Pope to Young People: There is Still Time to Dream, Plan, and Do Good

Vatican, Dec 2, 2025: Meeting young people in Lebanon, Pope Leo urged them not to fall into despair, but instead to build friendships founded on genuine love and to hold on to the enthusiasm needed “to change the course of history.”

In his address, the Pope began by greeting everyone with the “greeting of the Risen Jesus”, “assalamu alaikum” or peace be with you.

Their shared enthusiasm, the Pope underlined, “expresses God’s loving closeness, which brings us together as brothers and sisters to share our faith in him and our communion with one another.” He specifically welcomed the young people from Syria and Iraq, along with all Lebanese who have returned after living abroad.

There is Still Time

Reflecting on the testimonies of Anthony, Maria, Elie, and Joelle—heard before his speech—the Holy Father said their stories showed “courage in the midst of suffering, hope in the face of disappointment, and inner peace during times of war.”

Lebanon’s history contains both proud and painful experiences. In this context, Pope Leo urged the young people not to give up hope. “Perhaps you regret inheriting a world torn apart by wars and disfigured by social injustice. Yet, there is hope within you—a gift that we adults seem to have lost,” he said. "There is still time to plan, dream, and do good".

He reminded them that they are both the present and the future, and that they are the ones able to alter the course of history. Evil, he stressed, is not overcome by evil; the true response is love. The four testimonies, he added, “are prophecies of a new future that will be ushered in through reconciliation and mutual help.”

Christ as a Foundation for Peace

Pope Leo affirmed that Lebanon—the young people’s homeland—will bloom again. Pointing to the cedar tree, the national symbol, he said its strength lies in its roots, just as the strength of Lebanon’s people lies in their own. He encouraged them to “draw from the good roots of those dedicated to serving society without using it for their own interests.”

He called them to become the hope that Lebanon needs. The questions posed by the two young people, he noted, help indicate the direction ahead. The first question concerned finding a stable foundation to remain committed to peace—a foundation which, the Pope stressed, cannot be an idea, contract, or moral principle. The risen Christ must be that foundation.

He added that peace can only be genuine if it is free from partisan motives. It is also true that “forgiveness leads to justice, which is the foundation of peace.”

True Friendship Does Not Have a Time Limit

The second question addressed relationships grounded in true love. The Holy Father explained that personal interests must never be allowed to overshadow trust and care for others. He cautioned that “if our ego is at the center of a friendship or loving relationship, it cannot bear fruit.”

True love, he said, is not fleeting and cannot have an expiration. Genuine friendship means placing “you” before “I”. “This respectful and welcoming way of looking at others”, he said, “makes it possible for us to build a greater ‘we’, open to society as a whole and to all of humanity.”

Solid friendships are built on mutual trust and the “forever” that lies at the core of every vocation to family and religious life.

Not to be Discouraged

Love, he reminded them, is the fullest expression of God’s presence in the world. Charity is a universal language “because it speaks to every heart.” Charity is not merely a concept, he added; it is a narrative reflected in the lives of Jesus and the saints—who continue to accompany people amid life’s challenges.

He invited them to think of the many young people—like those gathered—who refuse to be discouraged by injustice or poor examples, even within the Church, and who instead are creating new paths as they seek Heaven and its justice.

The Holy Father also recalled the examples of Saints Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, as well as Lebanese saints such as St. Rafqa, Blessed Yakub El-Haddad, and St. Charbel.

In a world crowded with distractions, the Pope encouraged the young to “take time each day to close your eyes and look only at God.” Though God may seem silent, he said, God speaks to those who seek Him in quiet.

In closing, he pointed out the beauty of young people carrying a rosary. He urged them to keep the St. Francis of Assisi prayer for peace (“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”) close to their hearts and minds, so that Christian enthusiasm may remain alive within them.

Courtesy: Vatican News