“Today more than ever an appeal is raised to open ways of faith deep into the night of humanity”. This is the opening exhortation of the letter written to youth by frère Roger of Taizé for the year 2002. Translated into 58 languages (of which 23 Asian and 7 African), the letter has as its title “Love and say so with your life” and will be at the centre of the spiritual reflections that will characterize the 24th European meeting of youth animated by the Taizé community, due to be held in Budapest from 28 December to 1st January. Over 70,000 youngsters from all over Europe, East and West, are expected to attend. “An urgent appeal writes frère Roger is raised from the depths of the peoples: the appeal to succour the victims of a poverty that is constantly growing. That is a fundamental prerequisite for peace on earth. The imbalance between the accumulation of wealth by a few and the poverty of multitudes is one of the gravest problems of our time. Will we do everything in our power to ensure that the world economy finds solutions?”. Peace continues frère Roger is also achieved through forgiveness. “What is most astonishing in the Gospel says the letter is forgiveness: the forgiveness that God gives us and the forgiveness he invites us to give to each other. Even when crushed and humiliated, Jesus Christ did not threaten: he forgave”. Messages of support for the event have been sent by John Paul II, Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow, the Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and UN secretary general Kofi Annan. “In the hour in which the world, lacerated, a prey to violence and fear, seeks signs of hope”, the Holy Father invites the young to “open with trust the doors of their heart to Christ, to his salvific power, to his strength of love that is capable of inspiring real peacemakers”.
