Speaking to students of Jesuit schools, Pope Francis responded to a student who expressed doubts about belief.
“Journeying is an art because, if we’re always in a hurry, we get tired and don’t arrive at our journey’s goal. If we stop, if we don’t go forward and we also miss the goal. Journeying is precisely the art of looking toward the horizon, thinking where I want to go but also enduring the fatigue of the journey, which is sometimes difficult ”¦ There are dark days, even days when we fail, even days when we fall. [Sometimes] one falls but always think of this: don’t be afraid of failures. Don’t be afraid of falling. What matters in the art of journeying isn’t not falling but not staying down. Get up right away and continue going forward. This is what’s beautiful: this is working every day, this is journeying as humans. But also, it’s bad walking alone: it’s bad and boring. Walking in community, with friends, with those who love us, that helps us. It helps us to arrive precisely at that goal, that ‘there where’ we’re supposed to arrive.”
Exactly what I need at this time in my life. I’ll print and post this on my mirror to read and remind me every morning to stick to my goals. I’ll have to come up with goals, as well, for this year, next year, next 5 years, next 10 years. Thanks for this lovely encouraging words.
Just what I needed today! Thank you for posting this.
Wonderful thoughts for me today. Reminded me of an old ballad, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” One of the best thoughts in that song is “to hold your head up high, and don’t be afraid of the storm.” This is just what I needed to hear! Thanks!
m.
You can see some of the exchange in this Youtube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnh9EwLwjpw&feature=player_embedded#!
Tim, thank you so much for this link to such a beautiful conversation between the youth and our Pope who is the shepherd of our Church.
Pope Francis is such a warm, natural individual. We are so blessed to have him for our Pope. What a lasting impression he must have made on those children, too.
A beautiful reminder our faith journey is a process, not a guided tour. Thank you.