BUILDING WITHNESSING COMMUNITIES | KAIROS GLOBAL | NOVEMBER 2023

Author: Dr Edward Edezhath

What is Jesus Youth Mission? 

These days, I regularly attend two weekly prayer groups. The Wednesday group is my old one, which now gathers online. It goes very well.  The local group is on Sunday afternoons. This one is not very regular. Some things come up, and they cancel the meeting. They readily decide not to have the meeting in the name of study sessions or outside events.

Participation in a community is a habit. A good habit must be carefully nurtured. But here, many people gradually disconnect and disappear from Jesus Youth as the group becomes irregular. Maybe this was what the writer of the book of Hebrews found, And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (10:24,25) So even in the early Church, some members neglected to come for meetings. 

In the group, finally, I decided to speak up. ‘I want to talk about something,’ I said during a Sunday meeting. ‘How can we grow as Jesus Youth if we meet just occasionally? Don’t you want to meet every week?’ The problem was with leaders. They were busy, but other members were eager to come. ‘If anyone is ready, I will come every week.’ That became a big first step.

You need a canvas to paint a picture 

My journey with a prayer group started just before I joined college. ‘Whatever happens, I won’t miss my group.’ This simple decision was an immense step in my life, helping me to have a steady and balanced spiritual life. There was one more thing. Often, there would be heavy rain or a public strike, and the city would come to a standstill. But others knew I would be there, so many would also come. Thus, a good community was built up with a few of us quite steady. Over the years, numerous leaders were formed there. A few faithful persons are the foundation on which a good community is built.

One giant leap in building the Jesus Youth movement was the journey of the First Line group. In 1982, leaders from different zones began meeting every month. But this was possible because many leaders from our prayer group steadily worked for it. Only a community can build other communities. 

Often, I ask some groups, ‘What do you find so special about Jesus Youth?’ They would answer love, sharing, caring, and fellowship. This is the core charism of Jesus Youth. And this is reflected in how the movement starts building in any place. The building process can begin in a new place if at least one zealous Jesus Youth is there. But the first step is finding a few interested persons, and they gather regularly to pray, share, and grow. Then, from there, the deepening and spreading would begin. 

But there is another scenario: There are places where so many retreats and training are given year after year. But nothing happens. The change can begin when a person is convinced to build a community there. He or she will start gathering people, and the miracle will begin. 

Our deep desire is God’s beautiful plan

The words of a teenager, ‘My brother wanted me to stop meeting my friends because they were smoking and using drugs, but our love and friendship is so true, and I will not leave them.’ Every person has a deep desire for friendship and community because we are made in the image of the Holy Trinity. When Christians fail to provide community, others would do it and attract people there, even with bad intentions. 

Pope John Paul II put it very powerfully, ‘To make the Church the home and the school of communion: that is the great challenge facing us . . . if we wish to be faithful to God's plan and respond to the world's deepest yearnings.’ (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 43.) Everyone wants friendship, celebration, and good times together. God’s plan is also the same as the Holy Trinity: to build us into a loving community. 

In Jesus Youth, we are convinced that today’s huge problem is that people don’t see good communities, and so all that we do should lead to building joyful and loving communities that strive to live an active life in Jesus.

What kills a community?

Materialistic spirituality: Many come to Jesus and prayer groups only for some favours. It is okay for beginners, but the group will die if it does not move on with fellowship building.

Project mentality: Like Martha, spirituality, for some, is a lot of activities. These doers rarely value the beauty of building relationships.

Forgetting roots: St Paul tells us that if we forget love, everything else is vain. (1 Corinthians 13:1) Many groups forget to build relationships and focus only on studying or saying prayers.  

Building walls: The sin of selfishness comes up in different ways. Some people don’t go to any group. Others, even after forming a group, don’t want to connect with any other group. In Jesus Youth, we want groups and ministries to connect.

Refusing to grow: There are different stages of growth for a person and a group. A group grows and matures by listening to the Spirit, understanding the changes, and moving forward.

The Pillars of a Good Jesus Youth Community

God’s love and mutual love together build a community. The triple focus of a good JY group is, 1) encouraging each person in their faith journey, 2) building a culture of caring, sharing, and belonging, and 3) promoting missionary initiatives. 

What are such a group's essential ingredients? The Six Pillars of JY apply here also. 

1. We regularly experience God’s love in prayer and adoration in a group.

2. Reflecting and sharing God's Word is the fuel for growth.

3. Active sacramental life is important, especially connecting with the parish.

4. Joyful community building happens through interactions, light moments, caring, and food.

5. Everyone is challenged to be witnesses of the Good News in their life situations.

6. Jesus is especially present in the poor; a community should remember that.

When asked about Jesus Youth, Archbishop Thomas Menamparabil highlighted its two characteristics, ‘non-competitive leadership’ and ‘non-threatening evangelisation’. Experts don’t build community, but humble and simple disciples do. A big enemy of community building is arrogance and self-importance. A community forms people in love and humility. Then, with this humility and readiness to serve, a good Jesus Youth invites others to come and grow together in Jesus. This is the true Jesus Youth mode of evangelisation. It is so simple but, no doubt, quite effective.