Cardinal encourages young people to break the molds of secularism

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jun 13, 2007 / 07:01 am

In an improvised speech to young people at the recent 18th Youth March in Buenos Aires, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio encouraged young people to live in the love and freedom that comes from Jesus, “who makes you free. Break the molds and you will find freedom!”

The cardinal reminded the young people that by participation in the march they were proclaiming that “Jesus who is Love awaits us to give us more of his love,” and that “following this path is worth it.”

Emphasizing that following Christ means “breaking the molds,” Cardinal Bergoglio praised the young people who chose to rise early for the march rather than sleeping in.  “While some people were trying to figure out how to get more money, more power or more influence, you were saying love is service and that the only thing in life that is worth it is living for others.”

“What you were shouting out with your lives is that one who does not live to serve is of no service.  We are tired of people whose lives are of no service to others.  We want to live to serve!” he exclaimed.

Cardinal Bergoglio encouraged young people to break with the mentality of the world that seeks to sell them the easy way out of everything and to do what feels good.  “No.  I want to follow love,” the cardinal told them.  “And love is service.  And love is not taking the easy way.  Love is difficult.  You know it, young people, that love is difficult.”