亲爱的青年朋友！
我以非常喜乐的心情向你们致贺，因为您们在准备第廿一届世界青年日。我重新回想和经历，去年八月在德国的经验。今年的世界青年日将会在地方教会举办，而这将会是一个很好的机会，把在科隆所唤醒的热火再次点燃，你们有很多人都把这热诚带回你们家庭、堂区、组织和运动中。同时，这将会是一个很好的机会，邀请你们很多的朋友去参加这个年轻时代的灵修朝圣，走向基督。
我向你们提议的主题是一句来自圣咏一一九的章节：「祢的言语是我步履前的灵灯，是我路途上的光明」。我们所敬爱的教宗若望保禄二世如此解释这句圣咏：「谁若祈祷，便吐露他对天主律法的感恩心情，因为在生命经常黑暗的路途上，他以天主的律法来光照他的步伐」（2001/11/14周三接见）。天主在历史中自我启示，祂向人类说话,，而祂所说出的话语是具有创造力的。希伯来文「dabar」,这个词汇，通常是翻译为「话语」，这辞真正的同时表达语言与行动。天主说祂所做的，又做祂所说的。圣经旧约向以色列的儿女们宣布默西亚的来临，以及一个「崭新」盟约的成立；祂在降生成人的圣言中履行了祂的许诺。在天主教教理中很清楚的表明：降生成人的天主子基督，是圣父的唯一、完美及决定性的圣言，天父藉祂说了一切，除祂以外将不再有其他的话(n.65)。那启示圣经作者的圣神这样带领了天主的选民，祂打开信者的心，使他们明白圣经的意思。当司铎在弥撒圣祭中，以基督的身份说出祝圣的祷文，同一的圣神积极的临在，把饼和酒变为基督的圣体、圣血，成为教友们的精神食粮。为了使我们在世上往天国的旅途上前进，我们所有的人都需要被永生的话语和食粮来喂养，这两者是不可分离的。
宗徒们领受了救恩的圣言，并把它传给他们的继承人，如同一颗贵重的珍珠安全的放在教会的宝库里，如果没有教会，这珍珠会有遗失或毁坏的危险。我亲爱的青年朋友们，你们要爱天主的圣言，并且要爱教会，这将会给你们机会获得一个非常有价值的宝藏，并且会教导你们怎样去欣赏它的财富。你们要喜爱并跟随教会，因为她由她的「创立者」领受了向人们指出到达真正幸福的途径与使命。在这个我们所生活的世界里，并不容易办认和找到真正的幸福，在世界里有很多人都做了流行思想的俘虏。他们以为他们是「自由的」，但是他们却被误导了，在一些子虚乌有的意识形态中迷失了，「自由本身须要被释放」(真理的光辉86)，而人们在黑暗中摸索、寻找，这黑暗必须被光照、启发。耶稣教导了我们怎么样实行这句话：「你们如果固守我的话，就的确是我的门徒，也会认识真理，而真理必会使你们获得自由」(若8：31-32)。降生成人的圣言，真理的圣言，使我们自由，并且把我们的自由引领到美善。我亲爱的青年朋友们，你们要常常默想天主的圣言，并且要让圣神作你们的导师。那么，你们将会发现天主的想法是与人的想法不同的。你们会发现你们被带领去瞻仰真真的天主，并且透过祂的眼睛去看历史上的事物。你们会完全体验到，来自真理的喜乐。在人生的旅途上，并非是容易或没有失望的，你们将会遇到困难或受苦，并且有时候你们会被迫与圣咏作者一起喊叫「上主，我已经受苦很重」(咏119：107)，但你们不要忘记如同圣咏作者加上：「照你的诺言，保我生命…我的生命常处于危险，但我仍不忘记你的法典」(咏107；109)。透过祂的圣言，天主慈爱的临在就是那明灯，驱散使人害怕的黑暗，更在困顿岁月中照亮人生的路途。希伯来书的作者说：「天主的话确实是生活的，是有效力的，比各种双刃的剑还锐利，直穿入灵魂和神魂，关节与骨髓的分离点，且可辨别心中的感觉和思念」(希4：12)。
我们必须严肃的考虑这指令；天主圣言是在灵修的战斗中不可欠缺的武器。如果我们学习聆听天主圣言以及服从它，这将会是有效的并产生效果，在天主教教义解释说：「在信德中服从(服从，拉丁文ob-audir意指听从)是自由地顺从所听到的圣言，因为它的真理是由天主所保证，而天主就是真理本身。圣经给我们提示亚巴郎是这服从的典范，童贞玛利亚则是这服从最完美的实现者」(n.144)。亚巴郎立下了聆听－－服从的榜样，而撒罗满却是一个努力不懈的探索者－－探索隐藏在圣言里的智慧。当天主向他说：「你不拘求什么，我必给你。」那智慧的国王回答说：「求你赐给你的仆人一颗慧心」(列王前三：5,9)。寻求一颗明达的心的秘密是训练你们的心去聆听，透过孜孜不倦的对天主圣言的默想，要更加增认识天主圣言的决心以及在天主圣言里札根，这将会达到。
我亲爱的青年朋友们，我催促你们要熟悉圣经，并且要常常放在手上，好使它能成为你们的指南针，指出你们要走的道路，透过阅读圣经你们将会认识基督。你们听听热罗尼摩（Jerome）在这方面所说的话；「不认识圣经就是不认识基督」(PL24,17;参看天主的启示教义宪章25)。一个学习和体验天主圣言的千秋万代的方法就是「阅读圣经」（lectiodivina），这是一个真正、真实、按步就班的灵修旅程。在阅读圣经（lectio）之后，就是一次再次的重新阅读圣经的一段章节，并且吸收章节里面的主要部分，我们便继续下去到默想（meditatio）。这是一个内心反省的时刻，在这时刻里灵魂转向天主，并且尽量明白祂的圣言今天对我们所说的话。然后便是祈祷（oratio），在祈祷中我们停顿着为的是要直接跟天主谈话。最后，我们到了「静观默想」（contemplatio）。这帮助我们，使我们的心注意基督的临在，祂的圣言：「就如留神在暗中发光的灯，直到天亮，晨星在你们的心中升起的时候」(伯后一：19)。阅读、研究和默想天主的圣言，应该与生活融合在一起，使我们言行一致，忠心于基督及祂的教导。
圣雅格宗徒告诉我们：「你们应按这圣言来实行，不要只听，自己欺骗自己；因为，谁若只听圣言而不去实行，他就像一个人，对着镜子照自己生来的面貌，照完以后，就离去，遂即忘却了自己是什么样子。至于那细察赐予自由的完美法律，而又保持不变，不随听随忘，却实际力行的，这人因他的作为必是有福的」(雅一：22-25)。那些聆听天主圣言，以及经常查阅它的人是将他们的人生建立在巩固的基础上。耶稣说过：「凡听了我这些话而实行的，就好像一个聪明人，把自己的房屋建在盘石上」(玛七：24)。狂风暴雨来临时，绝不会倒塌。
将你们的生命建立在基督上，以喜悦的心情去接纳圣言，并且把它的教导付诸实行，这应该是你们－－第三千禧年青年人的计划！我们极需要有新的一代宗徒，默默的在基督圣言里札根，能够响应我们时代的挑战，并且作好准备把福音传播到远近。这是上主向你们所要求的，这是教会邀请你们去做的，这也是这世界期盼从你们那里所得到的，纵使世人不会察觉到！如果耶稣召唤你们，你们不要害怕，以慷慨的心去响应祂，特别是当祂要求你们来跟随祂，度修道或司铎生活。
你们不要害怕！你们要相信祂，你们必定不会失望的。
亲爱的朋友们，在四月九号，圣枝主日我们将要庆祝第廿一届世界青年日，我们将会由我们的心里出发，开始一个朝圣旅程到世上去，与世界的青年聚会，这聚会将在2008年７月在雪梨举行，我们将会为这个盛大的约会，按步就班的作准备，同时一起反省天主圣神和「使命」这个题目。今年我们的注意力将会集中在天主圣神、真理的圣神上面－祂向我启示基督、降生成人的圣言，同时打开每一个人的心，同时使每一个人的心向救恩的圣言打开，而这救恩的圣言带领我们到完整的真理去。明年2007年我们将会默想一句若望福音的章节「你们该彼此相爱，如同我爱了你们」(若十三34)。我们将会发现更多有关天主圣神、爱的圣神的道理－祂把天主的爱灌注在我们心中，并且使我们察觉到我们兄弟姊妹在物质和灵修上的需要。最后我们将会到达2008年的世界聚会，它的主题将是：「圣神降临于你们身上时，你们将充满圣神的德能」(宗一：8)。
从这时刻开始，我亲爱的青年朋友们，在一个持续不断聆听的气氛中，对天主圣言的聆听，你们要呼求圣神、刚毅与见证的圣神，好使你们能够毫无畏惧的宣扬福音，甚至到世界的尽头。当宗徒们在晚餐厅，等待圣神降临的时候，圣母也与宗徒们在一起。愿她成为你们的母亲和领导人。愿她教导你们去领受天主的圣言，去珍藏它，并且在你们的心中默想它（参路二：19），正如她一生所作的一样。愿她鼓励你们向上主说出：「是的」，正如你们把信仰上的「服从」活出来一样。让她帮助你们在信德上坚定不移，在望德上稳固结实，在爱德上力争上游，常常关心、注意天主的圣言。在祈祷中我与你们在一起，我衷心降福你们每一个人。
二００六年四月九日（圣枝主日）梵蒂冈
教宗本笃十六世
以下为文告的英文版：
My dear young friends!
It is with great joy that I greet you as you prepare for the 21st World Youth Day, and I relive the memory of those enriching experiences we had in August last year in Germany. World Youth Day this year will be celebrated in the local Churches, and it will be a good opportunity to rekindle the flame of enthusiasm that was awakened in Cologne and which many of you have brought to your families, parishes, associations and movements. At the same time, it will be a wonderful chance to invite many of your friends to join the young generation’s spiritual pilgrimage towards Christ.
The theme that I suggest to you is a verse from Psalm 119 [118]: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (v. 105). Our dearly loved John Paul II commented on that verse of the psalm as follows: "The one who prays pours out his thanks for the Law of God that he adopts as a lamp for his steps in the often dark path of Life" (General Audience, Wednesday 14 November 2001). God reveals himself in history. He speaks to humankind, and the word he speaks has creative power. The Hebrew concept "dabar", usually translated as "word", really conveys both the meaning of word and act. God says what he does and does what he says. The Old Testament announces to the Children of Israel the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of a "new" covenant; in the Word made flesh He fulfils his promise. This is clearly specified in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Christ, the Son of God made man, is the Father's one, perfect and unsurpassable Word. In him he has said everything; there will be no other word than this one" (n. 65). The Holy Spirit who has led the chosen people by inspiring the authors of the Sacred Scriptures, opens the hearts of believers to understand their meaning. This same Spirit is actively present in the Eucharistic celebration when the priest, "in persona Christi", says the words of consecration, changing the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, for the spiritual nourishment of the faithful. In order to progress on our earthly pilgrimage towards the heavenly Kingdom, we all need to be nourished by the word and the bread of eternal Life, and these are inseparable from one another!
The Apostles received the word of salvation and passed it on to their successors as a precious gem kept safely in the jewel box of the Church: without the Church, this pearl runs the risk of being lost or destroyed. My dear young friends, love the word of God and love the Church, and this will give you access to a treasure of very great value and will teach you how to appreciate its richness. Love and follow the Church, for it has received from its Founder the mission of showing people the way to true happiness. It is not easy to recognise and find authentic happiness in this world in which we live, where people are often held captive by the current ways of thinking. They may think they are "free", but they are being led astray and become lost amid the errors or illusions of aberrant ideologies. "Freedom itself needs to be set free" (cf the encyclical Veritatis Splendor, 86), and the darkness in which humankind is groping needs to be illuminated. Jesus taught us how this can be done: "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (Jn 8:31-32). The incarnate Word, Word of Truth, makes us free and directs our freedom towards the good. My dear young friends, meditate often on the word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to be your teacher. You will then discover that God’s way of thinking is not the same as that of humankind’s. You will find yourselves led to contemplate the real God and to read the events of history through his eyes. You will savour in fullness the joy that is born of truth. On life’s journey, which is neither easy nor free of deceptions, you will meet difficulties and suffering and at times you will be tempted to exclaim with the psalmist: "I am severely afflicted" (Ps 119 [118]. v. 107). Do not forget to add as the psalmist did: "give me life, O Lord, according to your word... I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law" (ibid. vv. 107; 109). The loving presence of God, through his word, is the lamp that dispels the darkness of fear and lights up the path even when times are most difficult.
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote: "Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (4:12). It is necessary to take seriously the injunction to consider the word of God to be an indispensable "weapon" in the spiritual struggle. This will be effective and show results if we learn to listen to it and then to obey it. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: "To obey (from the Latin ob-audire, to ‘hear or listen to’) in faith is to submit freely to the word that has been heard, because its truth is guaranteed by God, who is Truth itself" (n. 144). While Abraham exemplifies this way of listening which is obedience, Solomon in his turn shows himself to be a passionate explorer of the wisdom contained in the Word. When God said to him: "Ask what I should give you", the wise king replied: "Give your servant therefore an understanding heart" (1 Kings 3:5,9). The secret of acquiring "an understanding heart" is to train your heart to listen. This is obtained by persistently meditating on the word of God and by remaining firmly rooted in it through the commitment to persevere in getting to know it better.
My dear young friends, I urge you to become familiar with the Bible, and to have it at hand so that it can be your compass pointing out the road to follow. By reading it, you will learn to know Christ. Note what Saint Jerome said in this regard: "Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ" (PL 24,17; cf Dei Verbum, 25). A time-honoured way to study and savour the word of God is lectio divina which constitutes a real and veritable spiritual journey marked out in stages. After the lectio, which consists of reading and rereading a passage from Sacred Scripture and taking in the main elements, we proceed to meditatio. This is a moment of interior reflection in which the soul turns to God and tries to understand what his word is saying to us today. Then comes oratio in which we linger to talk with God directly. Finally we come to contemplatio. This helps us to keep our hearts attentive to the presence of Christ whose word is "a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Pet 1:19). Reading, study and meditation of the Word should then flow into a life of consistent fidelity to Christ and his teachings.
Saint James tells us: "Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act - they will be blessed in their doing" (1:22-25). Those who listen to the word of God and refer to it always, are constructing their existence on solid foundations. "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them", Jesus said, "will be like a wise man who built his house on rock" (Mt 7:24). It will not collapse when bad weather comes.
To build your life on Christ, to accept the word with joy and put its teachings into practice: this, young people of the third millennium, should be your programme! There is an urgent need for the emergence of a new generation of apostles anchored firmly in the word of Christ, capable of responding to the challenges of our times and prepared to spread the Gospel far and wide. It is this that the Lord asks of you, it is to this that the Church invites you, and it is this that the world - even though it may not be aware of it - expects of you! If Jesus calls you, do not be afraid to respond to him with generosity, especially when he asks you to follow him in the consecrated life or in the priesthood. Do not be afraid; trust in him and you will not be disappointed.
Dear friends, at the 21st World Youth Day that we will celebrate on 9 April next, Palm Sunday, we will set out, in our hearts, on a pilgrimage towards the world encounter with young people that will take place in Sydney in July 2008. We will prepare for that great appointment reflecting together on the theme The Holy Spirit and the mission in successive stages. This year our attention will focus on the Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, who reveals Christ to us, the Word made flesh, opening the heart of each one to the Word of salvation that leads to the fullness of Truth. Next year, 2007, we will meditate on a verse from the Gospel of John: "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (13:34). We will discover more about the Holy Spirit, Spirit of Love, who infuses divine charity within us and makes us aware of the material and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters. We will finally reach the world meeting of 2008 and its theme will be: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).
From this moment onwards, my dear young friends, in a climate of constant listening to the word of God, call on the Holy Spirit, Spirit of fortitude and witness, that you may be able to proclaim the Gospel without fear even to the ends of the earth. Our Lady was present in the cenacle with the Apostles as they waited for Pentecost. May she be your mother and guide. May she teach you to receive the word of God, to treasure it and to ponder on it in your heart (cf Lk 2:19) as she did throughout her life. May she encourage you to declare your "yes" to the Lord as you live "the obedience of faith". May she help you to remain strong in the faith, constant in hope, persevering in charity, always attentive to the word of God. I am together with you in prayer, and I bless each one of you with all my heart.
From the Vatican, 22 February 2006, Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter Apostle.