The one where I stop getting robbed...

I am getting really excited for Pope Francis's first World Youth Day Message coming in July. The theme of these messages often chart the course for youth ministry programs around the world. To get an idea of what the tone of the message might be, I searched for other addresses that he has given to young people as Pontiff. I stumbled upon an address he gave to a group of students from Jesuit schools in Italy and Albania (see his Audience 7 June 2013).

His message to the young people was delivered in his usual simplicity but his ending comment really struck me. He wrote: "I would like to say one thing to all you young people: do not let yourselves be robbed of hope! Please, do not let yourselves be robbed of it!" It's more than advice, he is pleading with them not to allow this to happen.

Now I don't know if I still count as a "young person"… but I feel like I do. And the Pope pleading for me not to be robbed of hope was pretty powerful. It was powerful in that it helped me to realize that I am CONSTANTLY letting things rob me of my hope.

Each time I turn on the news and see that another bishop, another priest, another leader of my faith community let us down by covering up an indiscretion… I let them rob me of hope.

Each time I open my Facebook page to see people who claim to love me saying horribly mean things about anyone "who could possibly believe" what I do… I let them rob me of hope.

Each time I hear many of my friends and my politicians advocate that my religious freedom be taken away… I let them rob me of hope.

It seems that everywhere I look I see that powerful forces are making the oppressed more oppressed, the poor poorer, the sick sicker, and the hungry hungrier… and I let them rob me of hope EVERY TIME.

The Gospel reading a few weeks ago was "Pick up your cross and follow me." When I was reflecting on it I struggled to articulate a specific cross that following Christ had required me to carry that was REALLY a cross (I may not love my salary, but it is just and I can more than live on it). But now I understand…

I know the truth. I've seen glimpses of the Kingdom. I know how all of this ends… and this knowledge is an INCREDIBLE SOURCE OF HOPE. My cross is that I have to choose to live with this hope and have it constantly under attack or give it up. And I can't give it up, God has written it to deeply on my heart.

So if I won't give it up, I'm not going to let others rob me of it either. I have more than enough to go around if anyone would like me to share and I give it freely because it was freely given to me, but I will no longer let it be taken.

Thanks Pope Francis, I will be watching in Rio (via TV, #ilovethefuture).

Living it.