Pope to Iraqi youth: Be Christ’s light and hope in a wounded world

Vatican News

As young people from across Iraq gather in Ankawa, in the Archeparchy of Erbil, for their annual Youth Meeting from 8 to 11 July, Pope Leo XIV is encouraging them to embrace their vocation as missionaries of hope, urging them to become “Christ’s light” in a country that continues to experience the consequences of war and instability.

In a video message to the gathering, dedicated this year to the theme Mission, the Pope reminds participants that they have an indispensable role in the life of the Church today.

“The Church has a vital mission to serve the world by sharing the light of Christ,” he says, encouraging the young people to help “shape the Church — and the world — in the years to come.”

Recalling a conviction he has expressed previously, Pope Leo emphasises that “young people are not only the future of the Church, but also the present.” And recognising the difficult reality many Iraqi Christians continue to face, the Pope acknowledges that witnessing to the Gospel is often demanding.

“It is not always easy to be a light in the world,” he says. “You are called to radiate this light in a situation that has often been marked by war and instability.”

Do not be afraid

Even so, he urges them not to lose heart.

“Do not be afraid! And do not think that you are alone in this task. I am with you; the Church is with you. Place your trust in Jesus,” Pope Leo says.

Using the image of light as the guiding thread of his reflection,  he highlights three qualities that should shape every Christian disciple: faith, love and hope.

First, he explains, light enables us to see. Faith, therefore, is not simply a response to life’s hardships but “the recognition of reality and living in the truth,” allowing believers to see the world, others and themselves through God’s eyes. He encourages the young people to bear witness through the way they live so that others, too, may discover the truth and meaning they seek.

The Pope then reflects on light as warmth, a sign of God’s love. Authentic mission, he says, begins not with activity but with a personal encounter with Christ nurtured through daily prayer and the sacraments, especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

Ground your roots in God’s love

“Ground your hearts in the solid foundation of God’s love for you,” he urges. “Discover the heart of Christ, and do not be afraid to build your lives upon him.”

Only by remaining rooted in that love, he explains, will they be able to share “the warmth of God’s love and the reconciling power of his grace” with those around them.

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Finally, Pope Leo XIV presents light as a symbol of growth and hope. In a region longing for reconciliation, he says, young Christians are called to become builders of peace.

“You are particularly called to be peacemakers, to unite those around you, and to instil in others the hope of a future marked by lasting peace.”

Although they cannot always control the circumstances in which they live, he reminds them, they can always choose to allow “the peace of Christ to rule” in their hearts, becoming signs of the hope that comes from the Risen Lord.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo entrusts the young people to the maternal care of Mary, Mother of the Church, encouraging them to trust in God’s loving plan for their lives.

“Never doubt the goodness of God,” he says. “Do not be afraid of the plan the Lord has for each of your lives,” recalling the promise of the prophet Jeremiah that God desires “to give you a future with hope.”