By Pope Leo XIV
Dear young friends, your heart longs for love. A love that is deep, self-sacrificing and enduring. This longing is no accident. It is a sign that you are made for love. Saint Augustine, whose burning heart is depicted by the arrow in my coat of arms, put it this way: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O God” (Confessions 1:1). In this, he expressed the longing for divine love which God truly pours into our souls when we are united with him. Yes, God himself can be present in human love and transform it. Then he grants us the ability to love as he does: in service, in generous self-giving and, when necessary, in forgiveness. For God is love, and he has created you to love – him and the people by your side.
Of all the forms of human love, that between a man and a woman holds a special place. It can strike the heart like an arrow – intensely and swiftly. Yet true love does not stop there. It is not merely a fleeting, briefly inflamed emotion. It is more. It is a deep commitment to the other, a decision, a journey and a covenant for life. “Love is authentic and can last forever only when it reflects the eternal splendour of God – God who is love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8). Solid and fruitful relationships are built together on mutual trust, on this ‘forever’ that is the beating heart of every vocation to family life and religious consecration” (Address during the meeting with young people in Lebanon). This love asks first: “How can I love as Christ loved?” (cf. Jn 15:12) and puts the question “What do I get out of it?” last.
Marriage reveals something of God’s very mystery. When a man and a woman give themselves wholly to one another in love, then God comes alive in their midst. Their faithfulness, their forgiveness, their daily striving for what is good are a reflection of Christ’s love for his Church. It may perhaps sound like a romantic exaggeration, but it is a profound truth about reality: “In him, who is one, we are one.” (Augustine, Commentary on Psalm 127).
God calls you, dear young people, to this great love. Do not be afraid of its depth! For the love to which you are called is strong enough to overcome difficulties, and great enough to sustain you throughout your whole life. It is not perfect, but it grows in the light of faith. True love is a gift from God, and we cannot simply create it ourselves. Whereas human love is often tainted by selfish desires, God’s love, on the other hand, is selfless, long-suffering, patient and possesses all the wonderful qualities that Paul lists in his Letter to the Corinthians (cf. 1 Cor 13).
We see the most beautiful image of true love when we look upon the cross of Jesus Christ. He loves us so much that he was willing to die for us. This is the “DNA” of Christianity, the commandment of Christ: “Love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12–13).
This book, YOUCAT: Love Forever, aims to accompany you on this journey. Young people like you, from more than 30 different countries, have shared their testimonies in it, showing that the ideal to which Christ calls us is a fascinating treasure. The book invites you to open your hearts to a plan that is greater than any human dream. It serves as preparation for a “yes” that is not just for a single day, but for a lifetime – a “yes” like God’s love, that is tireless and faithful.
I pray for you who are reading this book, inspired by our beloved Pope Francis. May Jesus Christ stir your hearts until they find rest in him. May the Holy Spirit be your light and your strength. And may you, like Mary, the Mother of beautiful love, respond with trust and courage to the most beautiful of all vocations: the vocation to love. – Vatican News
