“Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer, and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world,” he noted.
The pope also reminds us that God “knows us profoundly” and points out that this knowledge must be mutual: “We are invited to know God through prayer, listening to the word, the sacraments, the life of the Church, and works of charity for our brothers and sisters.”
He clarifies that this is not a matter of abstract intellectual knowledge or academic learning but rather of “a personal encounter that transforms one’s life.”
“Dear young people, listen to this voice! Listen to the voice of the Lord who invites you to a full and fruitful life, calling you to put your talents to use (cf. Mt 25:14-30) and to unite your limitations and weaknesses with the glorious cross of Christ.”
The pope recommends dedicating time to Eucharistic adoration and meditating on the word of God in order to come to know the Lord and give oneself fully to one’s vocation — whether it be to marriage, the priesthood, or consecrated or religious life.
Life is a continual act of ‘trusting in the Lord’
To know the Lord, Leo XIV continues, means “above all learning to entrust oneself to him and to his providence.” He proposes St. Joseph as a model of this trust and encourages the faithful to cultivate it without ever yielding to despair: “We must overcome fears and doubts, confident that the Lord of history — both of the world and of our own personal story — is risen.”
“He does not abandon us in our darkest hours but comes to dispel every shadow with his light. Through the light and strength of his Spirit, even amid trials and crises, we can see our vocation grow and mature, reflecting ever more fully the beauty of the One who has called us — a beauty shaped by fidelity and trust, despite our wounds and failures,” he affirms.
At the conclusion of his message, the Holy Father recalls that a vocation “is not a fixed point” but rather “a dynamic process of maturation.” Therefore, he explains, the “places” where God’s will is revealed — and where we experience his infinite love — are “often the authentic and fraternal bonds we establish throughout our lives.”
Consequently, he underscores the need to have a good spiritual guide and, finally, encourages everyone — especially young people — to cultivate their personal relationship with God. “Pause, listen, entrust yourselves. In this way, the gift of your vocation will mature, bringing you happiness, and yielding abundant fruit for the Church and for the world.”