【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2013 年 07 月 29 日巴西里約熱內盧訊】 ─ 里約熱內盧世界青年日已經圓滿結束。那現在要作什麼呢？青年牧民議員Fabio Attard神父表示，他已反覆閱讀教宗方濟各的講辭，並列舉他到訪的一些重點。
我們在里約熱內盧的這些日子裡，可以看到並活出一份強烈而深厚的經歷。教宗方濟各強調了兩個優先處理事項：強化青年對耶穌的信仰，並重新喚醒那些在社會、政治、教育、道德等各方面，負責公益事業人士的良知。
強化青年的信仰
教宗方濟各在向青年講話時，首先嘗試接觸他們的心靈，溫和地詢問他們，進入他們的對話中。教宗嘗試不向他們講道，卻以簡潔的話語及姿勢、一顆開放的心靈以及真誠的人際關係吸引他們。
教宗方濟各請求青年，在心中聆聽耶穌的聲音。他邀請每人進入心靈的聖殿，在靜謐中聆聽耶穌基督的信息。教宗不怕請求青年這樣做。他所請求他們所做的，正是青年感受到教宗自己在做著的。教宗請求青年做他所做的，以他作為一位信者及牧者。
最後，教宗召叫青年創造「難題」──這大概並非政治上的恰當用詞，卻是十分合適！教宗告訴他們切勿接受視人為可扔掉的物件的文化，例如安樂死。他召叫他們有所行動，向福音的信息說「是」，無須害怕並昂起頭來。作為門徒，絕非過封閉的生活。透過這個方法，才能克勝殭化的模式，把信仰適應環境並作為私人的事，缺乏生氣。在Copacabana舉行的結束彌撒中，他告訴青年說：「不要害怕，去服務吧。」
重新喚醒良知
我們應該靜心仔細研究教宗講話的其中兩篇：向巴西領袖的講話，以及他稱為與國內主教的非官式談話。後一篇猶如一幅航海地圖，充滿來自阿帕雷西達文件的反思及方案。
雖然這兩篇講話的聽眾背景不同，然而教宗的信息頗為相似。教宗方濟各請求他們，發掘服務他人的真實召叫。他邀請各領袖，接受以尊重人類及生命為基礎的道德視野所指引，尊重人的權益及他們合理的期望過更有尊嚴的生活方式。他召叫主教們，發掘真正服務的聖召，以恆久的態度作牧職上的皈依，來更新他們的心靈。他召叫他們皈依，改變那些受破壞的；使冷漠死板的教會成為滋養人們並也使自己受到滋養的教會；使封閉的教會成為一個家；使冷酷無情的教會，成為與受苦者同行，聆聽他們哭訴，並為他們服務的教會。
一則個人反省：我們從教宗方濟各身上，不會聽到有關信仰的話語，卻看到信仰耶穌的美善。我們看到他的善行，對人民的親切態度，以及他的希望。這些行為和舉止，就是恆久觸動人心的講道辭。教宗在里約熱內盧的牧職，是行為的牧職，並變成向大家說出來的話語。他的行動和舉止引領我們作出反省。這些行動和舉止甚至會令我們身處危機中！
教宗方濟各的言詞是見證的言詞。他的信息是簡單而發自內心的姿態，令人信服。在他內沒有形式化或人工做作的東西。青年觀察敏銳，迅速窺察面容表情，空洞的言詞也會無所遁形。他們從教宗方濟各身上，看到發自內心的愛德、完全自由及徹底自我交付的展現。當教宗在台上向青年致候時，身旁數以百萬計的人們像消失了一會，他只看到一個站在他前面的人，並受到他聆聽及接納。他的全部注意力、他溫暖的笑容、他的祝福以至一言一語，在這一刻，都只是為那人而作的。
教宗方濟各的神學是每日生活的神學
從日常生活中引用的例子，以小劑量隱藏他教育的智慧。他能迅速而直接地傳送強而有力的信息，並使之恆久留存。聽過教宗講話的青年，都留下了對教宗這樣的的形象，就是一位願意與他們分享他所有一切的朝聖同行者和朋友。他們不但立時理解他的講話，並且被他所說的話所打動。他們絲毫感受不到一點傲慢與權威。他們的個人空間沒有受到侵擾。相反，他們願意教宗留在他們中。
教宗方濟各繼承真福教宗若望保祿二世及教宗本篤的道路
里約熱內盧的經歷，包含了所有生命與福傳使命的元素：被天主召叫（默想，與耶穌同在）以及履行使命（福傳訓令）。參與世界青年節的青年，以及其他的人，都受到激發，向天主對他們每人的召叫，以及祂對每人的生活計劃，誠實地敞開心扉。他們目前的生命及他們的將來，均繫於此。這計劃在與耶穌神妙關係的寂靜中得以展露及成熟。這計劃及這生活的方式沒有什麼可羞恥的，也沒有什麼可驚怕的，因為這是服務他人的一條途徑。這就是耶穌施予他們的一份愛，並在分享中倍增起來。
有趣的是，教宗方濟各在里約熱內盧世界青年日的講話中，經常出現的詞語就是教會、青年、愛、生命、今天及世界。這些詞語結合一起，就成為世界青年節經歷的整合：教會透過青年，向今天的世界展現生命的真正意義──基督的愛！
Pope Francis: the power and beauty of evangelical witness
(ANS - Brazil –Rio de Janeiro, 29 July 2013) – World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro has ended. What now? Fr Fabio Attard, Councillor for Youth Ministry, has re-read the talks given by Pope Francis and highlights some aspects of his visit.
These days in Rio we have seen and lived a powerful and profound experience. Pope Francis has emphasized two priorities: to strengthen the faith of young people in the person of Jesus, and to reawaken the consciences of those who bear responsibility for the common good in its various forms, social, political, educational and ethical.
Strengthen the Faith of Young People
In all his talks to the young, Pope Francis tried first of all totouch their hearts, asking them gently to enter into dialogue. The Pope tried not to preach to young people, but to engage them with simple words and gestures, with an open heart, and in a genuinely human relationship.
Pope Francis asked young people to listen to the voice of Jesus in their hearts. He invited them to enter into the sanctuary of their heart and listen to the silence that carries the message of Jesus. The Pope was not afraid to ask young people to take this step. What he asked of them was what the young people felt the Pope himself was doing. The Pope asked young people to do what he does as a believer and pastor.
Finally, the Pope called on the young people to create a ‘mess’ - perhaps not a politically correct word, but a very appropriate one! He told them not to accept the culture that sees people as disposable, as in euthanasia. He called on them to be active, to say ‘yes’ to the message of the gospel, without fear and with heads held high. Being disciples is not a call to a closed life. It is a way to overcome rigid models that adapt and privatize the faith. At the concluding Mass at Copacabana he told them, “Go out, without fear, to serve.”
Reawaken Conscience
We should study calmly and carefully two of the Pope’s talks: the one given to the leaders of Brazil and, what he called, the informal talk to the country’s Bishops. The latter has a navigation map, rich in reflections and proposals drawn from the document ofAperecida.
Although the audiences were quite different, the message of the Pope in these two speeches was very similar. Pope Francis asked them to discover the real call to service. He invited the leaders to allow themselves to be guided by an ethical vision based on respect for the human person and for life, for the rights of the person and their legitimate expectations for a more dignified way of life. He called on the Bishops to discover their true vocation of service, to renew their hearts in a permanent attitude of pastoral conversion. He called for a conversion that changes what is broken; conversion from a cold rigid Church to a Church that nourishes and allows itself to be nourished; froma closed Church to one that is a home; from an indifferent Church to one that can walk with people who are suffering, that hears their cry and comes to serve them.
A personal reflection: from Pope Francis we did not hear words about the faith, but we saw the beauty of faith in Jesus. We saw it in his acts of charity, his closeness to people, his hope. These actions and gestures were constant homilies that touched the hearts of all. The Pope’s ministry at Rio was a ministry of deeds that became words that spoke to all, and we all understood very well. His deeds and gestures made us reflect. They may even have left us in crisis!
The language of Pope Francis is that of witness.His message is a simple authentic gesture which is very convincing. There is nothing formal or artificial about him. Young people are keen observers, quick to take note facial expressions and to recognise when words are empty. In Pope Francis they saw an expression of profound charity, of total freedom and complete self-giving. When he greeted the young people on the stage, the millions that were out there disappeared for an instant. He saw only the person in front of him who felt listened to and welcomed. All his attention, his warm smile, his blessing, and even the words he spoke, were, at that instant, for that person alone.
Pope Francis’s Theology is that of Everyday Life
The examples drawn from everyday life hide, in small doses, his pedagogical wisdom. He is able to convey a powerful message in a way that is immediate, direct and lasting. Young people who have heard Pope Francis are left with an image of a fellow pilgrim and a friend who shares all that he is with them. Not only do they understand immediately, but they are struck by what he says. They sense no trace of arrogance or power. Their individual personal space has not been invaded. On the contrary, they want him to stay there with them.
Pope Francis is continuing the way of Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict
The Rio experience has all the ingredients of life and evangelical mission: called by God(contemplation, being with Jesus) and mission (the missionary mandate). The young people who took part in WYD, and not only the young people, were challenged to be honestly open to the call that God has for each and every one of them, and his plan for their lives. Their present life and their future depend on this. This plan is discovered and matures in the silence of the mystical relationship with Jesus. There is nothing to be ashamed of in this plan and this way of life, and nothing to be afraid of, because it is a way of service. It is Jesus’ offer to them of a love that is multiplied in sharing.
It is interesting to note that in all Pope Francis’ talks at WYD in Rio de Janeiro, the words that occur most frequently are Church, young people, love, life, today, and world. These words, taken together, are a synthesis of the WYD experience: the Church, through young people, shows the world of today the true meaning of life – the love of Christ!