CHRISTUS VIVIT - THE NOW OF GOD | KAIROS GLOBAL | SEPTEMBER 2019

Author: Monica Gigi

Intro: Monica Gigi views the Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Christus Vivit, from a youth perpective.

“Youth is more than simply a period of time; it is a state of mind,” perhaps, even a lifestyle! 

Delving into Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation ‘Christus Vivit’ as a Jesus Youth was an incredibly affirming yet challenging experience. He reminds us that what keeps us young is our willingness to accept our weaknesses with humility, not ignore them. We receive our youthful strength when we constantly return to the source of our strength in “God’s word, the Eucharist, the daily presence of Christ and the power of the Spirit.” 

The Synod emphasized the truth that young people don’t need to wait till they become adults for the Lord to work in them – something which we as Jesus Youth have been good at over the years. The Synod emphasizes the importance of our youthful years by asking the young people to see “this season of life as worthwhile in itself, and not simply as a brief prelude to adulthood.” The Pope encourages us to look at how our boldness, energy, and vision can change the world. He is asking us, young people, to step out of a spectator role, fully into the reality of the world to bear fruit today.

Sometimes being young, feeling weak or overwhelmed by our bad habits or vices can lead us to hopelessness. But no matter what we do, God’s love is infinitely greater than all of our weaknesses and flaws. Falling is inevitable, but the Lord doesn’t expect perfection. Pope Francis asks us not to stay down when we fall, but to allow ourselves to be saved. To be saved is to be embraced by the love of the Father. The Holy Father reminds us that allowing this love to transform us is what will sustain our Christian life. 

The Synod asks us, the young members of the Church, to stand with others, while daring to be different by rejecting the false securities of the world. The church is only able to stand with others when she allows herself to be challenged by them, “recognizing that what others have to say can provide some light to help her better understand the Gospel…[because] even if she possesses the truth of the Gospel, this does not mean that she has completely understood it; rather, she is called to keep growing in her grasp of that inexhaustible treasure.” Simply and beautifully put, the Holy Father is asking us to give priority to growing in the virtue of humility by practicing the art of listening.

We are called to be youth with roots, because our past, present and future are all important elements of our history. He calls us, young and old, to work together by learning from our past and looking to the future. “To revisit the past in order to learn from history and heal old wounds that at times still trouble us. To look to the future in order to nourish our enthusiasm, cause dreams to emerge, awaken prophecies and enable hope to blossom.” Rather than longing for a return to the past, we can look at this new age with a realistic and hopeful point of view and preach the Gospel effectively for generations to come. 

Pope Francis challenges us by asking us to weep when we encounter the suffering of others. That’s right, the Holy Father asks us to cry! Surprisingly, this is something that a lot of us struggle with because our comfortable lives leave us preoccupied with our first-world problems. That being said, we don’t necessarily need to travel to a third world country to encounter the suffering of others – the lonely, the mistreated, exploited and abandoned – are all around us. “If tears do not come, ask the Lord to give you the grace to weep for the sufferings of others. Once you can weep, then you will be able to help others from the heart.”

I would encourage anyone interested in youth ministry to take some time to read chapter seven of Christus Vivit. Youth ministry is broken down into two parts – outreach to attract new young people into an authentic experience of the Lord, and growth to help those who have had an encounter to mature. As we in Jesus Youth already know, the way to preach to young people is not by words but by an authentic living example of a real person (not a perfect one) who is struggling to live out his/her faith with integrity. We are called to share all kinds of experiences in prayer and reflection, even in sports, music and games. This doesn’t mean that we should isolate ourselves from our local parish communities, but rather, become spaces where we can initiate those intimate relationships that draw us and keep us rooted in our parishes. 

One thing that seems to discourage us in youth ministry is when young people who experience a deep longing, present themselves with questions, discontent or restlessness. We must look to this restlessness as an opportunity, because when this restless discontent is combined with the youthful hope of new possibilities, it fosters the courage that allows one to take initiative. The Synod stresses that we must especially accompany and guide young people here because “true inner peace coexists with that profound discontent.” The Pope asks us to take risks, make mistakes freely, get up and start over with hope – because the people of God are a people of hope! 

We are called to make room for all young people, by being truly ‘popular.’ We need to attract young people by creating ministries that are “gradual, respectful, patient, hopeful, tireless and compassionate.” We should be walking with anyone that has a desire to grow and a willingness to encounter the truth, even those who might be struggling to grasp the fullness of the truth in the church’s teachings. Rather than displaying Christianity as imposing a set of rules on us, we must engage with young people more fruitfully through acts of charity, arts (theatre, painting, music), playing sports and exploring nature. We must always share the joy of being a Christian through the abundance of life that our faith helps us to experience, and how that contrasts from the false promises of the world. 

Lastly, the exhortation explores the topic of vocation and how it is more than just ‘one big decision’ we need to discern. It is a deeper understanding of who we are called to be, why we were made and gives direction to everything we do; where we surrender our will to the Lord and prepare to be moulded and open to what He calls us to be. Ultimately, this discernment will help us to fulfill our optimal potential and bring great joy, one which transforms us into true missionaries of the Lord.