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FAIR FOR YOUTH

Sermon by John Paul II

Munich, November 19, 1980

Dear brothers and sisters, dear youth!

1. When Christ talks about the Kingdom of God, he often uses pictures and parables. His picture of the "harvest", of the "great harvest" had to remind his listeners at that time, so recurring, so longed for, when one could start, finally, the fruits of the earth, which grew with the help of many and heavy human labor and effort to harvest. The word of the "harvest" today also directs our thoughts in the same direction, although as people of countries with high industrialization we have hardly any idea what the ripening and harvesting of the fruits of the earth is for the farmer and for the farmer Mean people.

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2. However, finding, aligning and maturing the basic and full truth of reality is not easy. For a long time now it has been a matter of coping with many difficulties. Just this problem seems the hl. To say to Paul when he writes in the second letter to the Thessalonians: "Do not be so upset and frightened so quickly ... Do not be deceived by anybody, in any way!". These words, addressed to that young congregation among the early Christians, must be re-read today against the changing background of our modern civilization and culture. So I want to call to you young people of today: Do not be fooled!

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3. But is it not true that in your society, as you learn in your environment, not a few who confess to Christ have become vacillating or even lost their bearings? And does not that affect young people very badly? Is not there something visible from the manifold temptation to apostasy that the apostle speaks about in his letter?

The Word of God in today's liturgy gives us an idea of ​​the broad horizon of such apostasy, as it seems to be in our own century, and makes its dimensions clear.

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4. You see all of this, these multiple escape routes from the truth, the secret and uncanny power of illegality and evil at work. Do not you get into the temptation of loneliness and lostness? This is the answer to today's reading of the prophet Ezekiel. This one speaks of a shepherd who pursues the lost sheep in solitude in order to "bring them back from all places where they had scattered in the dark, gloomy day".

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5. Precisely for this reason, Christ says that the harvest is "great." It is great because of the determination of the human being, which is beyond all measure. She is tall because of the dignity of man. She is great in the measure of his vocation. Great is this wonderful harvest of the Kingdom of God in humanity, the harvest of salvation in the history of man, peoples and nations. She is truly tall - "but there are few workers".

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Dear young people! Be open to the call of Christ to you! Your human life is a "unique adventure and venture" that can become a "blessing and a curse". Looking to you young people who are the great hope of our future, let us ask the "Lord of the harvest" to send each one of you, each of your young fellow human beings on this earth, as laborers into his "great harvest." the great abundance of vocations and gifts in His Kingdom on this earth.

I would like to conclude with a special blessing to our Protestant brothers and sisters who are celebrating their day of penance and prayer in this country today. This day is borne for you by the knowledge and necessity of an ever new conversion and by the call of the Church to commemorate before God also the people and the community in prayer. These are the concerns of the Roman Catholic Church. Please include in the prayers of this day your Catholic fellow citizens as well as your brother John Paul and his ministry. Amen.

https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/de/homilies/1980/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_19801119_monaco-germany.html

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