The breath of life
Bishop Ryabukha recounts the experience of the young Ukrainians in Rome: ‘The Youth Jubilee,’ explained Monsignor Ryabukha, ‘is a time when young people from all over the world come together as a community, as the Church. But for these Ukrainian young people, it was also a time to meet those who say to them:
“We support you, and with you we wait and hope for peace.”’
‘During this Jubilee,‘ he adds, ’they discovered that they are not alone. Walking through the streets, visiting churches or even standing in line for lunch or dinner, they felt in a concrete way the affection of those around them: “re you from Ukraine? We are with you. We love you.” These words brought light to their hearts, serenity to their thoughts and the certainty that they are not forgotten or abandoned. Being recognised, seen and welcomed is a great sign of tenderness: the tenderness of Christ, of the Church and of the Christian world. Knowing that you are part of a family is a source of strength and hope.’
The days of the Jubilee were a time to ‘breathe the breath of life’, the bishop continues. ‘Where we live, where bombs explode every day, we are crushed by the injustice perpetrated against human life. That is why it is important for them to meet someone who can show them the reasons for living. By finding God, we can also share this encounter with others. Many of the young people here come from war zones, where it is impossible to sleep in their own homes because there are drones that kill and blow up houses and cars. So, when the sun goes down, many of them, together with their families, move to the countryside, to the meadows, along the rivers. It is a difficult life that makes you feel powerless.’
Pope Leo's words, a balm for wounds
At the end of the Sunday Angelus recited at Tor Vergata, Pope Leo addressed a special thought to the young people of Gaza, Ukraine and the lands bathed in blood caused by conflicts. These words warmed the hearts of the Salesian bishop and the young people accompanying him.
‘Pope Leo's words,’ observes the Bishop of Donetsk, ‘are an invitation not to lose hope, to look ahead and to have Christ as the goal of our lives, our journey and our commitment. They also express confidence in young people, calling them “the salt of the earth and the light of the world”. Young people also feel this charge of hope and this possibility of being able to live fully, with the desire to build their lives on a sure rock: God who is the God of love and peace. Together with the many friendships that have been formed in recent days, all this becomes an additional incentive to look forward with hope.’
The commitment to a just peace
Also accompanying the Ukrainian young people to Rome was Bishop Kryvytskyi, who said that some bishops from other countries found it difficult to believe that such a large number of young Ukrainians had managed to get to Rome. ‘People think that because we are at war, we live as if we were frozen, that because we have other problems, it is not a priority for us today to join the whole Church. The fact that we are here, however, shows that it is essential for us to be in union with the whole Church, to talk about what we are experiencing today in Ukraine and the challenges we face. And that it is therefore important for us to urge the Church to speak about what is really happening in Ukraine. We are also here to tell the whole truth and to urge people, young people, not to remain silent, but to commit themselves to a just peace in Ukraine and in other parts of the world.’
Hope to resist the war
Throughout the war, the Church in Ukraine has stood by the people, especially young people, providing support in the form of humanitarian aid. Among the challenges of pastoral care in times of war is also the search for a way to cultivate hope. ‘The fact that this year is dedicated to hope,’ Bishop Kryvytskyj continues, ‘seems to me to be a sign of Divine Providence. And this is what Ukraine needs, because after three and a half years of conflict, many people, even those who have always called themselves Christians, are losing hope. Often, after praying repeatedly without receiving an answer from the Lord, they give up, saying, “Perhaps God does not hear our prayers, or perhaps God does not exist at all?” So this year, reflecting on the word “hope”, we have the opportunity to truly persevere in these difficult times.’
The unity of the Church
Hope is what keeps faith alive, which, according to Bishop Kryvytskyi, ‘has reached completely new levels during the war, because it is not just the assumption that someone is out there somewhere, but it is a special relationship in this critical situation.’
‘I am helped by the sense of unity of the Church,’ the prelate concludes, 'which is experienced when, even here, someone assures us that they are always praying for us. People call us, write to us, tell us that, despite everything, they continue to be close to us. This spirit of unity in the Church enriches me too, and it is what saves our young people, saving them from the despair and fatigue that we all feel.’
Sources: Vatican News, AgenSir
