Pope's Intentions:
Universal: That the Church and society may respect the wisdom and experience of older people.
For Evangelization: That priests, religious, and lay people may work together with generosity for evangelization.
Tuesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Address of 02/04/1987 to the young people of Chili
"Arise"
My dear young people, it is Christ alone who can give you the true answer to all your problems! The world needs your personal response to the master's words of life: “I say to you, Arise!” We see how Jesus comes to meet humanity in the most difficult and painful of situations. The miracle he accomplished in Jairus' house shows us his power over evil. He is the Lord of life, victor over death... Seek Christ! Look towards Christ! Live in Christ! This is my message: “May Jesus be the keystone (Eph 2,20) of your lives and of the new civilization you are to build in a spirit of generous solidarity and sharing. There can be no authentic human growth in peace and justice, in truth and freedom, without the presence of Christ and his saving strength.”
What does it mean to build your lives on Christ? It means allowing yourselves to be captured by his love. A love that requires coherence in your behavior, that demands you conform your actions to the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ and his Church, a love that fills our lives with happiness and a peace the world cannot give (Jn 14,27) though it needs it so much. Don't be afraid of the demands of Christ's love. To the contrary, fear cowardliness, superficiality, self-interestedness, egoism, everything that seeks to silence the voice of Christ who, adressing each one of us, says: “I say to you, Arise!”
Look to Christ with courage, contemplating his life by means of a calm reading of the Gospel, trustfully conversing with him in the intimacy of prayer, in the sacraments and especially the holy eucharist... if you hold converse with Christ then you too will hear in the depths of your soul the Lord's demands and his constant encouragement. Jesus continues to speak to you and say over again: “I say to you, Arise!”