In this way, "the two major strengths-ideas of modernity, reason and freedom, have, sort of, detached themselves from God to become independent and cooperate in the building of the ‘kingdom of man’, virtually opposed to the Kingdom of God". Hence the "spreading of a materialistic concept, fuelled by the hope that, by changing the economic and political structures, one might at last produce a fair society, where peace, freedom and equality would reign". Another point of the Pope’s speech was the "spiritual training" of the young. "Look at the Virgin, and from her ‘yes’ do learn to say ‘yes’ to God’s call", exhorted the Pope: "The Holy Spirit enters out life he ensured to the young as much as we open up our hearts to it by saying ‘yes’: the fuller our ‘yes’, the fuller the gift of its presence". In addition to the wishes for "a Christmas full of grace and peace" to the students and a special greeting to the young of the Albanian delegation, who brought back to Rome the icon of the Virgin "Sede Sapientiae" and to the young of the Romanian delegation, who took over the icon today to make it the "pilgrim of peace and hope in their country" the Holy Father wished them to increase the "existing fruitful contacts and cooperation among all public, private and papal universities".
