JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass on the Mount of the Beatitudes on March 24, with an estimated 100,000 young people in attendance.
The outdoor location for the Mass, on the hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee, was soaked by rain on the previous day. Nevertheless, thousands of young people gathered there, beginning on the night before the celebration, bringing plastic sheets and cardboard boxes to protect themselves from the mud. The Fides news service observed that the enormous crowd-- possibly the largest in Israel's history-- was «a sort of dress rehearsal for the next World Youth Day in August in Rome.»
Most of the congregation came from Israel and the Palestinian territories, although thousands also came from nearby countries such as Lebanon and Syria. There were also groups arriving on pilgrimages from Europe (an estimated 17,000 from Italy, 9,000 from Spain) and even American (10,000) and Asian (1,000) countries.
Dozens of lay groups were in evidence, among them Communion and Liberation, Opus Dei, and Fololare. But the largest single presence was that of the Neo-Catechumenate Way, which is building a large new seminary and study center nearby in the hills of Galilee. As he arrived at the Mount of the Beatitudes, approaching from the nearby town of Korazim where his helicopter had landed, Pope John Paul stopped briefly to see the construction site of the study center, which is known as Domus Galilaeae. Kiko Arguello, the founder of the Neo-Catechumenate Way, led in the singing for the young people, playing his guitar, and joined by a variety of other performers on different instruments.
«It is marvelous to see you here today,» the Pope told the young crowd before the Mass. He too compared the occasion to the coming World Youth Day.
In his homily, the Pontiff said that the Sermon on the Mount constitutes a challenge from Christ, prodding the believer toward «a great conversion of the heart.» He continued, speaking with emphasis: «You young people, you know why this change of heart is necessary.» He observed that the young people would understand how the voice of conscience conflicts with the message of a materialistic society.
Unlike those who suggest that happiness can be gained by self-gratification, the Pope explained, «Jesus offers a very different message» in the Sermon on the Mount. «And moreover, he was not content to proclaim the beatitudes. He lived them.»
«Which voice will the young people of the 21st century follow?» the Pope asked. It is not easy to follow the example of Christ, he conceded, but he urged his young listeners: «It is up to you, today, to be courageous apostles of the kingdom.»
Catholic World News Service - Vatican Update