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Quotes from ‘Christus Vivit’ can inspire young and old

3/5/2025

Catholic Living

Quotes from ‘Christus Vivit’ can inspire young and old

(CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Gretchen R. Crowe On April 2, Pope Francis published his latest apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit (“Christ is Alive”). This document is a reaction to the 2018 Ordinary Synod on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. It is an extensive piece, rich with uplifting messages, and I have extracted several that resonated with me personally. Although it is directed towards the youth, the pope also wrote this document for “the entire people of God,” making his remarks relevant to everyone.

I strongly suggest going through the complete document, which can be accessed online on the Vatican website (vatican.va) or in softcover format osvcatholicbookstore.com. At this moment, I’ll allow Pope Francis to express himself.

— “For the years of your youth to fulfill their role in life, they should be an era of ample commitment, full-hearted dedication, and challenges that, while tough, prove to be rewarding in the end” (No. 108).

— “If you are youthful in age, but sense fragility, exhaustion, or disappointment, seek Jesus to rejuvenate you” (No. 109).

— “The individual who enriches us with his grace, the one who sets us free, changes us, restores us, and comforts us is truly alive. He is the Christ, resurrected from the grave, imbued with extraordinary life and vitality, adorned in endless light. … Living, he is capable of being present in your life at all times, to illuminate it and to remove all sadness and loneliness” (Nos. 124-125).

— “Request the Holy Spirit daily to assist you in re-experiencing the profound message. Why not give it a try? You have nothing to forfeit, and he has the power to transform your life, illuminate it, and guide it towards a more favorable direction” (No. 131).

— “Youth is a cherished period for the young and a gift for the Church and the world. It brings joy, a melody of hope, and a blessing. To fully embrace our youthful years means to recognize this phase of life as valuable in its own right, rather than merely a short introduction to adulthood” (No. 135).

— “Continue pursuing your aspirations and desires. However, be cautious of one lure that can impede our progress. It is anxiety. Anxiety can hinder us by causing us to surrender whenever we fail to witness immediate outcomes. Our greatest aspirations are achieved only through hope, perseverance, and dedication, rather than through rush. Concurrently, we must not be reluctant, fearful to take risks or to err” (No. 142).

— “Dear youth, seize these years of your vitality. Don’t watch life from a distance. Don’t equate happiness with comfort, or spend your life behind a display. … Immerse yourselves in the finest experiences of life!” (No. 143).

— “Most importantly, in various ways, advocate for the collective welfare, assist the underprivileged, be champions of the revolution of compassion and service, able to withstand the ailments of consumerism and shallow individualism” (No. 174).

— “If we travel together, both the young and the elderly, we can be solidly grounded in the now, and from this point, reflect on the past and gaze towards the future” (No. 199).

Gretchen R. Crowe is editorial director for periodicals at Our Sunday Visitor. Follow her on Twitter @GretchenOSV.

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