Meeting with Young People, Tokyo (24 February 1981)
ShareOn Tuesday, 24 February 1981, the Holy Father met with young people in Budokan, an indoor arena in Tokyo. The Pope spoke of Japan's progress in technology, but encouraged the young to “have a vision of the world and of the human person in their totality.”
Dear young people,
1. This is a very special moment for me: being here with you all in Tokyo. In the past I have felt joy – immense joy – in being with young people from Europe, North and South America and Africa. And now, on this trip to Asia, I have the joy of being with the youth of Japan.
Everywhere I go, I want to talk to young people about them and the meaning of their lives. And this is what I want to do with you today: talk about your purpose in life – the purpose that you live for; of your destiny – of where you are going.
2. You live, dear young people, in the midst of wonderful progress in a technological world. You have received many good things in your life, things that can make life easier, more interesting, more pleasant. But this great progress does not automatically bring fulfillment; it does not automatically create deep peace in your hearts. Yes, the materialism, permissiveness and self-centeredness that so often accompany modern progress try to invade your life and there is always the possibility that they will stifle your moral and spiritual values, those values that give real and ultimate satisfaction .
3. As youth it is important that you have a vision of the world and of the human person in their totality. It is the noble role of genuine education that gives you this complete vision, when all nature is perceived in its beauty and goodness as a real reflection of God the Creator. But this will not be difficult for you because everyone knows how much you love nature, how much you love your mountains, your lakes, your colorful forests and the beauty of your gardens. Everyone knows how much you want to have a house – even a small one – where you can plant trees and lots of flowers. And you young people who study and work in big cities but live in small villages always want to return home in spring when the flowers bloom and in autumn when nature turns red. In this way, and in other ways, you want to experience close contact with nature; you want to keep it pristine and protect it from possible damage.
A total vision of nature and man invites you to have a great openness towards others, towards those who live near you, your compatriots and all the peoples beyond the sea. All the youth of the world is called to universal solidarity. For this reason, as young people you must take care of the poor, the needy, the hungry, the disabled, the sick and the suffering, all those who live on the margins of society. Wherever they may be, they are all your brothers and sisters in the human family.
You have already done a lot to contribute to building a more supportive world in which well-being is widespread among all and sacrifices are borne together. But there are still bridges to build; bridges of friendship and brotherhood; bridges of justice, love and peace. Many of your brothers and sisters still need your encouragement, your help and your support along the journey of life.
4. Understanding this role of yours towards your neighbor is part of what it means to see life and man in their totality. You can see that authentic fulfillment comes in giving of oneself and when this giving is complete. Only in this way can we find satisfaction and joy in living. By helping others who are in need you become a source and a sign of hope for them. At the same time, boredom, discouragement and even desperation can be driven away by the strength of hope that is released from others. This is the mission of today's youth: to face life's challenges together, to feel responsible for each other and to remain united in the effort to achieve life's goals just as climbers look forward to reaching the top of the mountain.
Young people of Japan, raise your gaze today and always towards the beauty of your mountains and the rest of nature, but above all towards the Creator whose beauty and greatness are manifested in all creation and in particular in man. Your gaze and your admiration must not linger on the creatures, but you must listen to their voices which cry out to each of you just as the famous Augustine of Hippo heard them say centuries ago: "Look upon us... we are his creatures” (St. Augustine, Confessiones , X, 6).
5. With your permission, I would like at this point to add a special word for all my brothers and sisters of the Catholic Church and that is: in Jesus Christ, whom we recognize as the Son of God made man, generated by the Virgin Mary, we see perfection of humanity and all the beauty of God's manifestation in the world. It is Christ who reveals to us, in his fullness, the meaning of the world and the dignity and destiny of man. It is through fidelity to the message of Jesus – to his teaching and brotherly love – that we can render supreme service to our brothers and sisters.
Let us never forget the simple words of Jesus which are written for us in the Gospel: "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them" ( Mt 7,12). In this way, by working together, with the youth of every nation and with all your fellow countrymen and people, you will have a purpose and a destiny in life and will be able to create a new order of harmony and peace, of justice and of love.
Dear young people of Japan, having full faith in you, I urge you to overcome every temptation to selfishness, to open your hearts to transcendent values and to the whole world. And together with all the other young people of the earth, build the world of tomorrow. Yes, dear young people of Japan, with God's help, the future belongs to you. The future is yours!
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