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uear frlends, l am glad Lo greeL you, whlle you are gaLhered for Lhe
!"#$%&', ln lrance Lhls year, ln order Lo renew Lhe llnks LhaL unlLe you Lo Cod,
Lo Lhe oLhers and Lo whole creaLlon.

lor your Lheme, you have chosen Lhe passage of Lhe gospel from !ohn ln
whlch Lwo dlsclples of Lhe 8apLlsL ask !esus: (&)*+#, ./+#+ 0$ 1$" 0.+2234
(!ohn 1, 38) and Lhe Lord answers Lo Lhem: 5$'+ &60 )++4 (!ohn 1, 39). ln
order Lo know !esus, one has Lo seL off. Cn Lhe way, we percelve LhaL Cod ls Lo
be meL ln several ways: Lhrough Lhe beauLy of hls creaLlon, when he lnLervenes
wlLh love ln our hlsLory, ln Lhe relaLlons of broLherhood and servlce LhaL we
have wlLh our nelghbor.

ln 8lo de !anelro, l have lndlcaLed Lhree lmporLanL sLeps Lo answer Lo
!esus' call: go , wlLhouL belng afrald , Lo serve. lf we accepL Lhe Lord's lnvlLaLlon
Lo go Lowards hlm and Lo experlence hls love LhaL fulfllls our hearLs wlLh [oy,
Lhen he wlll Lake off any fear: fear of Cod, fear of Lhe oLher, fear of faclng Lhe
challenges of llfe. And he wlll send us Lo announce hls love Lo Lhe ends of Lhe
earLh, and serve our nelghbor ln Lhe mosL remoLe perlpherles.

8uL Lhls ls posslble only lf we culLlvaLe our frlendshlp wlLh !esus, Lrylng Lo
meeL hlm more, especlally ln hls Word and ln SacramenLs. 1he SacramenLs of
8apLlsm, ConflrmaLlon and LucharlsL form a unlque savlng evenL ln whlch we
are conflgured Lo !esus ChrlsL dead and arlsen, becomlng new creaLures,
members of Lhe Church. Pow many generaLlons owe Lo Lhe scouL meLhod Lhelr


growLh on Lhe way of hollness, Lhe pracLlce of vlrLues and ln parLlcular
greaLness of soul!

?our feasL corresponds Lo Lhe cenLenary of Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe llrsL
World War. l lnvlLe you Lo pray for Lhe comlng of unlLy and peace ln Lurope and
ln Lhe world. ?ou are Lrue acLors of Lhls world, noL only specLaLors! l encourage
you noL Lo be afrald of faclng challenges ln order Lo safeguard ChrlsLlan values,
especlally Lhe defense of llfe, developmenL, Lhe dlgnlLy of each person, flghL
agalnsL poorness and so many oLher flghLs LhaL we have Lo face every day.

And when your way becomes more dlfflculL, your wlll remember LhaL you
are sons and daughLers of Lhe Church. 1he Church ls your MoLher, lL supporLs
you and relles on you! ?ou are called Lo love lL and serve lL wlLh Lhe [oy and
generoslLy of your youLh. May Lhe vlrgln Mary accompany you wlLh her
Lenderness, now and durlng your whole llfe.


lrom Lhe vaLlcan, !uly 3
rd
2014


lrancls

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