Francis put aside the speech he had prepared for the young East Timor and held a long conversation with them about family and love for the homeland. He also insisted on two pieces of advice: make noise and respect the elderly. The Pope concludes his three-day visit to East Timor. He urges young people to be responsible and free protagonists of the future of their nation.
Vatican News
The meeting with young people brought the Pope’s visit to East Timor to a close. The Dili Convention Centre welcomed some three thousand young people inside and outside the structure, to whom Francis once again expressed his amazement at getting to know a country where more than half of the population is under 30 years old, and where a smile is on their faces.
Previous generations have made sacrifices to consolidate the country and now it is up to this new generation to continue the work. “You are the heirs of those who preceded you in the founding of this nation. So do not lose their memory.” To do this, said the Pontiff, enthusiasm is needed, dreaming big, as indicated in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christus vivit. In fact, this document was cited in the testimony of one of the young people, and from it Francis explored three concepts: freedom, commitment and fraternity.
The Pope with young Timorese
Freedom means choosing to respect others
Being free does not mean doing what you want, but acting responsibly. “Don’t lose the enthusiasm of your faith. And beware of addictions, because the so-called ‘happiness sellers’ come along. They sell drugs, so many things that give you happiness for half an hour, nothing more.” He recalled a saying in the Tetum language of East Timor: “ukun rasik-an,” which means “everyone is capable of governing themselves.”
The Pope said that young people should remember the true meaning and purpose of freedom. “Being free does not mean doing what we want,” he said, noting that freedom means respecting others and caring for our common home. A young person who is not able to govern himself, who is not able to live the “ukun rasik-an,” is a dependent child, a slave. Being a slave to his own desire, believing himself to be omnipotent, arrogant.
Young Timorese at the Dili Convention Centre
Commitment: being a young worker with responsibilities
A young person can be committed, hard-working, and love simplicity. The Pope defined the profile of a committed young person, one who works and has responsibilities. A young person who loves the company of brothers and sisters, who loves his country.
Brotherhood: respecting each other despite differences
Finally, speaking of fraternity, the Pope said that differences are useful for learning to respect one another. Yes to differences, no to hatred! And the Pope concluded with two pieces of advice that he repeated countless times: make noise and respect the elderly.
Francis did not seem to want to leave East Timor. He thanked them for their welcome and said: “I will never forget your smiles. Do not stop smiling.” Pope Francis concluded his meeting with the young people of East Timor by urging them to remember the example given by Jesus in forgiveness and reconciliation.
Francisco’s last appointment in Dili
A society has two treasures: the young and the old.
Regarding commitment, the Pontiff also spoke of the two greatest treasures of a society: children and the elderly.
“Children and the elderly,” said the Pope. “A society that has as many children as you have must take care of them. And a society that has so many elderly people, who are our memory, must respect and take care of them.” Young people must dream big things; those who do not dream have already “retired” from life.
