date: 06.08.2020.
On the fifth day of the 31st Youth Festival, Holy Mass was celebrated by Cardinal of Vrhbosna, Archbishop Vinko Puljić. At the beginning of Holy Mass, he invited all the faithful to “pray for the Holy Father who embraced you all with his fatherly love, his greeting he sent.”
The movie of Cenacolo community “I tell you, arise!” was shown before the Rosary. Concelebrating at the Holy Mass were Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto, the Apostolic Visitor for parish of Medjugorje, Archbishop Henryk Hoser, the Provincial of Herzegovinian Franciscan Province, Fr. Miljenko Šteko, Medjugorje parish Fr. Marinko Šakota and 61 other priests.
Cardinal Puljic said in his homily how some would say about what brought them here: ''They told me that at the Youth Festival one can encounter God and His vicinity. That is why I am here. I believe that many of you would like that. Perhaps someone would say, I am empty, my soul is empty. I came to recharge my batteries so I would be able to face all life challenges. Some would say that they came to find themselves. However, all you seek for, you will find it with Jesus, Mary would lead you to Him. That is why the motto of this Encounter is – Come, and you will see. Not to see with our eyes, but to come and see with the heart, with the faith. Whom? The Risen One! Only He can give answer to all of our life questions. All seeking, all technology, all accomplishments, all the knowledge, none of that can give you what Jesus can. It is too important, therefore, to learn from Mary how to hear the Word of God, how to accept it, live it.”
He said that youth today inherited many deviations in this world. It is wrong to think that we are to live without suffering. None of us succeeded in our lives without sufferings. The cross is our identity and we learn from it. If you were burdened with these deviations, lust for pleasure, consumerism, you look for Jesus. Choose Him and His life with your heart. In your spirit embrace Jesus, and do not be afraid of life. It would be those who do so that are capable of building the future. The cowards are not capable of building the future, but people who are prepared for the sacrifice that we learn in the school of the cross. Therefore, dear youth, if you wish to build the future allow Mary to lead you to Jesus, so that you may hear the One He points at. Come and see! So when you return home the others would be able to see that you met God, that you found Jesus, that Mary your Mother leads you to Him, so the others would wish to experience the same you did” said Cardinal Puljic and added he was joyful to be able to pray for them last night, to ask for Our Lady’s intercession and as the shepherd to encourage them and say – Do not be afraid of life!
''May this 31st Youth Festival encourage that faith in you so you would change the world because you decided for Risen Christ. On that way, may Mary, our Mother, guide and protect you all. Amen'', said Cardinal Puljic at the end and received huge applause of joy from all the gathered.
After Holy Mass, the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed and the Mission for the Youth. To conlude, Holy Masses were celebrated by Msgr. Luigi Pezzuto, Msgr. Henryk Hoser, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić and Fr. Miljenko Šteko, while catechesis to the youth were given by Msgr. Hoser, Fr. Danko Perutina and Fr. Ljubo Kurtović. Testimonies were part of production 'Fruits of Medjugorje', and movie was made by Cenacolo community. Holy Mass on Cross Mountain was celebrated on August 6, at 5 am and that was the closure of this year’s 31st Youth Festival. (PHOTO)
