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speaking in this very place, reminded us, Lazarus continues to stand at our

door,16 let your faith and love bear rich fruit in outreach to the poor, the

needy and those without a voice. Young men and women of America, I urge

you: open your hearts to the Lord's call to follow him in the priesthood and

the religious life. Can there be any greater mark of love than this: to follow in

the footsteps of Christ, who was willing to lay down his life for his friends? 17

In today's Gospel, the Lord promises his disciples that they will perform

works even greater than his.18 Dear friends, only God in his providence knows

what works his grace has yet to bring forth in your lives and in the life of the

Church in the United States. Yet Christ's promise fills us with sure hope. Let

us now join our prayers to his, as living stones in that spiritual temple which

is his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Let us lift our eyes to him, for

even now he is preparing for us a place in his Father's house. And empowered

by his Holy Spirit, let us work with renewed zeal for the spread of his Kingdom.

''Happy are you who believe!''.19 Let us turn to Jesus! He alone is the way

that leads to eternal happiness, the truth who satisfies the deepest longings of

every heart, and the life who brings ever new joy and hope to us and to our

world. Amen.

Queridos hermanos y hermanas en el Señor:

Les saludo con afecto y me alegro de celebrar esta Santa Misa para dar

gracias a Dios por el bicentenario del momento en que empezó a desarrollarse

la Iglesia Católica en esta Nación. Al mirar el camino de fe recorrido en estos

años, no exento también de dificultades, alabamos al Señor por los frutos que

la Palabra de Dios ha dado en estas tierras y le manifestamos nuestro deseo

de que Cristo, Camino, Verdad y Vida, sea cada vez más conocido y amado.

Aquı́, en este Paı́s de libertad, quiero proclamar con fuerza que la Palabra

de Cristo no elimina nuestras aspiraciones a una vida plena y libre, sino que

nos descubre nuestra verdadera dignidad de hijos de Dios y nos alienta a

luchar contra todo aquello que nos esclaviza, empezando por nuestro propio

egoı́smo y caprichos. Al mismo tiempo, nos anima a manifestar nuestra fe a

16 Homily at Yankee Stadium, 2 October 1979, n. 7. 17 Cf. Jn 15:13. 18 Cf. Jn 14:12. 19 Cf. 1 Pet 2:7.