From the Secretariat of Formation we would like to greet all of you our student friars. You, our dear brothers, are the future of our Order and your witness and promising lives will add meaning to this world. Whenever we pay a visit to you in the name of our General Minister Br. Mauro and his Definitory, our hope and enthusiasm are renewed. Here is a message for you from our Holy Father Francis which he delivered to the youth gathered for the sacrament of Confirmation at St. Peter’s Square on the 28th April 2013.
It is an invitation which I make to you, young confirmandi, and to all present. 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! There are no difficulties, trials or misunderstandings to fear, provided we remain united to God as branches to the vine, provided we do not lose our friendship with him, provided we make ever more room for him in our lives. This is especially so whenever we feel poor, weak and sinful, because God grants strength to our weakness, riches to our poverty, conversion and forgiveness to our sinfulness. The Lord is so rich in mercy: every time, if we go to him, he forgives us. Let us trust in God’s work! 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 the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals, my dear young people!
The new things of God, the trials of life, remaining steadfast in the Lord. Dear friends, let us open wide the door of our lives to the new things of God which the Holy Spirit gives us. May he transform us, confirm us in our trials, strengthen our union with the Lord, our steadfastness in him: this is a true joy! So may it be!
This can be an inspiring message for all of you, our younger brothers. You have the potential to bring new fresh air into our Capuchin Brotherhood through your creative and meaningful living. While getting to know our Franciscan roots, as our Pope invites us to do, open wide the doors of your hearts and be attentive to the new things that God wants us to do through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let our Father Francis come alive through your new contributions. For now you will have to do the homework of healing your past negative memories and strengthening your inner being with spiritual strength that Christ gives you. Our Father St. Francis had an answer due to his continued search and preparation, and you are invited to do your part. Along with your formators we are with you to accompany you. All the best brothers!
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