Let your roots help you rise.
Living Words from John Paul II
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Luanda, Angola — 7 June 1992
Dear young people of Angola, I speak to you with affection, confidence, and great hope. Christ knows you. He sees your questions, your struggles, your friendships, your dreams, and the fire already burning in your hearts. He says to each one of you: do not be afraid. Your life is a gift. Your voice is needed. Your country is waiting for your courage.
You carry in your hearts the desire for a better future. Do not let that desire grow small. Guard it. Strengthen it. Turn it into action. But remember this: no one builds a strong future by cutting away the past. Listen to your parents, teachers, elders, and grandparents. They have walked roads you have not yet walked. They have suffered, worked, prayed, and hoped so that you could stand taller. Their wisdom is not a chain; it is a light. Let your roots help you rise.
You ask how Angola can become stronger. The Church does not give you an easy shortcut. The Church reminds you that every person has dignity, because every person is created by God and loved by Him. From this truth come the values that can lift a nation: respect for life, care for the poor, justice, honesty, forgiveness, solidarity, and peace.
So I say to you: study this teaching. Let it form your conscience, guide your choices, and awaken your courage. Use your energy for what is true, good, and noble.
Do not waste your youth on hatred, revenge, or selfishness.
Build with love. Serve with joy. Speak the truth. Lift up the poor. Protect the weak.
Forgive one another. Do not turn your differences into walls; make them bridges.
Angola will grow when young people choose unity over division, service over comfort, and hope over fear.
May the Lord bless your dreams, your friendships, and the brave decisions you make each day.
May He give you hearts that do not give up, hands ready to serve, and voices strong enough to defend truth and peace.
May He walk beside you and keep your hope alive.
And may God bless the young people of Angola, your families, your communities, and the future you are building together. Amen.
Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II