Youth.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
♥ Thursday, May 14, 2009
The fountain of youth, according to egyptologists,is where one finds the water that brings immortality. Man's use of metaphors to describe eternity, and the great promises of happiness, seems embedded in the idea of youth, in the promises of young. Jesus said, "unless you become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Amongst all the mysteries of faith and theology, the church has begun its exploration into the depths behind the mysteries of youth.
If a community is a place where youths come together to grow, then it is also the sanctuary behind which this mystery blossoms and evolves. For there is a congregation of the creative, the brilliant, the prayerful, the leader, the Mary, the Martha, the intellectual, the simple, all of which we cant do without. There is no one more important than the other. But individually, the community brings what st Irenaus calls, "the glory of God" when these persons are made "fully alive". And when all of us youths stand together, we find the words "there I will be in your midst" made real and visible- when a hand reaches out, when a shoulder is offered, when a quiet prayer is said about an anonymous person sick and alone, when one says "i am sorry" and another "me too", when one raises his palms in worship, when a hug is proferred, when the word is shared, when an affirmation is given, when a challenge is posed- all in all, where there is love.
The great mystery behind the youths lies behind the indefatigueable energy to respond to love- amidst the competing chaotic madness of society. What places the youths on the pedestals of all those seeking for somehting more is the simple innocence that some lose, and that others fight desperately to keep. The community of youths sometimes find that the only answer to the shackles of cynicism and chains of disillusionment, is an unceasing faith and a love that transcends human capacities. That is the power behind the actions of a friend i know, who in spite of his struggle with the pain of losing a relationship, continually takes on hte unenviable tasks of heading ministries and orgainizing events- a verse that reminds me of the confusion that Peter must have felt, and the trust in Jesus when he responded "where do we go, Lord, you alone have the message of eternal life".
Of course, one could say that i am painting too rosy a picture, blurring all the issues behind what each community faces. Yet, maybe that is the picture we must have in mind. It is from the Space station, the astronauts realise the green brown and blue that we call Earth, is something wonderfully pure and gentle inspite of what we might read these days on the internet. Sometimes a picture from afar is the picture we have always had, jsut somehow lost along the way. Are there problems? sure. But as a whole, as a collective identity we coin the "youths", can we ascend from them?
The late Pope John Paul decided to theme one of his World Youth Day messages on the verse "Do not be afraid". That is the answer to all of life's questions. Franklin Roosevelt said the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. J K Rowling said we can live life without any mishappenings by living in a protective bubble-but that is a forfeit on life by default. Henry JM Nouwen said, "can a firemen rescue a child in a burning building without risking his life or himself getting burnt?" Courage is the answer- to living an authentic life, following God's call or to simply be vulnerable in sharing one's life.
Looking at the world these days, is it easy to fall into some sort of despair? Sure- its swine flu, genocide, wars, eonomic depression; its floods and famines. Looking at ourselves it is also easy to fall into despair- its unfinished assignments, obligations as a friends, obligations as a child, obligations as a sibling, its the guilt of falling into sin, its the helplessness of falling into habitual sin etc. There is much out there that tells us we are lost. But as the song in Casting Crowns go, "the Voice of Truth, tells me a different story...(it) says do not be afraid". The church has focused on you, the youths. Because it believes that is where the lights of truth and peace, of joy and hope, of ideals still longed for, only waiting to be glimpsed at, will be brought forth, echoing the words of our Lord, "i have come to give you life, and life to the fullest."