Pope Francis
Message for the Jubilee of Mercy
“Merciful Like the Father”
Dear Young Friends,
The Church is celebrating the Holy Year of Mercy, a time of grace, peace, conversion and joy. It
is meant for everyone: people of every age, from far and near. There are no walls or distances which can prevent the Father’s mercy from reaching and embracing us. The Holy Door is now open in Rome and in allthe dioceses of the world.
This grace-filled moment also concerns you, dear young people. I encourage you to take an active
part in this celebration and to realize that each of you is a child of God (cf. 1 Jn 3:1). I would like to
invite you, one by one, calling you by name, as Jesus does each day. For you know that your names arewritten in heaven (Lk 10:20), in the heart of the Father, that Merciful Heart which is the source of allreconciliation and kindness.
The Jubilee is a year-long celebration, in which every moment becomes a chance for us to grow in
holiness. It is a time when we can discover that life together as brothers and sisters is like a great party, perhaps the most beautiful party we can imagine, the endless party that Jesus has taught us to celebrate by his Spirit. The Jubilee is the party to which Jesus invites us all, without excluding anyone. That is why I also wanted to have some days of prayer and celebration with you. I am looking forward to seeing many of you in April.
“Merciful like the Father”. This is the theme of the Jubilee, but it is also the prayer we make for
all of you as we welcome you in the name of Jesus. To be merciful means to grow in a love which is
courageous, generous and real. It means to grow physically and spiritually. You are preparing to be
Christians capable of making courageous choices and decisions, in order to build daily, even through little things, a world of peace.
Yours is a time of life which is full of amazing changes. Everything seems possible and impossible
all at once. I repeat what I said to some of your friends: “Remain steadfast in the journey of faith, with firm hope in the Lord. This is the secret of our journey! He gives us the courage to swim against the tide.
Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need
courage to swim against the tide. Jesus gives us this courage! … With him we can do great things; he will give us the joy of being his disciples, his witnesses. Commit yourselves to great ideals, to the most important things. We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for little things; push onwards toward thehighest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals.”
Here I cannot forget those of you who are living in situations of war, extreme poverty, daily
troubles and loneliness. Don’t ever lose hope! The Lord has a great dream which, with your help, he wants o come true! Your friends, young people your age living in less trying conditions than your own, have not forgotten you; they are working for peace and justice for everyone everywhere. Don’t be taken in by the messages of hatred or terror all around us. Instead, make new friends. Give of your time and always show concern for those who ask your help. Be brave and go against the tide; be friends of Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace (cf. Is 9:6). Everything in him speaks of mercy. Nothing in him is devoid of compassion.
I realize that not all of you can come to Rome, but the Jubilee is truly for everyone and it is also
being celebrated in your local Churches. You are all invited to this moment of joy. Don’t just prepare your rucksacks and your banners, but your hearts and your minds as well. Think carefully about the hope and desires you will hand over to Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in the Eucharist which we will celebrate together. As you walk through the Holy Door, remember that you are committing yourselves to grow in holiness and to draw nourishment from the Gospel and the Eucharist, the Word and the Bread of life, in order to help build a more just and fraternal world.
May the Lord bless your journey towards the Holy Door. I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide
your steps and enlighten you. For you and your families, and for all who help you to grow in goodness and in grace, may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of us all, be true Door of Mercy.
FRANCIS
(From the Vatican, 6 January 2016, Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord)
