The Pope urges young people not to be afraid to ‘dream big’

It was under a beautiful Roman spring sun and before a large and enthusiastic crowd who had come to listen to his catechesis that Pope Francis presided over his traditional weekly general audience. On Wednesday (24 April 2013), the Pope began his catechesis by returning to the Creed, in which the faithful profess that

‘Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.’ The meaning of human existence is summed up in this sentence: the creation of man and woman in the image of God and Christ’s eternal judgement. An event to which Jesus regularly returned during his earthly life. Francis therefore focused on three passages from the Gospel of Matthew: the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents and the parable of the Last Judgement.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins.

The parable of the virgins awaiting the bridegroom refers to the time between Jesus’ first and second coming. These two points mark the beginning and end of the present age, which we live through whilst awaiting the Lord’s welcome. Whilst ten virgins had prepared oil to keep their lamps burning, others, less far-sighted, saw theirs go out. With mercy and patience, the Lord grants us this time of waiting before his return so that we may keep alight the lamps of faith, hope and charity, and keep our hearts open to goodness, beauty and truth. He therefore urges us to be ever ready for his coming—of which we know neither the day nor the hour—by learning to recognise the signs of his presence amongst us, and to keep our faith alive through prayer and the sacraments.

The Parable of the Talents: an opportunity to invite young people to ‘dream big’.

It is certainly one of the best-known parables. Jesus describes our life on earth as a test: the duration of the master’s journey. Before setting off, the master entrusts the talents, in unequal measure, adapting to each person’s circumstances. In the end, He will call them to account. It depicts a master who rewards deserving servants and punishes another for his laziness. The Parable of the Talents prompts us to reflect on how we use the gifts we receive from God. The time spent awaiting the Lord’s return is a time for putting these gifts to good use for God, for the Church and for others. This parable takes on its full meaning in this time of crisis, when solidarity is becoming a necessity, as the Pope reminds us. Pope Francis once again addressed young people, challenging them. “Do not bury your talents! Invest in ideals of service to others! Life is not given to us to be jealously guarded, but so that we may give it away! Do not be afraid to dream big.”

The parable of the Last Judgement.

The parable of the Last Judgement describes the Second Coming of the Lord, using the image of the shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats – those who have helped their neighbours from those who have not. We shall therefore be judged on our love for God and on our care for and service to our neighbours. Thinking about the Last Judgement, Pope Francis emphasised, should spur us on to live our daily lives more fully, learning each day to recognise God’s presence in the poor and the lowly, working for the common good, and remaining vigilant in prayer and in love.