This Sunday, on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Pope Francis offered three keys for young people to face the challenges and difficulties of life with hope and courage.
The meeting included the annual diocesan celebration of World Youth Day and featured the handover of the pilgrim symbols (the WYD Cross, and the icon of Mary, known as Salus Populi Romani ) from the Portuguese youth to their Korean counterparts, who will host WYD in Seoul in 2027.
In his homily , the Holy Father invited the new generations to take into account three key aspects: to overcome accusations, not to seek empty consensus and always remain in the truth.
1. Do not be afraid of the accusations and condemnations of the world
Pope Francis began his reflection by recalling Jesus’ trial before Pilate, “who interrogates him as a representative of the Roman Empire.” Christ, the Holy Father explained, faced the accusations with firmness and serenity, remaining faithful to the truth “that he had announced, even to the point of sacrificing his own life.”
Addressing young people directly, Francis said that “perhaps you too may sometimes be put ‘under accusation’ for following Jesus.” In environments such as school or work, there may be those who try to discourage you or “make you feel like failures because you remain faithful to the Gospel and its values.” In the face of these situations, the Pope encouraged: “Do not be afraid of the ‘condemnations’ of the world. Keep loving!”
The Holy Father said that although false criticism and accusations can be painful, over time “they fall away, and the superficial values that sustain them are revealed for what they are: illusions.” What truly remains, he insisted, “are the works of love. This is what remains and what beautifies life.”
2. Free yourself from the desire for consensus
Pope Francis highlighted how Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36), making it clear that his mission did not seek political support or superficial recognition. “Jesus rejects all logic of power. He is free from all this!” the Pontiff stressed, and invited young people to follow his example and not succumb to “the desire — so widespread today — to obtain recognition, approval and praise.”
The Pope was blunt in pointing out the risks of seeking empty consensus: “Those who allow themselves to be carried away by these fixations end up living in anguish.” Instead, he encouraged them not to be content with being “stars for a day,” whether on social media or in any public sphere.
“The heaven in which you are called to shine is greater: it is the heaven of God, where the infinite love of the Father is reflected in our countless little lights: in the faithful affection of spouses, in the innocent joy of children, in the enthusiasm of young people, in the care of the elderly, in the generosity of consecrated persons, in charity towards the poor, in honesty in work,” he explained.
Francis also warned against false promises: “Do not be fooled by those who, by enticing you with empty promises, actually want to manipulate you.” For the Holy Father, what saves and gives meaning to life is not consensus, but “the gratuitousness of love.”
3. Bear witness to the truth
The Pope concluded his message with a clear invitation: to bear witness to the truth in love. “Christ came into the world ‘to bear witness to the truth’ (Jn 18:37), and he did so by teaching us to love God and our brothers and sisters,” he recalled. According to Francis, it is in love that “our existence finds light and meaning.”
In the words of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, he recalled that “we no longer live, but rather ‘get by’” when we do not have a mission of truth and love in life. Instead, Christian witness, rooted in the sacrifice of Christ, teaches us that “only in love can we also live, grow and flourish in our full dignity.”
The Pope said that, although the world may seem overwhelmed by evil, “it is not true that the events of the world have ‘gone out of God’s hands.” Christ, King of the Universe, accompanies us and “corrects us when we fall, never stops loving us and, if we allow him, never stops lifting us up.”
A message of hope
The Pope concluded by recalling the motto of this World Youth Day: “Those who hope in the Lord will journey without tiring” (cf. Is 40:31), and he invited young people to keep their gaze fixed on Jesus and the Virgin Mary. “Even in difficulties, we will find the strength to move forward, without fearing accusations, without the need for consensus, happy to be witnesses of the truth, in love.”