Holy Father Pope Francis while addressing some 3000 children from the northern Italian Diocese of Brescia, encouraged the young gathering to listen to Jesus, change something within Him and adopt His dream. His Holiness Pope Francis wished that the upcoming Synod of Bishops in October on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment” be well prepared for by truly listening to young people.
As reported by Vatican radio, Holy Father Pope Francis remarked that “True listening also means openness to change, walking together and sharing dreams. This dream of Jesus the Kingdom of God which means loving God and loving one another and forming a big family of brothers and sisters with God as Father, who loves all his children and is full of joy at the return of the lost one.” Further, His Holiness added, “When Jesus says that anyone wanting to follow Him must deny himself, he does not mean despising life, desires, the body and relationships, all of which are good What he means is abandoning the ‘old man’ in us, the selfish ego that goes after one’s interest often masked behind a pleasant façade.”
His Holiness Pope Francis concluded his remarks by exhorting the young people to find out about the dreams of their own countryman from Brescia, Blessed Pope Paul VI, as a young man in his family, as a student and in the oratory.
