Happiness is not an ‘app’ that can be downloaded, while freedom and our true value can never be bought, Pope Francis has reminded thousands of teenagers.
In a homily to a crowd of about 100,000 people gathered for a special Year of Mercy event for youths aged 13 to 16, the Pope urged the assembled teens against being content with mediocrity and “simply going with the flow”.
Treasure
“Don’t believe those who would distract you from the real treasure, which you are, by telling you that life is beautiful only if you have many possessions,” he said, calling on them to be sceptical towards those who would encourage them to emulate characters from films or to judge their worth by whether or not they wear the latest fashions.
“Your happiness has no price,” he said, “It cannot be bought: it is not an app that you can download on your phones nor will the latest update bring you freedom and grandeur in love. True freedom is something else altogether.”
Love, he said, is “a free gift which calls for an open heart” as well as a noble life-long responsibility that is also “a daily task for those who can achieve great dreams”. Emphasising that love is nurtured by trust, respect and forgiveness, he described it not as something to talk about and memorise but as “a life choice to put into practice”.
The Pontiff caught many off guard when he visited the square before Mass, joining more than 150 priests in hearing Confessions.