This month the World Youth Day will be celebrated in Cracow. Its motto is “Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them”(Mt 5,7). The theme of mercy  is connected with the two words, charity and truth, we want to offer, this month,  for reflection continuing the comment to the words taken from the spelling of the word MISERICORDIA made by Pope Francis . As the Holy Father says , they are “two inseparable virtues of the Christian life, “speaking the truth in charity and practising charity in truth” (cf.Eph 4:15). To the point where charity without truth becomes a destructive ideology of complaisance and truth without charity becomes myopic legalism.” (Address of the Pope Francis to the Roman Curia, 21 December 2015).

These two virtues seem particularly appropriate to dialogue, create bridges with the young generations. Too often we work to transmit the truth of our faith imposing and considering whoever does not share our same faith as enemy or evil, we behave as the “dutiful son” of the parable of the prodigal son. And this happens also with the young: in them we see superficiality, indifference. This can also be the result of our negative witness, our incapability to offer our values with charity so much that they become legalism   which is not accepted by young generations.  We need to exercise in combining these two virtues charity and truth to be meaningful witness of the Merciful Father.

 Let’s pray so that we may improve in our path to become more and more similar to the merciful Lord.

Prayer for World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow

God, merciful father,

in your son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love

and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the comforter,

we entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.’

We entrust to you in a special way

young people of every language, people and nation:

guide and protect them as they walk the complex paths of the world today

and give them the grace to reap abundant fruits

from their experience of the Krakow World Youth Day.

Heavenly Father,

grant that we may bear witness to your mercy.

Teach us how to convey the faith to those in doubt,

hope to those who are discouraged,

love to those who feel indifferent,

forgiveness to those who have done wrong

and joy to those who are unhappy.

Allow the spark of merciful love that you have en-kindled within us

become a fire that can transform hearts and renew the face of the earth.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us.

St. John Paul II, pray for us.