The second sign of the times that Pope Francis speaks of is “having enthusiasm for life and a readiness to share it.” This is outlined in paragraph n.9 in the document for the Holy Year. He goes on to say:
“Sadly, in many situations this is lacking. A first effect of this is the loss of the desire to transmit life. A number of countries are experiencing an alarming decline in the birthrate as a result of today’s frenetic pace, fears about the future, the lack of job security and adequate social policies, and social models whose agenda is dictated by the quest for profit rather than concern for relationships. In certain quarters, the tendency ‘to blame population growth, instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the [real] issues’.
Openness to life and responsible parenthood is the design that the Creator has implanted in the hearts and bodies of men and women, a mission that the Lord has entrusted to spouses and to their love. It is urgent that responsible legislation on the part of states be accompanied by the firm support of communities of believers and the entire civil community in all its components. For the desire of young people to give birth to new sons and daughters as a sign of the fruitfulness of their love ensures a future for every society. This is a matter of hope: it is born of hope and it generates hope.
Consequently, the Christian community should be at the forefront in pointing out the need for a social covenant to support and foster hope, one that is inclusive and not ideological, working for a future filled with the laughter of babies and children, in order to fill the empty cradles in so many parts of our world. All of us, however, need to recover the joy of living, since men and women, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26), cannot rest content with getting along one day at a time, settling for the here and now and seeking fulfilment in material realities alone. This leads to a narrow individualism and the loss of hope; it gives rise to a sadness that lodges in the heart and brings forth fruits of discontent and intolerance.”
The two major topics the Pope addresses here, I think, are firstly, the ‘decline in the birthrate’ in a number of countries, and secondly, a point that calls on all of us to reflect, I think, the line that speaks of us recovering the joy of living. Referring to us being made in the image and likeness of God, he says we must not be content with taking things a day at a time and getting caught up in the material things around us but we need our day to day reality to be hope-filled and not a source of sadness that leads to other problems.