ECCLESIA IN ASIA AND YOUTH MINISTRY
Youth
is periods of dreams, visions, ideas and an overflow of energy and enthusiasm.
Sometimes the youth is also a period of recklessness, thoughtlessness and
governed by passions and emotion. Sometimes the youth overstep the limits of
moderation and courts trouble and suffering. The young people also today
looking for models. They are looking for guides who will not only show them the
way but also go the way with them. They are ready to do anything in order to
give meaning to their lives. But if they do not find anyone who can guide them
in their search, they easily get satisfied with a comfortable life and take
refuge in a world of their own. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia
in Asia of Pope John
Paul II
invites all those who are involved in the pastoral care of the young towards a
paradigm shift. Thus the Church should enable the young people of Asia to be “effective agents of mission that is, to
enhance the evangelising power of the young by offering them a suitable
pastoral care imbibe “the mind of Christ ”. In this
paper I present briefly the fundamental paradigm that the document Ecclesia in
Asia offers for youth ministry in Asia .
1.0 A Shift from Christendom to Mission
In the
first Christian community a “mission culture” was born. But with the conversion
of Roman emperor in the 4th
century AD a “Christendom culture” was born. The Post-synod document reaffirms
the original “mission culture” where every Christian is called to carry out the
evangelising mission entrusted to them.
1.1 A Mission Culture in Youth Ministry
The
mission culture in the youth ministry encourages the youth to search and
experience Christ and His message. The heart of the
mission culture is dynamics of evangelisation.
2.0 From Activity –Oriented to
Process-_Oriented
There
is a paradigm shift in mission culture from activity-oriented to
process-oriented youth ministry.
2.1 Basis for
Process-Oriented Youth Ministry
A
process-oriented youth ministry accepts that reality is ever changing and becoming
and that god, through Jesus Christ is the source of
this creative growth and development and the youth ministers are only assisting
in it.
2.2 A Fundamental
Requirement of Process-Oriented Youth Ministry
The
process-oriented youth ministry involves a holistic community approach. If it
does not involve then it may be seen as activity-oriented youth ministry.
2.3 Foundation of
Process-Oriented Youth Ministry
The
incarnation event of Jesus Christ offers the
foundation of the process-oriented youth ministry. They propose two essential
dimensions: the relational and the content corresponding to the two fundamental
characteristics of Jesus , shepherd and
prophet
2.3.1 Shepherd
Dimension of Youth Ministry
The
shepherd dimension of the youth ministry implies the shepherds’ or pastors’
dedication to the young. It also points to his attitudes that conquer the young
by gentelness, loving kindness, and feriendship and self-giving. He helps the
young to realise God’s plan for them.
2.3.2 Prophetic
Dimension of Youth Ministry
The
prophetic dimension of the youth ministry invites the youth minister to be a
believer in Jesus Christ and to speak the young in
His name. This is realised through the various message and programmes offered
to the young, where the ministers transform their lives according to the
fundamental truth of life.
2.4 Naming the Process
The
names of the processes in the youth ministry:
bringing, transforming, strengthening and sending.
2.5 Some Guidelines for Process-Oriented
youth ministry
A
process-oriented youth ministry is Christ centred.
It makes the young to explore their own human and Christian growth and lead
them to commit themselves toward the service of the community. It acknowledges
the individuality, uniqueness and gradual of growth a young person.
3 Guiding the young to discern their Life-Choice
A
process-oriented youth ministry helps the young people to discern their
life-choice. And this process is understood as the crown and culmination of all
process-oriented youth ministry. Ordinarily this process culminates in leading
the young to assume a specific role or service as an adult in the Christian
community and in the society.
CONCLUSION
One of
the greatest problems, which Church faces today, is
the faith formation and human formation of the youth. In other words how to
lead the youth according to gospel values is the concern of the church today.
It is said that if a parish priest could control and lead the youth in the
right way then half of his ministry is successful. Because are the backbone of
the Church or the Parish for that matter. So there is a great need or rather an
urgency of the youth ministry in the Church.
Of course there lies a great challenge and the task for
the pastors to lead the youth in a right way. Today the scientific and modern
world offers the youth all sorts of comforts and attractions. The mass media
give them all sorts of information and entertainment. The youth today have the
tendency to adapt the values of the world as their own. And when they look at
the Church, they often feel that she is out-dated and out of the touch with the
modern world. In this situation we need to have a greater amount of talents,
skills, creativities and charismatic qualities in order to work with the youth.
We need to think much beyond what the world thinks for the youth today, so that
we can attract the youth towards us. Always there should be close contact or
relationship between the Church and the youth. For this, first of all we must
have the Christian Youth Associations in our village, parish, deanery, diocese,
country and continent levels and at large in the universal church. Within this
levels according to the need we can have different programmes and activities
like youth camps, prayer meetings, charismatic convention, training programmes,
cultural programmes, picnic, excursion, educational tour etc. In the village
the youth can do a good amount of works like arranging prayer meetings, daily
rosary, liturgical celebration, tuition of the students, visiting the sick,
cleaning the village, helping the villagers in their need etc. So youth can
involve themselves in different activities and by those there can be close
contact between Church and the youth. The pastors can makes of such occasions
to the youth religion and morals and also reveal them that they the active
agents and co-workers of the mission of the Church and social change.
To lead the youth we definitely need
committed pastors and animators who can see the holistic development of the
youth including their life-choice. This is what the Apostolic Exhortation urges
the pastors in Asia to move into new paradigm
shift in its ministry and care for the young people. The youth ministry in Asia is really a great need. So we should go forward with
it unceasingly till we achieve the goal.
The
Youth Apostolate
The youth today are
designated by different phrases like – “John Paul II generation”, the
“sentinels of morning” generation, “youth, hope of families”, “youth for
peace”, “first apostles of the young” etc. Today youth are not only the future
of the world but are also the present precious treasures of the Church. The
gatherings of youth for convention, charismatic renewal, Taize Prayer organized
by youth groups, youth workshop etc. are the affirmations of their gifts of
youthfulness, strength and enthusiasm to aspire to a higher dimension of life.
One of the fields
of the youth apostolate is evangelisation. The Vatican II, in its Decree on the
Apostolate of Lay People (A.C. -12)
says that the young should become the first apostles of the young, in direct
contact with them. This exhortation reminds me of the fact as how the people of
Arunachal Pradesh Assam
Young people exert
a very important influence in modern society. The circumstances of their life,
their habits of thought, their relations with their families have a
transforming effect. With regard to the Christian youth, the growth of their
social importance demands from them a corresponding apostolic activity. Endowed
with natural ardour and exuberant energy, they shoulder responsibilities
entrusted to them and are eager to take their place in social and cultural life
when awareness of their own personality is riped. If this enthusiasm is
penetrated with the spirit of Christ , animated by a
sense of obedience and love towards the pastors of the Church and the people, a
very enriching harvest can be reaped as cited with an example above.
Youth should not
shrink back saying “I do not know how to speak, for I am still young”. The Lord
assures “you shall speak whatever I command you”; therefore, “do not be afraid
of them” (Jer 1:7-8). With this comforting words of the Lord for the youth, the
appropriate motto of the youth towards doing the youth apostolate would be: To
lead …
To serve …
To shine …
I shall like to
conclude it with the mission of the ICYM, released in the memento which will
remind every youth today with a purpose to be accomplished. The Mission
-
To serve the nation with
integrity through dialogue.
-
Form and witness Christian
values by preparing ourselves for the sacrament of service.
-
Create value based leaders.
-
Analyse and create employment
or alternate employment.
-
Think freely, speak responsibly
and write creatively.
INTRODUCTION
The Youth of today are the hope of the Church tomorrow. In
the course of time the whole Church will be in their hand. Today in many parts
of the world youth receives special attention because youth are playing special
role in nation building. There has been a growing volume of discussion about
the betterment of the youth in the world. If our Church has to grow more then
responsibilities should be given to youth. The modern Church of today is loaded
with many problems such as political, social, educational and economical,
beside these problems there are other problems also such as fundamentalism,
different culture, language, persecution of religions, caste system, a high gap
between poor and the rich since from the beginning of the world and the Church.
Of course today no one can deny the fact that, the youth of toady are the
backbone of the Church. How the Church would be tomorrow depends upon how her
young men and women live their lives. Therefore the Church must accept young
people best capable of building up a New
Church
There is no autonomous culture for
youth. Because of their age, they remain quite receptive at this growing age.
Therefore surroundings and the social system around them affect a lot of their
personality development. Youth go through traumatic changes at many different
levels. They are in favour of stable relationships but lack the commitment to
sustain it. This is a period of searching, questioning, mood swings, mistakes,
adventure, independence and idealism. In their growth process, they show their
commitment to role models too.
Therefore it is a great task for the Church to guide young people
in their search for meaning and their discovery of the eternal world. They want
to forgo all that is superficial in them and become conscious human beings.
They want to be awake, aware and alive. The Church must guide them to become
something, so that they may feel, think and act for themselves. God does not
want from the youth that is artificial or beyond their capacity, rather church
invites what is most authentic in every one of them to become alive. Today the
church invites the youth to reflect on the deeper aspects of their life and
destiny. Therefore spiritual guidance of youth calls for new heart, new
attitude, new relationship and the new world vision, new form and starting
point, new style of life, new experience of God, new communication and new
techniques. The Church meant to guide the youth in the discovery of their
vocation; the Church should enlighten their life. The young people have a
tendency to make the value of the world their own values. The youths are very
eager to understand the significance of what is happening in the world and in
the church. The young people will understand much more of what we say when they
are engaged in some action of one form or another. Therefore to believe in the
church is to be active in the society. Though we easily accept that the youth
are the most effective agents of development at the same time we cannot deny
the fact that the realities of the day. The compulsions of every day life have
made our society an adult oriented one. To understand properly the youthful
church I have divided this thesis into three chapters. In the First Chapter I
have highlighted on the church’s growth, development, it’s Mission Youthful
Church
3
CHAPTER
ONE
THE CONCEPT AND
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH
The Church is memory of Christ
or the sacrament of salvation. It is a great mystery and we are all the
followers of Christ . (Acts. 1l: 26) in Antioch Christ . Here we find Eucharist which links with all
community, linked with past and present.
1.1 The Concept of the Church
In some western languages the word “Church” comes
either from a Germanic root “kirika”. It has derived from Greek word, with the
idea of “house of God”. Hence the English word church has it foundation in the
Greek word “kuriakos”. In short form kuriakos domos. It means “place or house”.
Kuriakos means belonging to Lord. It refers to the building and people. It is
not only the structure, which gather people or community.
We also find in the Lxx ekklesia tou theou (of God) to
refer to the assembly of the people of Sinai and other religious occasions. In
the Old Testament we find the term Quahal. The word Quahal is used in a
religious meaning or religious assembly (Deut, 4:l0, 23:2-3). Often in the Old
Testament the Hebrew word Quahal of the Lord. The primary Quahal Yahweh is the
assembly of people of Israel called by God to hear His word, and to be partner
of His covenant and to be at His service (Deut 5:l9, Num l6: 3,Mic2: 5).
In the New Testament some scholar suggest that
ekklesia was chosen deliberately in opposition to the Jewish synagogue (used of
the Christian community only in Jas 2:2). What ever the Semitic background of
the word ekklesia the New Testament idea is originally that of an
eschatological people gathered together by Jesus .
Ekklesia first referred to the local community and only in the later Deutro- Pauline Colosians Paul to the ekklesia are in the
context of a particular assembly in a house. Example the house of Aquila and
Prisca (1Cor l6:l9) in a city like Thessalonica, and area like Galatians, (l:
2, 22) Judea . In early writings ekklesia has a
purely restricted usage, more over, it would seem that the term “Church of God Gal ,
l: l3, Phil , 3:6).
We live out over spiritual lives within the church.
The Church is a multi splendour reality. Like sheepfold and the door, flock and
the shepherd, vineyard and the vine, house and the builder, Temple and the
altar, bride and husband etc. The fact that the church is here on earth a
reflection of the Trinitarian community easily leads us to reflect upon the
Church as the body of Christ . Some two thousand
years ago Christ walked on this earth, teaching,
healing the sick, forgiving sins, extending his mercy and kindness. By such a
life Jesus culminated in death and
resurrection and redeemed the world. Jesus
still walks on this earth as the work of redemption continues. However, He now
walks on this earth according to a different type of existence. He does not
walk on this earth in His physical body, but rather in His mystical body the
Church. Through the members of His Church, Christ
continues to be present as He teaches, administers the sacraments, and extends
His mercy. Now every thing is done through the members of His body the
Church.
Therefore the Church is the earthly continuation of Christ ’s redemptive Incarnation. This Mission that the
Church has a great responsibility, and also a great privilege. Thus each
Christians offers and commits himself or herself to Christ .
The Church is a mystery of grace, a wonderful encounter between the divine and
the human. Even in its visible structures, the Church is not a mere
organization to be judged on grounds of efficiency, but a Sacrament of God’s
saving deed in Jesus Christ . There fore the Church
must be a place of prayer and worship, praise and witness.
The Church is like our mother;
therefore Henri
De Lubac
1.2 What is the Church Made For?
“For God so loved the
world that he gave his only son, so that every one who believes in him may not
perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the son into the
world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through
him” (Jn. 3:16-17). It is a sociological necessity, psychological or
theological necessity. God could have saved the world by a single word by He
did not do that because He sends his only son to establish the communion on
earth. Jesus is the only mediator and Church is the mediator of Christ .
There is only one purpose that what is the Church made
for. The Church is made “for the love of man. God loves us all. When one knows
that he is loved by God, he changes himself and becomes a transformed person.
Therefore, to have faith is to know that we are loved by God.
1.2.1 The Church is made for Our Salvation
Lumen Gentium 14 speaks
about the necessary of salvation. Christ is present
to us in his body, which is the Church. There fore we are compelled by faith to
believe and hold. We firmly believe in the Church. Therefore all we need the
Church, the Church helps to attain our salvation. Our personal salvation is not
linked with member of God’s Church but God’s kingdom. The God’s kingdom is wide
open for every one. Thus the Church is the same or to say the way of our salvation.
1.2.2 The Church is made for our Spiritual Nourishment
and Spiritual Growth
In this world
Church provides her children spiritual food, in so
many ways. Through our baptism we are children of God, and we are member of the
Church. The spiritual foods are sacraments, prayers and Eucharist.
1.2.3 The Church is made for our Christian Unity
All the members of the Church are one in Jesus
Christ (Rom. Christ
Jesus St. Paul
1.2.4 The Church is made for Universal Brotherhood and
Sisterhood
The Church is not only an organization but it is a
communion of people where all persons can relate to one another as brother and
sister. Thus the Church is unity of persons who relates in faith. So we become brother and sister through faith
in Jesus Christ . It is true that Church
always gathers community but not limited to a particular place or time. No
place can limit or enclose the Church within its limit. The spiritual and
universal aspect of Church goes beyond space and place. The Church is made for
all. This is not a restricted Church.The
Church Christ . Thus God is the centre of the
people, who gives equality and dignity.
1.3 The Mission
1.3.1 The Terminology of the word “Mission
The word “mission” has derived from the Latin word “Missio”,
and the verb form “mitere” appears quite frequently in the Latin Bible, which
corresponds to the word “send”. In the English translation biblical scholars
has related these two words “mission” and “sending”. For the equivalent term in
the Hebrew Old Testament is “shalach” and “apostello” in both Septuagint and
the Greek New Testament. Both stands for the biblical Language of “sending”
which is a very rich concept in the whole Bible. Through the bible we have
realised the concept of mission is an ever-evolving process; God is a God of
mission. God wills, commands and demands.
1.3.2 Mission
There is no basis for missionary activity in the Old
Testament. No missionary commission of the people of God is recorded in
it. A rare exception is the Book of
Jonah. “Though there is no explicit divine commission to evangelise the
nations, certain decisive basic feature of it can be traced from the Old
Testament which ultimately come to fruition in the New Testament. [Vellanickal
1973:57][2]
The unique mission of O.T. is the covenantal relation
between Yahweh and people of Israel Israel
1.3.3 Mission
In the New Testament we see that the Divine mission was
fundamental to the life and activity of Jesus .
We can see this in these explicit phrases “ I have been sent” “I have come” son
of man has come to announce the Gospel (Mk. 1:38, Lk. 4:43). To fulfil the law
and the prophets (Lk. 12:49) to call not the just but sinners. (Mk. 2:17) to seek out and save that was lost
(Lk. 19:10) to save and give his life as ransom for many (Mk. 10:45). The Church
on earth is by its very nature missionary, since it has its origin in the
mission of the son and the Holy Spirit. The task of spreading the good news to
the whole world is given to the community of believers by Christ
himself.
Thus we see that the person and ministry of Jesus is
the corner stone of Christians mission anywhere and at any time. The real
mission begins after the death and resurrection of Jesus .
Through this experience the disciples understood their mission “the good news
must first be proclaimed to all the nations (Mk. 13:10) and make disciples of
all nations” (Mt. 28:19). Thus mission is rooted in the encounter with the
risen Christ . It was only the act of the risen Lord
that brought them together and made them all missionaries.
1.3.4 The Basis of Mission
The missionary command is not like military commander
who gives orders. It is an expression of a deep experience, an expression of
our faith in Christ . The apostles comprehended
“their mission only through the words of the risen Lord, “go out to the whole
world, proclaim the good news to all creation (Mk. 16:16) “go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the son and the Holy Spirit (Mt. 28:19). As Kane puts it, “The Church is under orders
… to preach … to make disciples” [1976:44][3]
1.3.5 Mission
Since
we are called upon to be evangelisers and herald of the good news in today’s
world. As the New Israel of God, it is our right and duty to collaborate with
God in the work of liberating the human race. In the words of John Paul
II Christ to spread
the faith by word and deed. Pope John Paul II in his recent encyclical letter
invites the community of believers to be alert to new opportunities in the
field of missionary activity. He says, “God is opening before the Church the
horizons of a humanity more fully, prepared for the sowing of the Gospel. I
sense that the moment has come to commit all of the Churches energies to a new
evangelisation and to the mission ad gentes. No believer in Christ ,
no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty. To proclaim Christ to all peoples.”[5]
Thus every Christian
considers his or her mission as something vital to his or her existence. St. Paul
1.4 The Growth of the Church
In this section we will see that how the Church grows,
it’s foundation and its birth and characteristic of the Church for whom Jesus Christ was crucified by the leaders of Jerusalem
1.4.1 The Foundation of the Church
During Jesus ’
lifetime he had spoken many times about the Church, and this saying of Jesus now really has come into existence. In the Matthew ’s Gospel (16:18) we find that “and I tell
you, you are Peter and on this rock I
will build my church, and gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” Jesus builds his Church on the faith of the Peter . Before the Council Peter
said: “this Jesus is the stone that
was rejected by you, the builders, it has become the corner stone” (Acts 4:11).
Jesus Christ himself is the corner stone, and
Apostles are the very foundations of the Church. The Church, which was founded
by Jesus , was built on the Apostle’s
faith. In (Acts 1:8) Jesus said to his
apostles “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witness in Jerusalem , in all
Judea and Samaria
Keeping
in mind this saying of Jesus the
Apostles were waiting for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes in the form of
fire and rested on them (acts 2:4). All of them were filled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the spirit gave them ability. Jesus says, “truly I tell you, whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven (Mt.18: 18). At the last supper Jesus eats with
his disciples (Lk.22: 17-20) we find specially in (v. 19) that “then he took a
loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them
saying, “this is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me.
In (v. 20) this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my
blood.” Jesus gives order to this
until the kingdom
of God Jesus continues his work on earth by sharing his
power and authority so that his mission will may go on. Before the ascension of
Jesus the apostles were crowned by
many gifts and power, so that they may; continue his work on this earth. Jesus assures to his Apostles (Mt. 28:19) “ and
remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Here we find that the
Apostles as the real foundations of the Church, with Christ
himself as the corner stone, prepare to receive the full structure of the
Church.
1.4.2 The Birth of the Church
A long awaited promise of the Father is fulfilled in
the New Testament, especially at the coming of the Holy Spirit. After the death
of Jesus the Apostles were terrified
and they were hiding themselves in one place. There the Holy Spirit comes in
the form of fire and rested on each of them. The Holy Spirit enabled them to
speak many languages. The Holy Spirit took away their fear. Now they are
courageous and bold. They came out on the street and began to preach. “This
preaching, with the resulting conversion, was the immediate effect of the
receiving of the Holy Spirit. The transformation was complete: the work has
started: the building of the Church on the foundation of the apostles had
begun.”[6] Seeing their success the apostles were very happy and
encouraged by the Holy Spirit. Peter
preached very boldly to the crowed, you people crucified the Son of God, and
you are rejoicing at his death, but God had raised him up. Jesus is alive once again. People were surprised to
hear this and said that they had gone mad. The people did not know that “the
early Church was Spirit filled Church and precisely there in lay the secret of
its power.”[7] The Apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit. What
Holy Spirit inspired them to do they did.
For
example in (Acts. 8) Philip converts
the Ethiopian Eunuch. Peter also led by the word of the Holy Spirit in (Acts
10:19 ff.) also Peter was in Jerusalem, he says that the Spirit told me to go
with them and not make distinction between them and us (Acts 11:12). And also
in (Acts 13) the Holy Spirit is setting apart Barnabas
and Paul . Paul ’s
entire life was depended on the Holy Spirit. His personality and character
developed and moulded by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal
outpouring of the spirit is the beginning of the Church or to say the birth of
the Church. This is how the mission of Jesus Christ
is carried out by the spirit. And here comes the birth and existence of the
Church.
1.5 The Growth of the Church
The seed, which was sawn in the hearts of the apostles
that seed gradually grows day by day, it is the work of the Holy Spirit that
makes grow to the Church. And also the hard work of Peter
and Paul and other apostles. The
Apostles began to preach the good news and from here the Church begins to grow
form Jerusalem
1.5.1 The Geographical Growth
The Church begins to grow form Jerusalem Jerusalem Corinth , Ephesus , Macedonia
and Greece , Toras, Miletus , Rome , Malta , Asia Minor .
Paul went to other places also. In
this way we see how the Church geographically grows.
1.5.2 Numerical and Spiritual Growth of the Church
The Church grows numerical way also. While Peter was addressing to the crowd of Judea and Jerusalem Peter and there was first
conversion. In (Acts 2:41) “so those who welcomed his message were baptized and
that day about three thousand person were added.” They also grow in spiritual
life. When John and Peter were preaching to the people about risen Lord
in Jerusalem they were arrested by the Jerusalem Philip converted the
Ethiopian Eunuch. And in (Acts 10) Cornelius and
many gentles accepted Samaria , Philip went to Samaria Simon
and his wife. Peter and John also come to Samaria Philip also baptised Ethiopian Eunuch then he went to
Gaza Peter
went to Lydda and Joppa. In Joppa
Peter Tabitha . In (Acts 10:) when Peter
was in Ceasaria
Cornelius Jesus . Peter
also went to Antioch Stephen had travelled as far as Phaoenicia , Cyprus ,
and Antioch Antioch Christos .
The Greek version of the name of Jesus .
1.6 The Characteristic of the Church
The
conversed people became very devoted to the apostles and learnt from the
apostles that what they would do in their daily life. Therefore the Church
becomes fast learning church. These are some characteristics of the Church.
1.6.1 A Learning
Church
There were no Church building in the beginning, but
people gathered under a tree, an open-air ground, and if any one’s house is
quite big enough then they were gathering there and they were listening to the
apostles. Seeing this few people and others are also started and coming to
listen the word of God. From the beginning, the Church is a learning Church,
and one who is in this Church is always learning Christian .
There fore learning or knowledge has no end that means learning never ends.
1.6.2 A Praying Church
Besides
learning so many things the Church also started praying. They were gathering
for every day prayer. When they prayed they also broke the bread and shared
among themselves. Other people saw these praying people and they considered
that these people are wasting time. But it was not the wasting time rather
uniting themselves with God. They praised God in their prayer. Some people said
about Abraham
Lincoln
1.6.3 A Sharing and Caring Church
In Acts (2:44-45) we find that all who believed were
together and had all things in common. They would sell their possessions and
goods and distributed the proceeds to all, as any one needed. In this verse we find that early Church was
sharing and caring Church . Those who were rich they
shared their wealth to the poor people. It was a lovely custom that Church has practiced in the past. In those days Sunday was
called “love feast.” Every Sunday they used to come together and they were
bringing something with them according to their capacity. They were collecting
together and shared among themselves.
1.6.4 A Worshiping Church
Acts (2:46) tells about worshiping Church. Christians
came daily to the temple and worshiping God. During this time they broke the
bread. Also they broke the bread in their home itself, and they were eating it
with gladness and with generous heart. It means they never forgot to go Church for worship.
1.6.5 A Happy and Brotherly Church
Acts
(2:46) also shows that the early Church was a happy Church. They ate their food
with glad and generous hearts. It shows that the Christians were very happy to
share their food among their neighbours and other people. Therefore the early
Church was a happy Church, sharing happiness with each other. The early Church was also a brotherly Church.
The Christians had brotherly concern for each other. They could talk with each
other; they were friend of each other and were happy with each other. There was
the spirit of togetherness, a sense of belongingness in the Church.
1.6.6 The Grateful Church
Acts (2:47) tell us that the early Church was praising
Church, the early Christians spent time in praising and thanking God for what
God had done in their life.
1.7 The Concept and Growth of the Youth
A Youth is one who is having lot of potentiality and
quality in himself. When we analyse the word “youth” we find so many qualities
in youth. Let us examine the each letter of the word “youth”. As we know the
word “youth” begins with the letter “y”. The letter “y” stands for “young” or
‘youthfulness”. “O” stands for “openness” or “obedient”, “U” stands for
“usefulness” or “unity”. “T” stands for “truthfulness” and “tolerance” “h”
stands for “honest” or “happiness”.
Thus a youth is filled with these so many qualities.
In other ways we can say about youth. Gold silver and precious pearls, which
makes the eye blind, which shakes the heart and mind, that treasure is no other
than our youth. Thus the youths are the treasure of whole mankind. Youth have
their own fun, their own world. In them there is beauty, there is smile, there
is energy, strength and wealth, every thing is there in this treasure.
Youthfulness is treasure of strength. So to say youths are like a store of
energy. It is like generator, which gives light to others. Youthfulness comes
only once. Therefore youths are the key of strength and energy. It has the
power of building and destroying. Therefore Benjamin Disraeli
Today the Church has realized the power and strength
of the youths, the Church consider youth as the pillars and the backbone of the
Church, because the future of the Church depends on the youth. In this modern
time the Church need their energy and powers. Therefore the Church welcomes the
youth to meditate on the deepest level of their day-to-day life.
1.7.1 The Growth of Youth
In today’s gigantic and mechanical society the young
people feel themselves uncertain and alienated. The increasing maturity of
young adult demands pedagogy of creativity and not just of assimilation.
Today’s youth is both the most religious and the least religious period of
life, among the problem of life, there is one which is the young people have
had to face all through their adolescence, the problem the their moral
behaviour, the young people grow accustomed to exercising methodical doubt and
relativizing the conclusions of various disciplines. By playing off against
each other, they develop a critical mind. The young adult’s religious development
depends on several factors, the mental growth to this period of life, the
personal history of each individual, the society that he or she lives. The
modes of knowledge, which are most preferred, are society at a given time.
1.7.2 The Important Stage for Religious Thought
It is seen that the religious thought of youth begins
form the adolescence. In this stage of intelligence is accompanied by a
resurgence of intellectual egocentrism. Development is slower in religious than
in any other field of experience. After adolescence there is danger of an undue
prolongation of this genetic lag between religious thinking and thinking in
other fields of experiences. According to their social context and the
formation-received earlier, some young people would end by judging religious
thought to be infantile and would abandon the faith. While other continue to
think the non-religious areas of life with a passive religious thinking.
Therefore the end of adolescence is a time of prime importance for the future development
of religious thought. The religious thought is provided by the analysis of the
genetic structure of the ideas of God. It is true that our study of religious
thinking shows us that young men and women must be confronted with the reality
of faith in a solid and serious way. “It is true that religious maturity cannot
come unless the objects of faith are related to the life of the young, and
reciprocally the life of the youth is related to the faith.”[11]
Faith
is the gift of God. In modern time the sense of spiritual awareness is lost.
One may abandon one’s faith. That is why the growth of faith in the life of a
person may be moving experiences, because modern mentality makes youth to
believe in Jesus . At the same time
they impressed by the new discoveries they make in various sciences. Therefore
affective religious maturity is the result of a slowly own victory. Thus the
development of religious thought does not consist in passing form the preformal
stage to a formal stage.
1.7.3 Religious Attitude of the Youth
The
attitude of rejection is the most noteworthy among the eighteen to twenty one
year old young people. In a broad sense, the young express rejection or
withdraw and keep their distance, or in concern for authenticity and truth. The
ambiguous religious behaviour has been replaces by indifference when all
energies are monopolized by tangible goals religion is changed into a political
or social ideology. They embrace in an undifferentiated rejection, the
functional region of adolescence with its guilt feelings and need of
compensation. The religious images of childhood and false image of God passed
on by adults. Therefore the religious formation must be revised after
adolescence does not necessarily imply that earlier religious education was in it
self had or harmful.
“The
problematic of college students shows that the religious sense if usually the
most persistent realty in college age youth. Even when orthodox faith is
questioned and religious practice is jettisoned.”[12] The Religious sense finds partial expression in many
young men and women. Today the path travelled by the young is their religious
alienation. Therefore we should stress on the strengthening of the religious
sense, the deepening of dogmatic faith and the establishing of the bonds of
ecclesial belonging. Education in faith will mean for them a deepening of
existence and an unfolding of its meaning. Therefore we should try to revive
the religious sense of the sacred in eighteen to twenty one year old people.
Otherwise what happens the religious attitude disappears and a human religion
takes its place. Thus we should remember that “the believer reaches a more
differentiated and developed religious thought as he tries to be faithful to
the reality of faith, that is, to the word of God revealed in Jesus
Christ .”[13]
1.7.4 Integration of Religious Attitude into the Youth
The
early years very important for the formation of san attitude of faith or an
attitude of unbelief. Of course each period of life also has its own
importance. Therefore it is very important to know the role, which the period
of youth plays in the transformation of religious attitude. The most important
religious attitude is its comprehensive and normally integrative character.
“The religious attitude is among the most comprehensive of all attitude since
it unifies, centralizes and integrates all the individual’s values within a
personalized synthesis.”[14] When the religious attitude integrates the totality
of values, religious sentiments exercise a positive influence on the young
adults other attitudes. Therefore one should foster certain attitudes, which
are important in religious education like – openness, creativity, commitment,
and freedom.
Christianity
is based on love. Therefore every growth in faith demands openness to the world
and commitment to others. There fore to open oneself is in turn to make
possible an openness to faith, for “we can hardly be mistaken in claiming that
growth of religious sense goes hand in hand with growth in the gift of self.”[15] In this modern world we see that the participation in
the Church becoming less and less. Why this is happening? As we known the youth
in their growing adolescence they don’t pay much attention to the religion or
religious practises. Today the Church has to show the youth a new direction,
because they need the new way of living in the Church. The stability of
religious belonging depends on the quality of developmental level of religious
thought. Thus the verification of Christian identity includes ecclesial
belonging and religious and sacramental practice.
Conclusion
As we have
seen the concept and growth of the Church, its purpose, its mission, its
characteristic and also we have analysed the concept of youth and its growth.
By studying all these factors of the Church we come into conclusion that the
Church is a school, where truth and human spirit meet together and reveal
themselves. They become the part of a living community, in which union does not
mean oppression or uniformity, but rather demands mutual giving with a common
purpose, with mutual respect and love, which we find in the characteristic of
the Church. Thus we see that the Church is not a merely a social organisation
of human welfare, instead she is the privilege place of encounter between God
an men, the visible plan of God’s love for humanity, the sacrament of salvation
and the inner union and communion of the human person with God. Therefore the
Church exists to serve and continue the mission of Christ
in the world. Church is the sign and instrument of
the salvation in Christ . The Church, as a community
of inner communion with God and men, invites others to join her fold, through
baptism and insertion and ecclesial community (E.A. No. 17, 18, 24).
Today
the Church has understood the important and energy of youth. Therefore she
invites all her young children to carry out the good news to the whole world.
The young people also have acknowledged their power to build a new Church and
nation. Now they understand their responsibility in the Church. The Youth have
to play a specific role in the Church. It is up to the young people today to
show the world that Christ , the true Christ ,
who is living always in the church. (Apostolicam –actuositatem 12) says “young
people exert influence of highest importance in modern society … their
heightened influence in modern society demands a correspondingly active
apostolate form them ... even children have apostolic work to do.”
CHAPTER TWO
THE CHURCH TEACHING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH
Today
the Church’s eyes are on the young people. The Church Documents are focusing on
the importance of youth in the Church. Today the Church is encouraging,
affirming and supporting the youth. The Church wants that her all young people
should be the partakers in the ministry of Jesus Christ
2.1 The Church Documents on the Importance of Youth
The papal encyclical letters namely, Gaudium et Spes, Evangelii Nuntiandi , Redemptoris Missio Asia speaks about the
important of youth in the church. All these letters addressed to all sections
of the church, as renewed and emphatic call for active Missionary ad Gentes. In
these letters we seek to highlight on youth because in the present day world,
youth are entering into more and more pivotal roles in society. All these
Encyclical letters speaks about Missionary attitude which is summed up in the
call to the evangeliser to walk along with young in the journey of faith, which
means the proclamation of the Gospel
2.2 Ways of
Youth Evangelising
Ecclesia
in Asia stress more on the evangelization of
youth. It says that young should become the evangelisers of the young. There
fore youth should be given the task of evangelization, to welcome them and to
understand their life. The Church should promote a climate of sincere and open
dialogue with other group of people. “The young people should be formed to a
solid spiritual life of prayer and contemplation, so that they can discover God
and his salvific action in every day realities, specially in situation of
poverty and suffering.”16 The Evangelization of the young is their integral
education specially those who are poor. Education makes them capable of meeting
their dignity. It develops their capacity to think, it makes them free, it gives
the positive sense of their own life. Thus education becomes the sign of the
Gospel. Today the Church is busy in forming the youth and giving a solid
catechetical formation such as spiritual formation, which helps the young
people to relate Jesus in their lives.
Young people have to be helped to stay attuned to the voice of God inspiring
and calling them to active and permanent commitment.
2.2.1 Baptism makes us a New Creation
Through baptism we have entered into new reality, the
new life and social context. So we have a bound ourselves to Christ ,
we have become living stone of the building and of a temple. C.C.C 1213 says, “
Holy baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gate way to life in
the spirit and the door which gives access to the others sacraments. Through
baptism we are freed from sins and reborn as sons of God, we become members of Christ are incorporative in to the Church and made shares in
her mission; “ Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the
word.”
Baptism
makes us alive in Jesus Christ . Even we die we will
be always alive in Jesus Christ . So baptism not only
makes us in a special way part of God’s family but it also makes all of us into
a family of Church. This is not about the Church building but about people.
About each one of us, so we are called to be a community of faith. As we know a
new born baby has to be fed and nourished for his growth. So Jesus knew that we would need special food, so he
gave to us his own body as bread and his blood as drink in the Eucharist in
order to nourish and strengthen us. So what is our response to this new
creation? We need to share our faith among our friends and people of our own
age. We have to reach out the people who are not accepted in the society. To
those who are down trodden, suffering and poor, reach out to them and make them
known to this new creation and new life.
2.2.2 God is Calling to Youth
Today Christ is calling all
the youths of world. God saved us by sending his only son Jesus
Christ . God has fulfilled his promise of eternal happiness in Jesus Christ . Today Jesus
is calling to announce the good news of his saving grace to others those who do
not know the Christ . Therefore Jesus
is telling to the youth you must spread the knowledge of the good news to one
self, to one’s family, one’s neighbours, and friends, one’s village society and
in the country. There are many people who do not know Christ .
Make them heard the message of gospel. “We have to proclaim the good news of
salvation to them so that they too, along with us, can hope for and live by the
eternal happiness given through Jesus Christ .”17 In
this troubled world we have to make the God’s kingdom. It will be possible if
we have strong faith in God. We have to renew our resolution to do so.
2.2.3 Youth must Shine as Light of the World
2.2.4 Bear the Witness of Christ
We are
called to bear witness of Jesus .
“To bear witness is to attest the reality of an event by giving to the
affirmation of it all the solemnity which the circumstances require.”19 In
the Old Testament we have seen both witness of the people and witness of God.
In the New Testament Jesus is
presented as the faithful witness (Rev. 1 :5 ,
3:14) who has come into the world to bear witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37). In
Acts (1:8) “you shall be my witnesses to the ends of the earth. “As Jesus bore witness to god’s unbounded love by his
heroic life. The Christian ought to reflect Jesus ’
compassion, forgiveness and love. Thus a genuine Christian life is a living
witness of fidelity to Jesus . Today
laities are asked not merely to offer their prayers, time and money for the
spread of the gospel but themselves. Therefore the laities witness to Christ consists in bringing about radical changes in society
and in collaborating with others in the right ordering of social and economic
affaires. Therefore Pope John
Paul II
in his Encyclical Redemptoris Missio says” the church needs you dear young
people. Or rather you are the church, you represent the frontlines of the
Church in society. There is an urgent need for a new Evangelisation. We are
called to this new Evangelisation, specially the laity, and among them, you,
dear young people. In the schools, in the universities, in the work places, the
parish communities and in all other environments in which you are active, you
must bear witness to this reality of mutual love. So the witness that you must
live is to live as youth, joyful, cheerful decided, always ready to give
yourself for others.
2.3 The Words of John Paul II
The world youth day was celebrated in August 1993 in Denver Christ ,
are new journeying along the pathways of the world. On this day when John Paul
II Christ , so that you can be his faithful
witness. May Christ always be the light of your
lives and may he strengthen you for the challenges before you as witness to
other young people, be strong and courageous in your Christian life. Again on
the occasion of the IX and X world youth day in 1995. Pope John Paul II said “with a view to the
approaching third Christian Millennium, you young people are entrusted in a
special way with the task of becoming communicators of hope and workers for
peace (Mt. 5:9) in a world that is in ever greater need of credible witnesses
and messengers consistent with their message. Contrive to speak to the hearts
of your contemporaries, who are thirsting for truth and happiness, and
constantly, though often unconsciously, in search of God.”20
2.3.1 Jesus ’
New Life is the World’s Only Hope
2.3.2 Christ
Invites, Reveals and Sends
Of course we have followed different path.
Today Jesus is giving a task to help
your parishes, Dioceses, associations and movements to be truly open to the
personal, social and spiritual needs of young people in projects and activities
of formation, Spirituality and service. You should see the practical relevance
of their efforts to meet the real needs of people, especially the poor and
neglected. Today Christ is asking to the young
people of the world, “whom shall I sent” (Is. 6:8). Here I am “send me”
everyone who is response to Christ ’s invitation go …
and proclaim the good news (Mk. 16:15).
2.3.3 Place your Talents at
Service of Life
The Young people have lot of talents, which they should
practice in their daily life for the service of whole humanity. As Mary our mother offered her life fully for the
service of life. Jesus our master, who
always used his talents in the service of life. Jesus
healed so many people from their sickness. We know Mother
Teresa of Kolcatta. How she served
the poor, oppressed and depressed people.
Let us reflect on the words of Jesus
(Jn. 10:10) “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” You young
people you have understood that Christ ’s gift of
life is not for you alone. You have become more conscious about your vocation
and mission in the Church and the world. In this marvellous world death battles
against life is going on. A culture of death is very much prominent in our
society, country and the world at large. There is injustice, discrimination,
exploitation, deceit and violence. “The culture of death” has assumed a social
and institutional form of legality of justify the most horrible crimes against
humanity. Genocide, “final solutions,” ethnic cleansing” and the massive”
taking of lives of human beings even before they are born, or before they reach
the natural point of death. (Dominum et Vivificanten No.
Today in this modern world the human life is denied,
specially the unborn children, the sick, poor and old people, unemployed and
refugee. So Pope John
Paul II
says my dear young people Christ needs you, to show
the value of human life. Of course there is lot of difficulties and problems
but don’t worry “place your intelligence, your talents, your enthusiasm, your
compassion and your fortitude at the service of life.”23
2.4 The Role of the Youth
in the Church
Today youth has to play many roles in the Church because
the future of the Church lies in their hands. The Church has acknowledged the
power and potentiality of the youth. There are various types of organization
and association in which the youth can play their role. But very often it so
happens that they are in very much need to be trained.
2.4.1 Community Building
We live in community therefore “It is in
community that we become human. Who we are and what we are these are created in
the context of the intimate relationships that community provides.”24 In our locality only we can find the
various types of communities. For example a family is a very good example of
community. It is sad to say that there are some families where we can see
disunity, or lack of community spirit. There fore community building has to do
with the matter of becoming a community, a community of love, trust and
acceptance, where we feel a part of each other and minister to each other as
the body of Christ . A group does not become a
community by merely sitting down together or just doing certain things
together. It takes caring, sharing, forgiving and affirming.
It so happens that some people don’t even like each
other, some don’t want to love each other in a common bond of faithful
commitment. Some people never pray
together as a community. Therefore community is an absolute necessity for the
young people. In community the young people step into a new life. That can
enable them to maintain their faith in a society. Therefore the fostering of
community is an important goal for the youth worker and the Church. In the
Bible it is called the “Koinonia” the community of faith.
We have our own drawbacks, weaknesses, achievements,
hopes and dreams. Therefore when we come into a community we have to affirm the
community as a community of love, trust and acceptance to the particular needs,
hurts, wants, fears and hopes, joys, and dreams that were brought into the open
in the first stage. It means going the second mile with each other. Another
important thing of the community building is having fun together. It is
important that the members of the community laugh together have recreation
together, have outings and picnics, have a sense of humour. And one of the
important goals of community life is to help each one to find his or her potential
capacity. Thus we see that the Church is a big community where all Christians
are the members of this community. Therefore every youth must become active,
interested in the good of others and a sustainers of the spiritual mission of
the Church. Youth should step forward voluntarily and organise some apostolic
action for others, because they are the cells of the Church.
2.4.2 Proclamation of the
Gospel
Regarding the proclamation of the Gospel the scholars
have different ideas, like Edmund says, “the kerygma is the message of the
king’s herald.” Geoffrey
Bingham Paul uses the word “Kerugmatos” (proclamation) when
saying that the Gospel is preached. Therefore Gospel comes form proclamation.
So the word “proclamation stands for declaration, announcement, pronouncement,
decree, edict, to bear witness, preach, make known, evangelize, have dialogue,
apologetics, speak the oracles of God, communicate, use the prophetic voice and
so on.”26
At this present age we are living in this tension of “NOW ” and “THEN”. So the fundamental question arises
why to proclaim and whom to proclaim? Proclamation is needed for the
propagation and preservation of faith, for the conversion of the non-believers,
for the future faith and Christianity, for the salvation of whole mankind. We
have to proclaim the good news to the poor, oppressed, depressed, those who
neglect the faith in Jesus . Those who
are indifference and living in prejudice, the Christless and Churchless
population of the world today.
Therefore it is the primary duty of all the Christian to
proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ . Vatican II
in its Dogmatic Constitution in the Church (Lumen Gentium) calls upon the
entire body of Christ to spread the faith by word
and deed. Therefore Dr.
Martin Lioyd
Jones
As a youth how we can proclaim the Gospel? How we build
up the kingdom of
God
2.4.3 The Role of
Leadership
Today we need
good leader there fore,“Leadership is not mere status- symbol nor is it a means
to control other. It is primarily a life giving function, enabling others to
grow and flourish.”28
Therefore leadership is to be presented as an opportunity for self-donation and
skilful management. So leadership provides opportunities for service. Jesus Christ is the best example of a good leader. He
emptied himself for the sake of others. He stooped down to raise the lowly. He
washed the feet of his disciples and called them friends. He shard his power
and authority to his disciples. “Hence leadership in the apostolate signifies
leadership in service, service of Christ in and
through Church, and service of one’s fellowmen out of love of Christ .”29 Jesus Christ
is our true leader. The true leaders liberate others form various clutches and
fight for the freedom of the oppressed.
Leadership has three factors like leader, followers and
other variables. Leadership is a personal quality; by which one influence the
other by his behaviour. He also tries to influence the individuals to behave in
a particular way. Today the Church needs the good young leaders. As we know
without a good leader a movement cannot function well. So almost all of us are
having the qualities of leadership, according to our ability and power, which
we have to share the Christian values. We have to take the Bible the word of
God as our tools, which can open all kinds of nuts and bolts in the worst as
well as best machinery. We have to take the shield of Jesus
Christ , and then only we can become an effective leader. As a leader
we have to become the signs of hope for the hopeless, helpless, homeless, poor
and oppressed people.
There are three model of leadership (a) servant model
leadership: this type of leadership is based on service, support and
empowerment. As we find in (Lk. 22:26-27) “But not so with you, rather the
greatest among you must become like the youngest and the leader like one who
serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?
In (Mk. 10:45, Mt. 20:26) we find that “for the son of man came not to be
served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”(b) Shepherding model
leadership: (Jn.10: 11) “I am the good shepherd.” Since leader is like shepherd
he has to look after the people whom he is entrusted. So leader should be
caring and sharing to others. (c) Steward model leadership: This kind of
leadership is consisting of responsibility, trustworthiness, and
accountability. All these kind of leadership involves encouraging, affirming
and supporting therefore leaders should be given training, and they should be
given a chance to exercise their leadership leading them to personal
satisfaction and self-fulfilment. Leader cannot do anything alone; therefore he
requires support from the whole community.
2.4.4 Helping Hand in the
Parish Activities
The heart
beat and the vitality of the Church
of Christ
Parish choir:
one of the most important activities of youth in the parish is the choir. If
there is no choir then parish will be monotonous, there will be no life in the
liturgical celebration. So it is the youth choir who brings the life in
liturgical celebration by their good melodious singing and music. We can
imagine where there are no people to sing in the parish. There are so many
youth’s movements in the parishes as well as in the whole Church. Like AICUF,
YCS, YSM, YCW. These youth groups are involved in so many activities. They have
definite goals, specific style of functioning, spirituality and ideologies.
Conducting the prayer service in the villages, in the parishes, adoration,
Bible sharing, visiting the sick people, helping the poor and needy etc.
Once in a month youth meeting takes place in the parish
it self. In this meeting the youth come and make the programme for their
function. In this meeting they evaluate and discuss about their success and
failure, merit and demerit and their work, and find out the solution. In this
meeting every body is free to express his own view for the betterment of the
group.
The Youth pastoral council make the things happen in the
parish. They formulate and actuate pastoral project or plan for the entire
parish. They lead the youth of the parish to Christ .
Whenever big feast or function comes in the parish, then the youths are seen
very active in the decoration of Church building cleaning the surrounding the
Church building. In some parishes we find very committed type of youth. Thus
they give their helping hand in the parish activities.
Conclusion
After having seen the teaching of the Church
on the importance of youth and youth’s role and functions in the Church we have
come into conclusion that, today in the Church young people find the best place
to meet Christ and to share in his life and mission. Through their experiences
of friendships, sharing and solidarity, a sense of being together and this is
typical of their youth group. They experience the Church as a deeper communion
and universal service. Today Christian witness is the primary witness, explicit
proclamation of Jesus Christ holds a permanent
priority at the same time, and the young people also meet Christ
in the ecclesial community. He or she feels a deep sense of belongingness to
the Church, takes part in Church’s life and mission. Youth bear witness on
every aspect at secular life and culture as so to redeem the world and extend
the kingdom of God way Church
CHAPTER THREE
THE CHALLENGES OF THE THIRD
MILLENNIUM
TO THE YOUTHFUL CHURCH
Especially in India Christian or Church? Challenges of caste, classes and
genders, religions and cultures, ideologies and spiritualities of so may
religions. The Challenge of conversion issue etc. these are some basic
challenges, which the Church and the youth are struggling to face. Today the
Church need a “new society” in the light of the kingdom of God kingdom
of God
3.1 The Challenge to Become
a Genuine Church
There is no doubt that the Church came in India form Europe .
In 16th century Vasco
Dagama India St.
Thomas the apostle, St. Francis Xavier also came in India India Christian or
Church especially in “India Church is the sign of Jesus ’ abiding presence in the world. There fore Jesus Christ must be recognised as the centre of the Church.
Thus the Church becomes transparent sacrament or sign of intimate union with
God and the unity of all human kind. St.
Paul
God made man in his image and likeness. Human beings are
very different from all other animals. God made man little less than God. (Ps.
8). It can be identify as the mystery of transcendence. It could be possible
when we give today to oneself for others to the world and to one’s own true
self, and by realization of Brahman and Atman. By living a life of justice and
harmony with each other. By self-sacrifice and self-giving as Jesus
Christ gave himself total for whole mankind.
3.2 The Challenge to Become
the Church of the Poor
Today
the Church is challenged to become the Church of the poor there fore “The
Church is to be seen as serving, nurturing, protecting and enhancing life of
the poor.”32 It is the challenge to
work among the poor and unwanted people who are rejected by the society. Who
are depressed and oppressed by the rich high-class society. The missionaries
have to become poor like them and should understand the feeling, pain and
suffering of such people. So that they may have life and have it abundantly
(Jn. 10:10).
Therefore Pope John Paul II, Church in Asia, No. 34 said
“Asian Catholics are challenged to adopt a life style consonant with the
teachings of the Gospel, so that they may better serve the Church’s mission and
so that the Church of the poor and for the poor.” Evangelisation today, 1975,
no. 15, 18, 20 speaks more about the meaning of mission and commitment to the
kingdom, to actual involvement in the lives and situations of the people’s
entering into “their joy and hopes, grief and anxieties, so that there is an
interior transform mention of the Evangelizer and not merely a geographic
change of place that characterised the missionary vocation in the past.
3.3 The Challenge of the Caste,
Class, and Gender
When God created man he did not create any caste or
creed. God created only one caste that is the caste of humanity. Then from
where this came? Why there is tension and confusion of caste, creed and gender
division? It is because of our basic social structure, because of semi feudal
systems, which led to the inequality among the people and society. In the
Brahmanic system of varnas or castes, poor people and Dalits are called “out
caste.” They are considered as impure, untouchables, completely segregated
culturally, religiously and socially.
In the Church if we take the discrimination and caste
mentality then we are going against the Christianity because it is inhuman. It
violates the God given dignity and equality of the human person. God created
man in His image, therefore the human dignity and respect are due to every
person and any denial of this is a sin against God and man. Today Christianity
has not escaped from the influence of caste and caste operates at different
levels, there are separate cemeteries for upper caste and Dalits Christian
3.4 Challenge to New Way of
Being Church
As we know India
At this situation how the Church can present a new
society? The final statement all the seminar, the Church in India Jesus commissioned the Church to announce. The new
society is characterised by a humanizing level of well being, with a dignity in
social life and a voice in political decision making, a society in which
liberation form all forms of oppression and exploitation will be a permanent
feature, a society in which men and women are enable to live in fraternal
community. Therefore “ all human kind is the church’s arena and new a society
is her agenda. It is at once the privilege and the obligation of the entire
people of God to bring about such a new society.”36
3.5 Challenges of Freedom
When
God created man, He created with full freedom. God took the risk of making man.
We know man could not keep the words of God and went away from God. Is this the
meaning of freedom? Freedom does not mean that what one wishes can do, one
doing what one wishes. The real meaning
of the freedom is a freedom with responsibility. There for freedom holds the
responsibility. Therefore one is compelled to act with responsibility. Freedom
also means, duty life with meaning, freedom as a destiny gift and embellishment
an ornament. Freedom is as the cosmic mission of man. Therefore “ Pope John Paul II has been
calling on young Christians to personally take upon themselves the duty of evangelizing
and Christianise the world of the future, society the family, the community,
the economy and relations between people.”37 As a young Christian this is the challenge of
today. The youth has to go these challenges. “The gospel of Jesus
Christ is the massage of freedom and force of liberation, Christian
liberation is above all and primarily liberation from the radical delivery of
sin.”38
In the Old
Testament the people of Israel Jesus realised himself as
the brother of all mankind, responsible for all. Jesus
tells us in John ’s Gospel (8:34) that
“ what really enslaves us is what is within.” what prevent us from seeing and
acting according to our truth, and the truth of our true desires. Therefore “
our freedom is to participate and cooperate in the very being of things, in our
existence, we are free to cooperate with God in the realization of our own
existence, to help others, to share with God the joy of sustaining and
multiplying life. This attitude of communicating and sharing life is love: our
freedom reaches self-fulfillment as freedom in truth, which acts though the
power of love.”39 So we have to create a
society in which the profound freedom of men is fully recognized. So that men
and women may be respected for the truth of life. It is our responsibility to
make the people aware so that every one may recognize and seek freedom. We
should be defender of freedom, which we have received from Christ .
3.6 Problems And Challenges
of Youth Concerning Life Today
There are so
many problems of youth today. Such as despair and indifference that threaten
society, administrative corruption, poverty inequality individualism,
intolerance between different religions, environment of drug abuse, alcohol,
Aids, which takes the life of many young people, illiteracy, unemployment,
rape, and gender discrimination. There are sections of the Dalits and tribal
young people who are engaged in a struggle for their own self-identity. Today
the youths are facing the challenges of poverty and socio-economic inequality,
which exists in society and in culture. These are the depressing reality for
the younger generation of youth. There are no resources and opportunities.
Millions of youths are facing the problems of unemployment and oppression. As a
result their creative energies are simply destroyed. Therefore it the challenge
for them to take the risk and initiative to devise ways of self-employment.
“Other divisive forces too have been trying to capture the young on the ground
of caste, religion, regions and language. By setting up walls and boundaries,
they put obstacles in the way of young peoples effects to forgo a common search
for equality participation and brotherhood.”40
It is the time to break the walls and boundaries of obstacles and fight for
their own rights. Today our catholic youths are confused in faith to follow Christ because of increasingly consumer and materialistic
society. Very often they are confused between consumer values and Christian
values. It is also seen that especially in rural areas educated youth look down
the uneducated one.
3.7 Socio-Culture Influence
on Youth
We are living in multi- ethnic, multi religious,
multicultural country. Because of so many cultures some cultures are over
dominate to other cultures. Today in the sphere of cultural and moral values
has created on atmosphere of brutal competition on corruption in the country.
The result is a crisis of culture identity as well as degeneration of the
traditional value of honesty, mutual, respect and social responsibility. Globalization
is making us the victim of western culture and a wrong values system is
perceived as the greatest threat to our traditional culture, society and our
life style. Today we are living in the electronic age; our society is changing
into an electronic society. The appearance of new model is noticeable first of
all in the very disappearance of the old ones. “The new model is man in search
of self-fulfillment through love, comfort and private life.”41 This new models is found especially in
the press, television and film. It is not surprising there that the models of
the young are under going important modifications today. Some of the young
people are beginning to follow political heroes who are bent on building a
collective future on the basis of a real present society, which is more and
more required in our time. Because of electronic age there are lot of changes
in our society and in our youth. Such change brings with it a whole set of
transitions, which we intended to analyse here. Transition from a literary
culture to a mass culture in which the impact of the information media creates
new myths.
“Youth is thus in danger of being cut-off from its
cultural and religious roots, for traditional values are loosing their
importance and the departure of many masters underlines more sharply the lack
of consistency found among authority figure.”42
Being in the age of mass media, youth are the easy victims of movies, TV. And
Videos, youth swallow a values projected by them as their way of living. Sex
and love are portrayed as inter changeable. The idealized life created by the
media is contrary to the real life which create in them frustration, anger and
despair.
3.8 A New Way of Becoming Youth
We are living in the midst of problems,
challenges, unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, castism, religious
fundamentalism, we are belong to different caste, creed, culture and language.
These problems and difficulties are our own, so how to become a new way of
youth? It depends on each one of us. Today each one should ask himself, that
how I can become a new way of youth? First of all we have to give up all our
past prejudices, our weaknesses and shortcomings. We have to form a new image
in our selves. Today as we stand on the threshold of third millennium. The
society in which we live is changing very fast. In this rapid changing society
we the disciples of Jesus are called a new ecclesial expressions so that we can
more effectively fulfill the mission entrusted to us by the Lord.
Vatican II (Apostolicam Actuositatem No. 3)
says from the fact of their union with Christ the
head flows the laymen’s right and duty to be apostles. Inserted as they are in
the mystical body of Christ by baptism and
strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit in confirmation, it is by the Lord
himself that they are assigned to the apostolate. There fore youth should be
Christ centered, and also the life of youth should be Christ centered. A deep
faith is required in Jesus Christ so that one can
encounter with Jesus and widens his
capacity to relate themselves to others. Youth should be led by the Holy Spirit
as St Paul Jesus Christ . By building a community
with other religion. By becoming more human, by helping the needy, sacrifice
and selfless service one can be a new way of youth.
3.8.1 Giving the World a New Face
How the youth can give the new face to the
world? It is a big question. And also we are all aware that we are living in a
multi religious and multi cultural country. As a Christian we have to give a
new face to India
At the religious level
all the youth must consciously build up and strengthened the fabric of a multi
religious and multicultural society, in which every religious community is
recognized, accepted and respected and has an opportunity to collaborate in the
building up of the national community. The contribution to the new society by
the Christian community will be transcending differences between castes,
classes and genders, between religions and cultures and between ideologies and
spiritualities. We should become the transparent witness of unconditional love
and growing hope, tangible justice and comforting peace for all, particularly
for the victims of society. We have to create a new Church where people would
accept one another as brothers and sisters based on the common parenthood of
God. “Since we are touched by Jesus ’
love, Jesus invites us to join the way
of cross by seeing him in every person, having love for all, and being the
first to love and first to serve.”43
3.8.2 Living in Charity
Living in charity means letting love invades
our lives. Invading them and transforming them totally, sacrificing ourselves
for the good of others. Giving our lives for the welfare of the poor,
destitute, and unwanted people. This is a radical response to our Christian
life. Youths are called to live a life of charity. “They left every thing and
followed him (Lk.5: 11). It means giving to God totally, not only the fruits
but also the tree, giving oneself entirely to God’s demanding love, and to the
service of all, specially for the poor, the excluded and the victims of
rejected people. We all know mother Teresa of Calcutta. She spent her total
life in serving the poor, and the destitute. Jesus
our Lord lived a life of charity. Though Jesus
is God and our master, he washed the feet of the disciples. Jesus lived not only for himself but also for others,
so also we should live for others; we should live other oriented, forgetting
all our comfort and involve ourselves to serve all people.
We should widen our tent of heart so that we
may be able to welcome the stranger; we have to enlarge our heart in order to
love each one. We have to make our heart a heart of charity especially for
those who are living under the weight of heavy cross. “ May the cross that
Jesus bore, and the death from which he rose be a bright promise of hope
enabling us to rise from the ashes of this moment, to rebuild a world where
love and justice and equality prevail; and enable us to look forward to that
heavenly city where every tear will be wiped away.”44
3.8.3 Promoting a New Life in the Church
Baptism as a means by which the Christian shares in the
death and resurrection of Christ . We were buried
with Christ by baptism into death so that we as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in
newness of life (Rom.6: 4). Today how we can promote a new life in the church?
By making spiritual sacrifice according to the God’s will. By modeling our
selves on Jesus in our daily life.
Therefore let us try to live in deep unity with Jesus
and with the successor of Peter .
Our outlook should be based on love of Christ .
Let us not to judge, we should not feel ourselves better than the others. Try
to understand with love the good that is present everywhere. We have to learn
to see the good and to judge with mercy. By meeting together, in conversation,
among friends in friendly contact with people of other religion and other
cultures. In this way we can promote a new life in the church.
Conclusion
We are living in the midst of challenges
and problems. As we know India Christ
we are open to the pluralistic reality of our country. Following the footstep
of our Lord and master we make a definite option for the poor and marginalized.
We are convinced that this is true religiosity and the way to enter into
communion with God who loves the world. God loves those who are deprived of the
human dignity, which is their birthright. We have to break all the boundaries
of castes, creed, and gender divisions. As Jesus
always stood for the poor and oppressed so also we have to stand for the poor
and oppressed people.
Now it is our time to preach the good news of our Lord
Jesus Christ. We know there are lots of oppositions regarding evangelization.
Even if we are persecuted, injured or killed, we will never cease empowering
the weak and the oppressed, and to preach the good news.
GENERAL CONCLUSION
Where there is Jesus ,
there is the Church. The Church existed from the very beginning as we have seen
in the First Chapter, the concept and growth of the church, the Church did not
grow all of a sudden, it grows gradually. The foundation stone of the Church is
Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore the Church has a special purpose or mission. It
also has certain duties and responsibilities. It has its won beautiful
character. The Church has a special concern for all her children particularly
the young people. Today’s Youths are the future of the Church, so the Church
has to guide and show the proper way to the Youth in each step of their life,
so that they may not go after the modern world and worldly things, but
Spiritual things so that they may be able to encounter God. By the sacrament of
initiation we have become the members of the Body of Christ. Jesus
Christ lives in the Church and He is always present in the Church.
Therefore the Church is a living community, in which union does not mean
oppression or uniformity, but rather demands mutual giving with a common
purpose, with mutual respect and love.
In the Second
Chapter we find that the role of the Youths is very important in the Church.
Therefore today the Church document encourages, affirms and supports the Youth.
The Church Documents are bringing out the importance of Youth and the Church. The
Church wants that all young people should partake in the ministry of Jesus
Christ. Some of the Church’s document like Redemptoris Missio Asia , Gaudium et Spes, and
Evangelii Nuntiandi etc, gives very much important to the youth of today. These
documents have understood the meaning and the importance of youth power. Our
present Pope John
Paul II
rightly encouraged the Youth recently in Toronto Jesus Christ and to proclaim it to the
whole World. He says the future of the church depends on the Youth. Therefore
the Church has given to the Youth the task of Evangelization especially to the
Youth.
Tomorrow’s church depends on our youth. Therefore church
invites all the young people and entrusts in the work of evangelization. Today
the church sees accepts and endeavors to fulfill this mission of giving Christ
to youth. The Church concerns all the believers but especially the young people
today to show the world that Christ the true Christ , the Christ always living
in the church. Today the Church has given a mission to youth to function in our
society. This mission is the mission of announcing the true messiah to our
world.
Today The
Youthful Church has to face a lot of problems, difficulties and challenges,
which is shown in the Third Chapter. Such as caste, creed, Religion, poverty,
unemployment, and illiteracy. Many of our youth are caught up by these
problems. They do not know where to go? Those who are educated going after the
modern world. It is the electronic age so they are busy in their own world.
Therefore the Church is inviting all the Youth to build up a New Society and a
New Community. Inspite of these problems and challenges how one can become a
new way of being Youth? How can one face these challenges? How can one give a
new face to a Society and the World? How can one promote a new way of life in
the society and in the Church? All these questions are explained very well in
the Third Chapter.
The Church is always with the youth, and appealing to
their energies. Opening up an immense field for their cooperation. It perhaps
today the spirit of youth, which is the most apt and ready to listen to this
imponderable, call. Today the image of a servant church should characterize our
Christian identity. The Church should seek to become alive more in serving the
needs of our brothers and sisters who are utterly poor. Today the Church is
facing lot of challenges. At present time we cannot preach the good news as our
ancestors preached in the past. There fore we have to become a new way of
church and youth. We have to change our pattern of evangelization, by
ecumenical, interreligious dialogue and by collaborating with other religion in
order to bring peace and harmony in the society.
The problems
and difficulties are always there, so these are part and partial of the
Church’s life. Thanks to the Church for making us aware of the problems and
challenges. The Church always supports and encourages those who do good. Now we
are in the Church therefore it is our first duty and responsibility to keep the
Church to grow. The Church has done so many things in the past, and even today
the Church is doing so many good work in order to make us aware in the modern
world.
Today
the Church needs the Young People; therefore the Church has the special concern
for the youth. The Church is always trying to bring up the youth in the Church
and in the society specially the youth who are uneducated and those who cannot
continue their study because of their own reason. The Church has so many
programmes and different projects for the youth. Are we really making the use
of that programmes? Do we have any sense of concern or gratitude towards the
Church and the Church authority? Do we respect the Church and it’s authority?
As we know that with one hand we cannot clap, if we want to clap then we have
to use our both the hands. Offcourse there are some weaknesses from both the
side. The Church and the Youth has to co–operate with each other. There should
be mutual understanding between both.
It is seen
that in some of the remote parishes, there are so many youths but no proper
organization. In some of the Mission Station the Church wants to do so many
things for the youth development, but no youths are eager to come and learn
something for their life. There are Mission Station where everything is going
on well, youths are flourishing and coming up in their life. Youth should not
think and expect that the Church will do everything for them. Very often we
think that the Church will do. This is not the time to wait, youth have to come
forward and they have to work for the development of themselves and the church.
Today they have to decide that what they can do for the betterment of the
Church.
Today the
Youth should not think that the Church is only for the Priests, Sisters and the
Religious. The Church is for all. We all are members of the Church, so we have
the equal responsibility in the Church. The Church is ours, we have to take
care of the Church. The difficulties, problems and challenges may come our way,
but we have to stand by our Christian Faith. Today the whole world is crying
for peace, therefore the Youth as a messenger of peace they have to establish
the peace in the society and in the world. Today in the Church the Youth should
get the first place because they are the future of the Church. The Youth need
to be given the opportunity to exercise their power in the Church. Therefore
they should be trained intellectually and spiritually to take care of the
Church and to spread the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[1] Edward Carter Christ ,(Morrow: A Publication of Shepherd
of Christ Ministeries,2002),p.7.
[2] Jacob Kavunkal , F. Krangkhuma
[3] Ibid,
p. 47.
[4] Pauline Chakkalacal
[5] Ibid,
p.102.
[6] Sebastian Bullough
[7] Pauline Chakkalacal
[8] William Barclay
[9] John P.
Bradly
[10] Ibid,
p. 792.
[11] Jacques de
Lorimier
[12] Ibid,
p.113.
[13] Ibid,
p.93.
[14] Ibid,
p.100.
[15] Ibid,
p.s156.
16 Antonio
Domenech , “The Young Evangelizers of the Young” “Mission Don
Bosco Press
17
Angelo Nam Sou Kim, “ God is
Calling Us” I Came That They Might Have Life, (Vatican City: Laity
Today, Documentation Service no.27, 1994), p.87.
18
Joachim
Ruhuna Christian
must Shine as Lights in the World” I Came That They Might Have Life,
(Vatican City: Laity Today, Documentation Service no.27 1994), p.89.
19 Pauline Chakkalacal
20 Joe Fernandez
21 Words of John Paul II
22 Ibid, p.197.
23 Ibid, p. 220.
24 John Buckeridge
25 Jacob Kavunkal Mission in India
26 Ibid, p.192.
27 Ibid, p. 189.
28 Joe Fernandez
29 Diravian P.J. All India Catholic
Lay Leaders Conference, (Nagpur: The Examiner Press, 1955), p.6.
30 Joe Fernandez
31 Desmond D’souza CSSR, “The Challenges
to the Church Today” Yesu Krist Jayanti 2000 Towards a New Society, (Bangalore : St.
Paul
32 Ibid, p.302.
33 Gorantla Johannes Bangalore : St. Paul
34 Ibid, p.271.
35 Desmond D’souza CSSR, “ The Challenges
to the Church Today” “Yesu krist Jayanti 2000 Towards a New Society,
(Bangalore : St. Paul
36 Ibid, p.317.
37 Ferdinando Sebastian
Aguilar
38 Ibid, p.53.
39 Ibid, p.67.
40 NYP A plan for Youth Ministry in India
41 Jacques de Lorimier
42 Ibid, p.71.
43 Maha Deir
44 Carl A. Fisher
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