. 본질적으로 이것이 바로 기도입니다. 기도는, 우리의 마음이 여전히 혼란스럽고 생각이 의심으로 가득하거나 심지어 그리스도나 그리스도인들을 업신여길지라도, 예수님과 직접 이야기하는 것을 의미합니다. 저는 모든 젊은이가 자신의 마음 깊은 곳에서 마침내 주님께 “주님, 주님은 누구십니까?” 하고 여쭙게 되기를 기도합니다. 
 
인터넷 시대일지라도, 우리는 모든 이가 예수님을 안다고 더 이상 생각할 수 없습니다. 많은 이들이 예수님과 그분의 교회에 하고 있는 질문은 바로 이것입니다. “당신은 누구십니까?” 바오로 성인의 부르심에 관한 이야기 전체에서 바오로는 단 한 번 이렇게 말합니다. 그리고 주님께서는 곧바로 대답하십니다. “나는 네가 박해하는 예수다”(사도 26,15).
 
“나는 네가 박해하는 예수다!”
 
예수님께서는 이렇게 대답하시며 사울에게 위대한 신비를 드러내십니다. 당신 자신을 교회, 곧 그리스도인들과 하나로 여기는 신비를 드러내시는 것입니다. 이때까지 사울은 그리스도에 대하여 아무것도 알지 못했고, 그저 알고 있는 것이라고는 자신이 감옥에 가두고(사도 26,10 참조) 그들을 처형할 때에 찬성표를 던졌던 신자들뿐이었습니다. 사울은 그리스도인들이 어떻게 악에는 선으로, 증오에는 사랑으로 답하면서 그리스도의 이름을 위하여 불의와 폭력과 조롱과 박해를 견디는지 보았습니다. 어떻게 보면 사울은 자신도 모르는 사이에 이미 그리스도를 만났던 것입니다. 그는 그리스도인들 안에 계시는 그분을 만났던 것입니다!
 
우리는 마치 하나가 다른 하나를 대체할 수 있는 양 “예수님은 좋지만 교회는 싫다!”라는 말을 자주 듣습니다. 그 누구도 교회를 모르고서는 예수님을 알 수 없습니다. 그 누구도 자기 공동체에 속한 형제자매와 동떨어진 채 예수님을 알 수 없습니다. 우리는 신앙의 교회적 차원을 체험하지 않고서는 스스로 온전히 그리스도인이라 부를 수 없습니다.
 
“뾰족한 막대기를 차면 너만 아프다”
 
사울이 땅에 엎어진 다음에 주님께서 이 말씀을 하십니다. 그런데 아마 주님께서는 사울을 당신께로 이끄시고자 오랫동안 신비스럽게 그에게 같은 말씀을 반복하고 계셨지만, 사울은 거부해온 듯합니다. 우리 주님께서는 당신께 등을 돌리는 모든 젊은이에게 이와 동일한 따뜻한 ‘훈계’를 하십니다. “너는 언제까지 나에게서 도망 다니려느냐? 너는 왜 내가 부르는 소리를 듣지 못하느냐? 나는 네가 나에게로 돌아오기를 기다리고 있다.” 우리도 예레미야 예언자처럼 ‘더 이상 그분을 기억하지 않으리라.’(예레 20,9 참조) 하고 말할 때가 있습니다. 그러나 모든 이의 마음에는 불이 타오릅니다. 아무리 그 불을 끄려고 애써도, 그 불을 끌 수 없을 것입니다. 그 불이 우리보다 더 강하기 때문입니다.
 
주님께서는 당신과 당신을 따르던 이들에게 완전히 적대적이며 당신을 박해하던 이를 선택하셨습니다. 우리는 하느님의 눈으로 바라본다면, 놓치는 이가 아무도 없음을 압니다. 하느님과의 인격적 만남 덕분에 우리는 언제나 다시 시작할 수 있습니다. 하느님의 은총과 자비가 가닿지 않는 젊은이는 하나도 없습니다. 그러므로 그 누구도 하느님은 너무 멀리 가버리셨다거나 이제는 너무 늦었다고 말할 수 없습니다. 자신을 투신하고 온 마음을 다하여 사랑하고 삶에서 사명을 지닐 필요를 마음 깊이 느끼면서, 시류를 거스르며 격정적으로 저항하는 젊은이가 얼마나 많습니까! 젊은 사울에게서 예수님은 바로 그 마음을 보신 것입니다. 
 
우리가 눈멀었음을 깨닫기
 
우리는 그리스도와 만나기 전의 사울이 어느 정도 ‘자만이 넘치는’ 사람으로, 자신의 도덕적 온전성과 열정, 출신과 교육 수준을 바탕으로 자기 자신을 ‘위대하다’고 여겼을 것이라 상상할 수 있습니다. 분명히 그는 옳다고 확신하였습니다. 주님께서 당신 자신을 드러내시자 사울은 ‘땅에 엎어졌고’ 눈이 멉니다. 한순간에 육체적으로도 영적으로도 앞을 볼 수 없는 것입니다. 그가 지니고 있었던 확신이 흔들립니다. 그리스도인들을 죽이려던 격정적인 열망이 완전히 잘못된 것이었다는 깨달음이 그의 마음 안에 생깁니다. 그는 자신이 절대적 진리를 갖고 있지 않을 뿐만 아니라 절대적 진리에서 참으로 멀리 떨어져 있음을 깨닫습니다. 그의 확신과 자만이 사라지면서 그는 한순간에 길을 잃고 나약해진 ‘작은’ 이가 되어 버린 자신을 발견합니다. 
 
이러한 겸손, 곧 우리의 한계를 아는 것은 필수적인 것입니다! 자기 자신에 대하여, 다른 이들이나 심지어 종교적 진리에 대하여 모두 알고 있다고 자신하는 이들은 그리스도를 만나기 어려울 것입니다. 사울은 눈먼 뒤에 자신의 기준점을 잃어버렸습니다. 어둠 속에 홀로 있는 그에게 오직 분명한 것은 그가 보았던 빛과 들었던 소리뿐이었습니다. 이 얼마나 역설적인 일입니까! 우리는 눈이 멀어야만 비로소 보기 시작합니다!
 
사울은 다마스쿠스로 가는 길에서 겪은 자신의 강렬한 체험 이후, ‘작다’는 의미를 지닌 바오로라는 이름으로 불리는 것을 더 좋아하였습니다. 이것은 오늘날 흔한 별명이나 가명과 같은 것이 아니었습니다. 그리스도와의 만남은 그의 삶을 바꾸어 놓았습니다. 그 만남은 그를 진실로 작아지게 하였고 그가 진정 자기 자신을 알지 못하게 방해하는 모든 것을 부수어 버렸습니다. 그는 우리에게 이렇게 말합니다. “사실 나는 사도들 가운데 가장 보잘것없는 자로서, 사도라고 불릴 자격조차 없는 몸입니다. 하느님의 교회를 박해하였기 때문입니다”(1코린 15,9).
 
리지외의 데레사 성녀는 다른 많은 성인들처럼 겸손이 진리라고 즐겨 말하곤 하였습니다. 오늘날 우리는 특히 소셜 미디어 안에서, 배경과 웹 카메라와 특수 효과로 신중하게 꾸며진 수많은 ‘이야기들’로 우리의 모든 시간을 보내곤 합니다. 점점 더 우리는 진짜 모습을 반영하지 않는 우리 이미지를 우리의 ‘친구들’과 ‘팔로워들’에게 보여 주려고 완벽하게 설정된 무대 위의 조명 아래 있고 싶어 합니다. 한낮의 태양이신 그리스도께서는 우리를 일깨우시고 우리의 참모습을 회복시키시고자 오시어 우리의 모든 가면을 벗겨내십니다. 그분께서는 우리가 누구인지 명백하게 보여주십니다. 그것이 바로 그분께서 우리를 사랑하시는 방법입니다.
 
관점 바꾸기
 
바오로의 회심은 되돌아서는 것이 아니라 실재를 바라보는 완전히 새로운 방식에 열려 있는 것이었습니다. 그는 다마스쿠스로 가던 여정을 계속 이어갔지만, 변화가 있었습니다. 그리고 그는 이제 다른 사람이 되었습니다(사도 22,10 참조). 회심은 우리의 하루하루의 삶을 새롭게 할 수 있습니다. 우리는 전에 하던 대로 해나가겠지만, 이제는 우리의 마음과 원동력이 바뀌었습니다. 바오로의 경우, 예수님께서는 그가 본래 가고 있던 대로 다마스쿠스로 들어가라고 그에게 말씀하셨습니다. 바오로는 그 말씀에 순종했지만, 다마스쿠스로 가던 그의 여정의 목표와 목적이 송두리째 바뀌었습니다. 이때부터 바오로는 새로운 눈으로, 곧 더는 박해자나 집행자가 아니라 제자이자 증인으로서 실재를 바라보게 될 것입니다. 다마스쿠스에서 하나니아스가 그에게 세례를 주고 그를 그리스도교 공동체에 받아들일 것입니다. 침묵과 기도 안에서 바오로는 자신의 체험과 주 예수님께서 그에게 내려 주신 새로운 정체성을 깊이 받아들일 것입니다.
 
젊음의 힘과 열정을 헛되이 쓰지 않기
 
부활하신 예수님을 만나기 전의 바오로의 태도는 우리에게 그리 낯설지 않습니다. 사랑하는 젊은이 여러분, 여러분 마음 안에서 솟아오르는 힘과 열정도 얼마나 많습니까! 그러나 여러분 주위에 있는 그리고 여러분 안에 있는 어둠은 여러분이 실재를 올바로 바라보지 못하게 할 수 있습니다. 헛된 투쟁 안에서, 심지어 폭력을 동원한 싸움까지 하면서 길을 잃은 여러분 자신을 발견하는 위험이 있을 수 있습니다. 마음 아프게도 첫 희생자는 여러분 자신 그리고 여러분과 가장 가까운 이들이 될 것입니다. 또한 정당한 가치를 지키려고 시작된 대의명분을 위한 싸움이 자칫 극단으로 치우쳐 파괴적인 이데올로기로 퇴색되어 버릴 위험도 있습니다. 오늘날 정치적 또는 종교적 신념에 고취되어, 어쩌면 부추겨져서 다른 많은 이의 삶에 폭력과 파괴를 행하는 도구로 전락해 버리는 젊은이들이 얼마나 많습니까! 어떤 이들은 디지털 세상 안에서 쉽게 떠돌며 악의를 퍼뜨리고 반대자를 몰살시키고자 가짜 뉴스라는 무기를 악랄하게 이용하여 가상 현실과 사회 연결망을 새로운 전쟁터로 사용합니다. 
 
주님께서 바오로의 삶에 갑자기 들어오셨을 때, 주님께서는 바오로의 성격이나 뜨거운 열정을 억압하지 않으셨습니다. 대신, 그를 땅 끝까지 복음을 전하는 위대한 전달자로 만드시어 그가 받은 은총들이 만개하도록 하셨습니다. 
 
이방인들의 사도
 
이후로 바오로는 ‘이방인들의 사도’로 불렸습니다. 바리사이였던 바오로는 엄격하게 율법을 따르는 사람이었습니다! 여기에서 우리는 또 하나의 역설을 봅니다. 곧 주님께서는 당신을 박해하던 바로 그 사람을 신뢰하신다는 것입니다. 바오로와 같이 우리도 저마다 우리의 마음 안에서 이러한 소리를 들을 수 있습니다. “나는 너를 신뢰한다. 나는 너와 함께하며 너의 사연을 잘 알고 이해하고 있다. 네가 종종 나를 거스르더라도 나는 너를 선택하고 너를 나의 증인으로 세운다.” 하느님께서 생각하시는 방식은 최악의 박해자를 위대한 증인으로 변화시킬 수 있습니다. 
 
그리스도의 제자들은 “세상의 빛”(마태 5,14)이 되라고 부름받습니다. 이제 바오로는 자신이 본 것을 증언해야 하지만, 한동안 눈이 멀어 있습니다. 또 다른 역설이지요! 그러나 바오로는 그 개인적 체험 덕분에 주님께서 장차 자신을 보내실 이들과 자신을 온전히 동일시할 수 있습니다. 이것이 바오로를 “그들의 눈을 뜨게 하여, 그들이 어둠에서 빛으로 돌아오게”(사도 26,18)하는 증인으로 만드신 까닭입니다.
 
“일어나 증언하라!”
 
우리가 세례로 얻은 새로운 삶을 받아들일 때 주님께서는 중요하고 삶을 바꾸는 사명을 우리에게 주십니다. “너는 나의 증인이 되어야 한다!”
 
오늘날 그리스도께서는 당신이 바오로에게 하셨던 그 말씀을 여러분에게 그대로 하십니다. “일어나라! 기죽어 있거나 너 자신 안에 갇혀있지 마라. 사명이 너를 기다린다!” 예수님께서 여러분의 삶 안에서 이루고자 시작하신 일을 여러분도 증언할 수 있습니다. 예수님의 이름으로 저는 여러분에게 부탁드립니다.
 
- 일어나십시오! 여러분 또한 눈이 멀었었고, 빛을 만났음을 증언하십시오. 하느님의 선하심과 아름다우심을 여러분 안에서, 다른 이들 안에서, 교회가 이루는 친교 안에서 여러분도 보았습니다. 그 안에서 모든 고독이 극복됩니다.
 
- 일어나십시오! 인간관계 안에, 우리 가정의 삶 안에, 부모와 자녀의 대화 안에, 젊은이와 노인의 대화 안에 불어넣을 수 있는 사랑과 존중을 증언하십시오. 
 
- 일어나십시오! 사회 정의, 진리와 공정, 인권을 지키십시오. 박해받는 이들, 가난한 이들, 힘없는 이들, 사회에서 목소리를 내지 못하는 이들, 이주민들을 보호하십시오.
 
- 일어나십시오! 실재를 바라보는 새로운 방식을 증언하십시오. 이 방식으로 여러분은 경이로움이 가득한 눈으로 피조물들을 바라보게 되고 지구를 우리 공동의 집으로 여기게 되며 통합적 생태론을 증진하고자 용기를 낼 수 있게 됩니다.
 
- 일어나십시오! 실패한 삶도 다시 세울 수 있다는 것을 증언하십시오. 영적으로 죽은 이들도 새롭게 살아날 수 있고 속박된 이들도 다시 한번 해방될 수 있으며 슬픔에 잠긴 마음도 희망을 다시 발견할 수 있다는 것을 증언하십시오.
 
- 일어나십시오! 그리스도께서 살아 계심을 기쁘게 증언하십시오! 여러분과 동시대를 살아가는 사람들 가운데에, 학교와 대학교에, 일터에, 디지털 세상에, 모든 곳에 그리스도의 사랑과 구원의 메시지를 전하십시오.
 
주님과 교회와 교황이 여러분을 믿고, 여러분이 오늘 ‘다마스쿠스로 가는 길’에서 만날 다른 모든 젊은이 앞에서 증인이 되도록 임명합니다. 결코 잊지 마십시오. “구원하시는 하느님의 사랑을 진실로 체험한 사람이라면 그 누구라도 밖으로 나아가 그 사랑을 선포하는 데에 오랜 준비나 긴 시간의 훈련이 필요 없습니다. 예수 그리스도 안에서 하느님 사랑을 만난 그리스도인은 모두 선교사입니다”(교황 권고 「복음의 기쁨」[Evangelii Gaudium], 120항).
 
일어나십시오! 개별 교회 안에서 세계 젊은이의 날을 기념하십시오!
 
저는 다시 한번 여러분 모두를, 곧 전 세계 젊은이들을 2023년 리스본 세계청년대회 거행으로 향하는 이 영적 순례길에 함께하도록 초대합니다. 그러나 다가올 2021년 세계 젊은이의 날은 개별 교회 안에서, 세계 여러 교구들과 동방 교회 교구들 안에서 온 누리의 임금이신 우리 주 예수 그리스도왕 대축일에 지역적으로 거행될 것입니다. 
 
저는 우리가 모두 진정한 순례자로서 이 모든 길을 함께 걸어갈 수 있기를 바랍니다! 그저 ‘종교 관광객’이 되지 않기를 바랍니다. 하느님께서 우리의 길을 밝히고자 하시기에, 저는 우리가 하느님의 놀라우심에 점점 더 열려 있기를 바랍니다. 우리가 하느님의 목소리를, 우리의 형제자매들의 목소리를 통해서도 말씀하시는 하느님의 목소리를 듣도록 더욱더 열려 있기를 바랍니다. 그렇게 할 때 우리는 함께 일어나도록 서로 돕게 될 것이고, 인류 역사의 시련을 마주한 이때에 새롭고 희망찬 미래의 예언자가 될 것입니다! 복되신 동정 마리아께서 우리 모두를 위하여 전구해 주시기를 빕니다. 
 
로마 라테라노 성 요한 대성전에서 
2021년 9월 14일
성 십자가 현양 축일
 
프란치스코
 
<원문 Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for the 36th World Youth Day, “Stand up. I appoint you as a witness of what you have seen”(cf. Acts 26:16), 2021.9.14., 영어와 이탈리아어>
 
영어:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/youth/documents/papa-francesco_20210914_messaggio-giovani_2021.html
 

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE XXXVI WORLD YOUTH DAY
21 November 2021

“Stand up. I appoint you as a witness of what you have seen." (cf. Acts 26:16)

Dear young people,

Once again I would like to take you by the hand and walk with you on the spiritual pilgrimage that leads to the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon.

Last year’s Message, which I signed shortly before the pandemic broke out, had as its theme: “Young man, I say to you, arise!” (cf. Lk 7:14). In his providence, the Lord was already preparing us for the grave challenge we were about to experience.

Everywhere in the world, we suffered the loss of so many of our dear ones and experienced social isolation. The health emergency was a particular setback for you young people, for your life is naturally directed outwards: to school or university, to work and social gatherings.

You found yourselves in difficult situations that you were not used to facing. Those who found it harder, or lacked support, felt disoriented. We saw a rise in family problems, unemployment, depression, loneliness and addictive behaviour, to say nothing of growing stress, tensions, outbursts of anger and increased violence.

 Yet, thank God, this was only one side of the coin. The experience showed us our fragility, but it also revealed our virtues, including our inclination to solidarity.  All over the world, we saw great numbers of individuals, including many young people, helping to save lives, sowing seeds of hope, upholding freedom and justice, and acting as peacemakers and bridge builders.

 Whenever a young person falls, in some sense all humanity falls. Yet it is also true that when a young person rises, it is as if the whole world rises as well.  Young people, what great potential you have in your hands! What great strength you have in your hearts!

 Today too, God is saying to each one of you: “Arise!” I fervently hope that this Message may help us prepare for new times and a new page in the history of humanity.  Yet we cannot begin anew without you, dear young people. If our world is to arise, it needs your strength, your enthusiasm, your passion. I would like, then, to meditate with you on the passage of the Acts of the Apostles where Jesus says to Saint Paul: “Arise! I have appointed you to testify to what you have seen” (cf. Acts 26:16).

Paul’s witness before the king

 The verse that has inspired the theme of the 2021 World Youth Day is taken from the testimony of Paul before King Agrippa following his imprisonment. Paul, formerly the enemy and persecutor of Christians, is now on trial precisely for his faith in Christ. Some twenty-five years later, the apostle recounted the story of his fateful encounter with Christ.

 Paul states that he persecuted Christians, until one day while travelling to Damascus to arrest some of them, a light “brighter than the sun” shone around him and his companions (cf. Acts 26:13). He alone, however, heard “a voice”: the voice of Jesus who spoke to him, calling him by name.

Saul! Saul!

 Let us take a closer look at this event. By calling Saul by name, the Lord made him realize that he knew him personally. It was as if he said: “I know who you are and what you are up to; even so, I am speaking directly to you”. Twice, the Lord calls Paul by name as the sign of an important special vocation; so he had earlier done with Moses (cf. Ex 3:4) and Samuel (cf. 1 Sam 3:10). Falling to the ground, Saul realizes that he is witnessing a theophany, a powerful divine revelation that throws him into confusion, but does not destroy him. Instead, he finds himself called by name.

 Only a personal and non-anonymous encounter with Christ changes lives. Jesus shows that he knows Saul very well, “inside out”. Even though Saul is a persecutor, even though his heart is full of hatred for Christians, Jesus realizes that this is due to ignorance. He wants to show in him his mercy. This grace, this unmerited and unconditional love, will be the light that radically transforms Saul’s life.

Who are you, Lord?

 Before this mysterious presence calling out his name, Saul asks: “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 26:15) This question is decisive, and sooner or later all of us have to ask it. It is not enough to hear other people speak about Jesus; we need to speak to him ourselves, personally. Deep down, this is what prayer is all about. Prayer means talking directly with Jesus, even though our heart may still be confused and our mind full of doubts or even contempt for Christ and Christians. I pray that every young person, in the depths of his or her heart, will eventually ask the question: “Who are you, Lord?”

 We can no longer assume that everyone knows Jesus, even in the age of the internet. The question that many people are asking of Jesus and his Church is precisely this: “Who are you?” In the entire story of Saint Paul’s calling, this is the only time in which he, Paul, speaks. And the Lord immediately replies: “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (ibid.).

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting!”

 With this answer, Jesus reveals to Saul a great mystery: that he sees himself as one with the Church, with Christians. Up to that point, Saul had seen nothing of Christ, but only the faithful whom he had cast into prison (cf. Acts 26:10) and in whose killing he had consented (ibid.). He had seen how Christians responded to evil with goodness, hatred with love, enduring injustice, violence, calumnies and persecutions for the name of Christ. In some way, without knowing it, Saul had already encountered Christ. He had encountered him in Christians!

 How many times have we heard it said “Jesus yes, the Church no!”, as if one could be an alternative to the other. One cannot know Jesus if one does not know the Church.  One cannot know Jesus apart from the brothers and sisters in his community. We cannot call ourselves fully Christian unless we experience faith’s ecclesial dimension.

“It hurts you to kick against the goads”

 With these words, the Lord speaks to Saul after he had fallen to the ground. Yet for some time he had no doubt been mysteriously repeating those same words to Saul, in an attempt to draw him to himself. Saul, however, had resisted. Our Lord addresses that same gentle “reproach” to every young person who turns away from him: “How long will you flee from me? Why can’t you hear me calling you? I am waiting for you to come back to me”. There are times when we too say, like the prophet Jeremiah: “I will no longer think about him” (cf. Jer 20:9). Yet a fire burns in every person’s heart: even if we try to stifle it, we will not succeed, because it is stronger than we are.

 The Lord chose someone who was persecuting him, completely hostile to him and his followers. We see that, in God’s eyes, no one is lost. Thanks to a personal encounter with him, we can always start over again. No young person is ever beyond the reach of God’s grace and mercy. Of no one can we say: He’s too far gone… It’s too late… How many young people passionately rebel and go against the grain, while deep in their hearts they feel a need to be committed, to love with all their heart, to have a mission in life! In the young Saul, Jesus saw exactly that.

Recognizing our blindness

 We can imagine that, before his encounter with Christ, Saul was to some extent “full of himself”, thinking he was “great” on the basis of his moral integrity, zeal, background and education. Certainly, he was convinced of being right. Once the Lord reveals himself, Saul “falls to the ground”, blinded. Suddenly, he is unable to see, both physically and spiritually.

His certainties are shaken. In his heart, he realizes that his passionate zeal to kill Christians was utterly wrong. He realizes that he does not possess absolute truth, and is indeed far from it. His certainties and his pride dissipate; suddenly he finds himself disoriented, weak and “small”.

 Such humility – the awareness of our limitations – is essential! Those who are convinced that they know everything about themselves, other persons and even religious truths, will find it hard to encounter Christ. Saul, once blinded, lost his reference points. Alone in darkness, the only clear things were the light he saw and the voice he heard. How paradoxical! Only when we are blinded, do we start to see!

 After his overpowering experience on the road to Damascus, Saul preferred to be called Paul, a name that means “small”. This was not like those nicknames or made-up names so common today. His encounter with Christ changed his life; it made him feel truly small and tore down everything preventing him from truly coming to know himself. As he tells us: “I became the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God” (1 Cor 15:9).

 Saint Therese of Lisieux, like so many other saints, loved to say that humility is truth. Nowadays we fill up our time, especially on social media, with any number of “stories”, often carefully constructed with backdrops, web cameras and special effects. More and more, we want to be in the spotlight, perfectly framed, ready to show our “friends” and “followers” an image of ourselves that does not reflect who we really are. Christ, the noonday sun, comes to enlighten us and to restore our authenticity, freeing us from all our masks. He shows us clearly who we are, for that is exactly how he loves us.

Changing perspective

 Paul’s conversion did not involve turning back, but being open to a completely new way of seeing things. He continued on his journey to Damascus, but something had changed; now he was a different person (cf. Acts 22:10). Conversion can renew our everyday lives. We continue to do what we did before, but our hearts and motives are now changed. In the case of Paul, Jesus told him to continue on to Damascus, where he had originally been going. Paul obeyed, but the goal and purpose of his journey were radically altered. From this point on, Paul will view things with new eyes, no longer as a persecutor and executioner, but as a disciple and a witness. In Damascus, Ananias will baptize him and present him to the Christian community. In silence and prayer, Paul would deepen his experience and the new identity bestowed on him by the Lord Jesus.

Do not dissipate the strength and passion of youth

 Paul’s attitude prior to his encounter with the risen Jesus is not so strange for us. How much strength and passion also well up in your own hearts, dear young people! Yet the darkness around and inside you can prevent you from seeing things rightly. You can risk finding yourselves lost in fighting meaningless and even violent battles. Sadly, the first victims will be yourselves and those closest to you. There is also the danger of fighting for causes that begin by upholding just values, but once carried to extremes, turn into destructive ideologies. How many young people today inspired, perhaps driven, by political or religious convictions, end up becoming instruments of violence and destruction in the lives of many others! Some, moving with ease in the digital world, use virtual reality and social networks as a new battlefield, unscrupulously employing the weapon of fake news to spread venom and to wipe out their adversaries.

 When the Lord broke into Paul’s life, he did not suppress his personality or passionate zeal. Instead, he brought those gifts of his to full flower by making him a great herald of the Gospel to the very ends of the earth.

The apostle of the nations

 Henceforth, Paul would be called the “apostle of the nations”. Paul, who had been a Pharisee, a scrupulous follower of the Law! Here we see yet another paradox: the Lord putting his trust in the very one who had persecuted him. Like Paul, each of us can hear a voice in our heart saying: “I trust you. I know your story and I lay hold of it, together with you.

Even if you have often been against me, I choose you and make you my witness”. God’s ways of thinking can turn the worst persecutor into a great witness.

 Christ’s disciples are called to be “the light of the world” (Mt 5:14). Paul must now testify to what he saw, but for the time being he is blind. Another paradox! Yet by virtue of his personal experience, Paul can fully identify with those to whom the Lord will send him. That was why he was made a witness: “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light” (Acts 26:18).

“Arise and bear witness!”

 When we embrace the new life bestowed on us in baptism, the Lord gives us an important and life-changing mission: “You are to be my witness!”

 Today Christ speaks to you the same words that he spoke to Paul: Arise! Do not remain downcast or caught up in yourself: a mission awaits you! You too can testify to what Jesus has begun to accomplish in your lives. In Jesus’ name, I ask you:

- Arise! Testify that you too were blind and encountered the light. You too have seen God’s goodness and beauty in yourself, in others and in the communion of the Church, where all loneliness is overcome.

- Arise! Testify to the love and respect it is possible to instil in human relationships, in the lives of our families, in the dialogue between parents and children, between the young and the elderly.

- Arise! Uphold social justice, truth and integrity, human rights. Protect the persecuted, the poor and the vulnerable, those who have no voice in society, immigrants.

- Arise! Testify to the new way of looking at things that enables you to view creation with eyes brimming with wonder, that makes you see the Earth as our common home, and gives you the courage to promote an integral ecology.

- Arise! Testify that lives of failure can be rebuilt, that persons spiritually dead can rise anew, that those in bondage can once more be free, that hearts overwhelmed by sorrow can rediscover hope.

- Arise! Testify joyfully that Christ is alive! Spread his message of love and salvation among your contemporaries, at school and in the university, at work, in the digital world, everywhere.

The Lord, the Church and the Pope trust you and appoint you to bear witness before all those other young people whom you will encounter on today’s “roads to Damascus”. Never forget that “anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love. Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Evangelii Gaudium, 120).

Arise and celebrate WYD in the particular Churches!

Once again, I invite all of you, young people throughout the world, to take part in this spiritual pilgrimage leading to the celebration of the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon. The next event, however, will take place in your particular Churches, in the different dioceses and eparchies of the world, where the 2021 World Youth Day will be celebrated locally, on the Solemnity of Christ the King.

I hope that all of us can experience these steps along the way as true pilgrims, and not merely as “religious tourists”! May we be increasingly open to God’s surprises, for he wants to light up our path. May we be more and more open to hearing his voice, also through the voices of our brothers and sisters. In this way, we will help one another to arise together and, at this troubled time in our history, we will become the prophets of a new and hope-filled future! May the Blessed Virgin Mary intercede for all of us.

Rome, Saint John Lateran, 14 September 2021,
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Franciscus

이탈리아어:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/messages/youth/documents/papa-francesco_20210914_messaggio-giovani_2021.html