Day 16 Advent Reflection

Youth is a time full of hopes and dreams, stirred by the many beautiful things that enrich our lives: the splendor of God’s creation, our relationships with friends and loved ones, our encounter with art and culture, science and technology, our efforts to work for peace, justice and fraternity, and so many other things. We are living in a time, though, when for many people, including the young, hope seems absent. Sadly, many of your contemporaries who experience wars, violent conflict, bullying, and other kinds of hardship, are gripped by despair, fear, and depression. They feel as if they are in a dark prison, where the light of the sun cannot enter. A dramatic sign of this is the high rate of suicide among young people in different countries. In such situations, how can we experience the joy and hope of which Saint Paul speaks?

(~ from Pope Francis’ “A Light in the Night – Meditations on Hope.” (Jubilee 2025), ‘Life is Beautiful’)

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.