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Never give in to the devil's pessimism, discouragement and bitterness, Pope Francis said; Christians need to share the Gospel message with joy and courage because it will truly answer people's deepest needs. Young people also need the wisdom and knowledge of older people, whose insight is like "fine wine that gets better with age," he told the College of Cardinals March 15. His remarks came during a meeting in the Clementine Hall in the apostolic palace with all the cardinals who were present in Rome, including the non-elector cardinals who were over the age of 80 and did not vote in the conclave. Wearing a simple white papal cassock without the red mozzetta, the pope looked relaxed and comfortable during the meeting, diverging often from his prepared text and speaking heart-to-heart in off-the-cuff comments. "Dear brothers, perhaps half of us are in our old age," he said with a smile. But the 76-year-old pope said he likes to think of old age as a sign of wisdom. "Like the elderly Simeon and elderly Anna in the temple," he said, they had the knowledge and wisdom from life's journey to recognize Jesus. "Let's give this knowledge to young people, like fine wine that gets better with age, let's give young people the knowledge of life," he said. In his 13-minute talk, Pope Francis thanked everyone in the college and the Vatican for their support and help during the interregnum. He thanked the faithful who turned out in St. Peter's Square the night of his election March 13, saying the image of so many people gathered in prayer and joy was "still engrained in my mind." He also thanked his "venerated predecessor," retired Pope Benedict XVI, for having "enriched and reinvigorated the church with his magisterium, goodness, guidance, faith, humility and gentleness, which remain as a spiritual heritage for everyone." He said Pope Benedict has "lit a flame deep in our hearts, which will continue to burn because it will be fed by his prayers, which will still support the church in her spiritual and missionary journey." Pope Francis said that, with his pontificate, he will "serve the Gospel with renewed love, helping the church become ever more in Christ and with Christ." In the context of the Year of Faith, established by Pope Benedict, "we will strive to faithfully respond to the continuing mission: Bring Jesus Christ to humanity and lead people to an encounter with Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life," he said. Pope Francis recalled his predecessor's message that it is Christ through his spirit, not individuals, leading the church through history. "We never give in to pessimism, that bitterness that the devil offers us every day," knowing the Holy Spirit's life-giving and unifying force is at work, he told the cardinals. Never give in to discouragement either, he said, because "we have the firm certainty that the Holy Spirit gives the church, with its powerful breeze, the courage to persevere and also to find new methods of evangelization, to bring the Gospel to the far ends of the earth." "The Christian truth is attractive and persuasive because it responds to humanity's deepest needs," he said, adding that the Gospel is as valid and applicable to the world today as it was thousands of years ago.