Prior of the international ecumenical community of Taizé, Brother Alois, has sent warm greetings to the WSCF Assembly meeting in Montreal this week. His words focus on the truth of God’s presence in our lives and the power of the Holy Spirit active in all we do for Christ and bringing about Christ’s peace on earth.

The full message from Brother Alois, Prior of Taizé follows below:

Dear Friends of the World Student Christian Federation,

While you are meeting in Montreal, I would like to tell you that, at Taizé, we brothers, along with young people from many different countries together on our hill, are deeply in communion with you.

Why are you together these days? First of all, to live as close as possible to the source that brings us together. And what is that source? It is the presence of God. Yes, becoming more aware of this direct presence of God, by means of the Holy Spirit, is where we find the source of hope and joy.

Trying to rely on the immediate presence of God, in big steps as well as in small ones, even when we are going through harsh events: that is how we can communicate hope to others by our life, becoming witnesses to Christ who contribute to a civilization characterized more by trust than by mistrust.

Even if some days we find it difficult to grasp God’s presence, we believe that through the Holy Spirit he dwells in our hearts. The Spirit is the Comforter and causes us to set out towards those who are poorer than we are so that, in a prophetic vision, the hope of the resurrection may renew the face of the earth.

Dear friends, I want to assure you of the friendship that we have in our hearts for each one of you.

Brother Alois, prior of Taizé

Photo: Sabine Leutenegger, Wikipedia