The Evangelical Pope | Brimming with Hope

Each week we let Saint Pope John Paul II share meaningful signposts to spark socio-economic resolves through justice and righteousness combined with mercy and compassion; in short, love.

               ⁶ Start children on the right path; they will not turn from it even when old.

               __ Proverbs 22:6 (New International Version)

San José de Costa Rica – 3 March 1983 | The young person who succumbs to selfishness limits his potential, diminishes his moral strength, wastes his youth, and stunts his personal growth.

Conversely, the authentic individual, far from being self-absorbed, is open to others; their growth, maturity, and development are directly proportional to their service and generous self-giving.

Behind selfishness appears the philosophy of pleasure. How many young people, unfortunately, are carried away by the current of hedonism, presented as a supreme value? This leads them to sexual debauchery, alcoholism, drugs, and other vices that destroy their ardent strength and weaken their ability to face the reforms that are essential in society.

The natural consequence of selfishness and absolutized pleasure is hopelessness, which leads to the philosophy of nothingness.

The authentic young person believes in life and brims with hope. He is convinced that God calls him to fully realize himself, up to the stature of the perfect man and the maturity of plentifulness (Ephesians 4: 13).

Excerpted from:

VIAJE APOSTÓLICO A AMÉRICA CENTRAL

DISCURSO DEL SANTO PADRE JUAN PABLO II A LOS JÓVENES, San José de Costa Rica, Jueves 3 de marzo de 1983

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/es/speeches/1983/march/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19830303_giovani.html