Pope Francis Urges Young People To Overcome Generational Gap

August 18, 2022234 views0

Pope Francis Urges Young People To Overcome Generational Gap

2022-08-18T11:29:50+01:00

By Church News

Pope Francis dedicated his general audience talk to the urgent need for young and old to come together so older people can share their faith and wisdom about the world.“Let’s think about dialogue, about the alliance between old and young,” he said, as well as make sure this bond is not broken. “May the elderly have the joy of speaking, of expressing themselves with young people and may young people seek out the elderly to receive the wisdom of life from them.”It was an appeal one small boy in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall seemed to take to heart, walking past the guards and straight up to the pope to stand transfixed by his side during the final greetings at the audience’s end.The pope affectionately rubbed the boy’s close-cropped hair and reassured him he was welcome to stay.“During the audience, we talked about dialogue between old and young, right? And this one, he has been brave and he’s at ease,” he added.The pope continued his series of talks on old age and reflected on how reaching a ripe old age is a reassurance of eternal life in heaven.In fact, “the image of a God, who is watching over everything with snow-white hair, is not a silly symbol, it is a biblical image, it is a noble image, even a tender image,” the pope said. To depict God the Father as venerable in age and authority “expresses God’s transcendence, his eternity and his constant care for this world and its history,” Pope Francis said.The vocation for every older man and woman, the pope said, is to bear witness to the faith and the wisdom acquired over the years.“The witness of the elderly is credible to children. Young people and adults are not capable of bearing witness in such an authentic, tender, poignant way, as elderly people can,” the pope said.He said it is also very compelling when the elderly bless life as it comes their way and shows no resentment or bitterness as time marches on and death nears.“The witness of the elderly unites the generations of life, the same with the dimensions of time: past, present and future, for they are not only the memory, but they are also the present as well as the promise,” he continued.ALSO READ Premier League Footballer Sends Donation To Help Rebuild Giza Church