Without the wisdom of discernment, we can easily become prey to every passing trend”. Thus Mary illumines anew our youth. La Parole de Dieu délivre de toutes les oppressions! [13], A Church attentive to the signs of the times. 180. New forms of violence are spreading through social media, for example cyberbullying. In general, they are seeking opportunities for themselves and their families. Please, do not leave it to others to be protagonists of change. Making the most of our youthful years entails seeing this season of life as worthwhile in itself, and not simply as a brief prelude to adulthood. Alive, he can be present in your life at every moment, to fill it with light and to take away all sorrow and solitude. Young people frequently fail to find in our usual programmes a response to their concerns, their needs, their problems and issues. 144. Inicio / Christus Vivit / Christus Vivit: Capítulo 1 - «Él vive y te quiere vivo». At the same time, we should take into greater consideration those practices that have shown their value – the methods, language and aims that have proved truly effective in bringing young people to Christ and the Church. Wanting to accompany them, he joins them on the way. "Christus Vivit": 2019 Exhortación Apostólica Postsinodal del Papa Francisco a los Jóvenes y a Todo el Pueblo de Dios El Papa Francisco comienza su exhortación apostólica post-sinodal a los jóvenes y a todo el Pueblo de Dios con palabras de esperanza: As the bishops of Colombia have taught, “Christ knows that spouses are not perfect and that they need to overcome their weakness and lack of constancy so that their love can grow and endure. He saw that many young people, wanting to be different, really end up being like everyone else, running after whatever the powerful set before them with the mechanisms of consumerism and distraction. 46. I envision elders as a permanent choir of a great spiritual sanctuary, where prayers of supplication and songs of praise support the larger community that works and struggles in the field of life”. CAPÍTULO IX. Seen that way, it puts us off. She took the risk, and for this reason she is strong, she is an ‘influencer’, the ‘influencer’ of God. When told that the Lord was with him, he responded: “But if the Lord is with us, why then have all these things happened to us?” (Jg 6:13). Being an apostle does not mean carrying a torch in hand, possessing the light, but being that light… The Gospel, more than a lesson, is an example. L U C E S D E C H R I S T U S V I V I T P A G I N A 2 ¿ Q U E E S U N A E X H O R T A C I O N A P O S T O L I C A ? Álvaro Luis López Acosta, Miembro del equipo de formación de la comisión Arquidiocesana de Pastoral Juvenil, Arquidiócesis de Panamá - Panamá; nos comparte sus comentarios del Capítulo 7, Número 238, Exhortación Apostólica Christus Vivit del Papa Francisco. We will never know what that one young man, upon whom Jesus gazed with love and to whom he stretched out his hand, might have been for us, what he might have done for mankind. Pope Francis shares his insights on the accompaniment, engagement, and vocational mission of youth and young adults* in Christus Vivit, his 2019 post-synodal apostolic exhortation written "to young people and to the entire people of God." Check our Upcoming Opportunities page frequently to register for upcoming webinars, conferences, and other opportunities related to Christus Vivit. 99. You can be sure that, if you do recognize and follow a call from God, there you will find complete fulfilment. That is why an institution as ancient as the Church can experience renewal and a return to youth at different points in her age-old history. You will be fully yourself. In this regard, I would note that “many Synod Fathers coming from non-Western contexts pointed out that in their countries globalization is bringing with it forms of cultural colonization that sever young people from their cultural and religious roots. What good are possessions or appearances? [86] Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (19 March 2018), 11. At the Synod, “many pointed to the shortage of qualified people devoted to accompaniment. In many of them, we encounter a deep desire to live life differently. Ceferino died in 1905. In Jesus’ day, the passage from childhood was a significant step in life, one joyfully celebrated. But this cult of youth is simply an expedient that ultimately proves degrading to the young; it strips them of any real value and uses them for personal, financial or political profit. Other young people take part in social programmes that build houses for the homeless, or reclaim contaminated areas or offer various kinds of assistance to the needy. The Lord comes there to sow and to be sown”.[138]. 235. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world”. Some young people have given their lives for the sake of missionary outreach. Yet youth cannot remain on hold. Some other aspects will be dealt with in the following chapters. [105] It is a beautiful thing when “young men and maidens together, old men and children, praise the name of the Lord” (Ps 148:12-13). 223. You will not experience them by accumulating material objects, spending money, chasing desperately after the things of this world. [152] Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (19 March 2018), 167. She was determined; she knew what was at stake and she said ‘yes’ without thinking twice. The importance of witness does not mean that we should be silent about the word. If you see an intelligent man, visit him; let your foot wear out his doorstep” (Sir 6:34.36). Sometime ago, a friend asked me what I see in a young person. As a Church, may we never fail to weep before these tragedies of our young. Do not let yourselves be seduced. When Saint John Bosco taught him that holiness involves being constantly joyful, he opened his heart to a contagious joy. That is why Saint Paul could say: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (1 Cor 15:7). A Jewish servant girl of the foreign commander Naaman intervened with faith and helped him to be cured of his illness (cf. To revisit the past in order to learn from history and heal old wounds that at times still trouble us. Listening calls for three distinct and complementary kinds of sensitivity. The worst thing we can do is adopt that worldly spirit whose solution is simply to anaesthetize young people with other messages, with other distractions, with trivial pursuits. For the communities and societies to which they come, migrants bring an opportunity for enrichment and the integral human development of all. It is very important for you to contemplate the young Jesus as presented in the Gospels, for he was truly one of you, and shares many of the features of your young hearts. It does us no good “to sit down and long for times past; we must meet our culture with realism and love and fill it with the Gospel. Let us also keep in mind that Jesus had no use for adults who looked down on the young or lorded it over them. It tries to avoid imposing obstacles, rules, controls and obligatory structures on these young believers who are natural leaders in their neighbourhoods and in other settings. 12,1)», ACG 396 (2006), 23-26., sal, luz ¿Podría decirse que se . This is helpful, since it situates our whole life in relation to the God who loves us. Zanimiv graf (by @boriquagato in @birb_k ). That is why it is always better to live the faith together and to show our love by living in community and sharing with other young people our affection, our time, our faith and our troubles. “Migration, considered globally, is a structural phenomenon, and not a passing emergency. I want to encourage all of you in this effort, because I know that “your young hearts want to build a better world. We should not start with wondering where we could make more money, or achieve greater recognition and social status. In any event, I see no need for a detailed analysis of today’s young people, their lives and their experiences. 230. It is easy to drift off, when there is nothing to clutch onto, to hold onto”.[98]. Young people make decisions in professional, social and political fields, and in other more radical ways that determine the shape of their lives”. [43] Document of the Pre-Synodal Meeting in Preparation for the XV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Rome (24 March 2018), I, 4. This kind of listening seeks to discern the salutary promptings of the good Spirit who proposes to us the Lord’s truth, but also the traps laid by the evil spirit – his empty works and promises. 52. He wanted to be close to the most abandoned and infirm of his fellow young people. Lk 1:47), whose eyes, reflecting the light of the Holy Spirit, looked at life with faith and treasured all things in her youthful heart (cf. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. Young people can offer the Church the beauty of youth by renewing her ability to “rejoice with new beginnings, to give unreservedly of herself, to be renewed and to set out for ever greater accomplishments”. The age group considered by the Synod (16-29 years) does not represent a homogeneous category, but is composed of distinct groups, each with its own life experience”. Lk 2:51); he did not disown his family. That is why it is a good thing to let older people tell their long stories, which sometimes seem legendary or fanciful – they are the dreams of old people – yet are often full of rich experiences, of eloquent symbols, of hidden messages. How many times should I forgive and start over? Young people, do not let the world draw you only into things that are wrong and superficial. These sins cause their victims “sufferings that can last a lifetime and that no repentance can remedy. [1] The Greek word usually translated “new” can also mean “young”. Many of them are young. The world of sport needs to be helped to overcome some of its problematic aspects, such as the idolization of champions, subservience to commercial interests and the ideology of success at any cost”. But what would be the result of such an attitude? But be careful about one temptation that can hold us back. In these three truths – God loves you; Christ is your Saviour; he is alive – we see God the Father and Jesus. [17] That is the response of a Church that stays young and lets herself be challenged and spurred on by the sensitivities of young people. A home, as we all know, demands that everyone work together. Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá was a young Argentinian, the son of the chief of a remote tribe of indigenous peoples. In many countries, this situation depends on the fact that some sectors of the young population lack adequate professional skills, perhaps because of deficiencies in the system of education and training. 59. Helping the young to discover the living richness of the past, to treasure its memory and to make use of it for their choices and opportunities, is a genuine act of love towards them, for the sake of their growth and the decisions they are called to make”.[102]. Indeed, the Greek word that Luke uses to describe the group – synodía – clearly evokes a larger “community on a journey” of which the Holy Family is a part. Then I will become what I was meant to be, faithful to my own reality. In the Old Testament [6-11] In the New Testament [12-21], Jesus’ youth [23-29] His youth teaches us [30-33] The youth of the Church [34] A Church open to renewal [35-38] A Church attentive to the signs of the times [39-42] Mary, the young woman of Nazareth [43-48] Young saints [49-63], CHAPTER THREE You are the “now” of God, In positive terms [65-67]Many ways of being young [68-70]Some experiences of young people [71-85], Living in a world in crisis [72-80]Desires, hurts and longings [81-85], The digital environment [86-90]Migrants as an epitome of our time [91-94]Ending every form of abuse [95-102]A way out [103-110], CHAPTER FOUR A great message for all young people, A God who is love [112- 117] Christ saves you [118-123] He is alive! " Es propio del joven disponerse al cambio, ser capaz de volver a . From a demographic standpoint too, some countries have many young people, whereas others have a very low birth rate. [39], 87. The Gospel tells us nothing of Jesus’ childhood, but it does recount several events of his adolescence and youth. Your own personal vocation does not consist only in the work you do, though that is an expression of it. It is true that people in power offer some assistance, but often it comes at a high price. On the contrary, he insisted that “the greatest among you must become like the youngest” (Lk 22:26). [16] Cf. Although work may not help achieve their dreams, it is important for young adults to nurture a vision, learn how to work in a truly personal and life-giving way, and to continue to discern God’s call”. They spread their branches without being firmly planted, and so they fell as soon as nature unleashed her power. The Synod Fathers acknowledged with sorrow that “many young people today live in war zones and experience violence in countless different forms: kidnapping, extortion, organized crime, human trafficking, slavery and sexual exploitation, wartime rape, and so forth. 167. Lk 2:41-51). In fact, “Jesus did not grow up in a narrow and stifling relationship with Mary and Joseph, but readily interacted with the wider family, the relatives of his parents and their friends”. CHRISTUS VIVIT. Mt 13:52). [44] Migrants “remind us of a basic aspect of our faith, that we are ‘strangers and exiles on the earth’ (Heb 11:13)”. What can I offer to society? There is also a beauty, unrelated to appearances or fashionable dress, in all those men and women who pursue their personal vocation with love, in selfless service of community or nation, in the hard work of building a happy family, in the selfless and demanding effort to advance social harmony. They do not want to see a Church that is silent and afraid to speak, but neither one that is always battling obsessively over two or three issues. God lights up stars to help us keep walking: “The stars shine in their watches, and are glad; he calls them and they say: ‘Here we are!’” (Bar 3:34-35). In this outreach, we need to use above all the language of closeness, the language of generous, relational and existential love that touches the heart, impacts life, and awakens hope and desires. His forgiveness and salvation are not something we can buy, or that we have to acquire by our own works or efforts. Perhaps “those of us who have a reasonably comfortable life don’t know how to weep. Christus vivit- Capìtulo 1-por 14253Daniela BalcazarJuliana Cajigas María Paula AndradeLaura BastidasIAlejandra Bolaños6Valeria Anacona ven, sígueme. He chose “to live the present moment, filling it to the brim with love”. [99], 186. Sing, but keep going… If you make progress, you will continue your journey, but be sure that your progress is in virtue, true faith and right living. To be able to generate a “popular” ministry to youth, “they need to learn to listen to the sense of the people, to become their spokespersons and to work for their promotion”. No one regarded him as unusual or set apart from others. Friends may be quite different from one another, but they always have things in common that draw them closer in mutual openness and trust.[80]. The mission that Peter received to shepherd Jesus’ flock will always be linked to this gratuitous love, this love of friendship. Keep your eyes fixed on the outstretched arms of Christ crucified, let yourself be saved over and over again. “We can remind today’s young people, who have their own blend of heroic ambitions and insecurities, that a life without love is an arid life”. The Synod recognized that the members of the Church do not always take the approach of Jesus. Lk 24:34). For two thousand years she has advanced on her pilgrim way, sharing “the joys and the hopes, the grief and anguish”[57] of all humanity. 177. “Where does Jesus send us? Phil 2:5)”. May all young people who are suffering feel the closeness of a Christian community that can reflect those words by its actions, its embrace and its concrete help. [8] Hence we can understand why, when he returned from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his parents readily thought that, as a twelve-year-old boy (cf. University students can apply their knowledge in an interdisciplinary way, together with young people of other churches or religions, in order to propose solutions to social problems. En la exhortación apostólica Christus Vivit, Cristo vive, el Papa Francisco se dirige a toda la Iglesia, pero en especial a los jóvenes del mundo. Comentario. I am more concerned with helping young people to use their insight, ingenuity and knowledge to address the issues and concerns of other young people in their own language. Between these two accounts, we find another, which shows Jesus as an adolescent, when he had returned with his parents to Nazareth, after being lost and found in the Temple (cf. Every stage of life is a permanent grace, with its own enduring value. It is true that “the scourge of the sexual abuse of minors is, and historically has been, a widespread phenomenon in all cultures and societies”, especially within families and in various institutions; its extent has become known primarily “thanks to changes in public opinion”. Jesus can bring all the young people of the Church together in a single dream, “a great dream, a dream with a place for everyone. 143. A particular form of discernment involves the effort to discover our own vocation. We weep when we think of all those young people who have already lost their lives due to poverty and violence, and we ask society to learn to be a caring mother. Then we have to decide whether it is new wine brought by God or an illusion created by the spirit of this world or the spirit of the devil”. 242. She has made this journey as she is, without cosmetic surgery of any kind. [101] Video Messsage for the World Meeting of Indigenous Youth in Panama (17-21 January 2019): L’Osservatore Romano, 19 January 2019, 8. Let us accompany and encourage it, but not presume to overly regulate it. Work allows young adults to meet their practical needs but even more importantly to seek meaning and fulfilment of their dreams and visions. CHRISTUS VIVIT. Youth ministry, when it ceases to be elitist and is willing to be “popular”, is a process that is gradual, respectful, patient, hopeful, tireless and compassionate. [123] Ad Adolescentes, VIII, 11-12: PG 31, 580. 254. That power will constantly be revealed in your lives too, for he came to give you life, “and life in abundance” (Jn 10:10). In this way, by learning from one another, we can better reflect that wonderful multifaceted reality that Christ’s Church is meant to be. Catholic schools remain essential places for the evangelization of the young. [41], 89. . 194. When young and old alike are open to the Holy Spirit, they make a wonderful combination. [149] Hence, “together with the awe-filled contemplation of creation which we find in Saint Francis of Assisi, the Christian spiritual tradition has also developed a rich and balanced understanding of the meaning of work, as, for example, in the life of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and his followers”. This discernment is the basis of all else. 9. See Jesus as happy, overflowing with joy. 165. [125] RAFAEL TELLO, La nueva evangelización, II (Appendices I and II), Buenos Aires, 2013, 111. «Existen diversos tipos de abuso: de poder, económico, de conciencia, sexual. In the Gospel of Mark, we find a man who, listening to Jesus speak of the commandments, says, “All these I have observed from my youth” (10:20). [152] Indeed, “this is all the more important when some novelty presents itself in our lives. They do not shun or fear those young people who have experienced hurt or borne the weight of the cross. Long after the springtime of their courtship has passed, there is beauty in the fidelity of those couples who still love one another in the autumn of life, those elderly people who still hold hands as they walk. Indeed, “in people’s justified anger, the Church sees the reflection of the wrath of God, betrayed and insulted”.[50]. Take risks, even if it means making mistakes. Faithful friends, who stand at our side in times of difficulty, are also a reflection of the Lord’s love, his gentle and consoling presence in our lives. The Lord seeks all; he wants everyone to feel the warmth of his mercy and his love”. Our world is filled with beauty! They will come, and in a much more beautiful and meaningful way, if you let yourself be prompted by the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that Jacob fought with God (cf. This dark cloud also challenges all young people who love Jesus Christ and his Church: they can be a source of great healing if they employ their great capacity to bring about renewal, to urge and demand consistent witness, to keep dreaming and coming up with new ideas. [27] There is also a need to distinguish young people “with access to the growing opportunities offered by globalization from those who live on the fringes of society or in rural areas, and find themselves excluded or discarded”.[28]. 35. The third kind of sensitivity is the ability to perceive what is driving the other person. 34. [94] He invites us to be fearless missionaries wherever we are and in whatever company we find ourselves: in our neighbourhoods, in school or sports or social life, in volunteer service or in the workplace. [157] Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (19 March 2018), 171. By saying to her: “Young girl, get up (talitha cum)”, he made her more responsible for her life, opening before her the door to youth. CHRISTUS VIVIT Capítulo tercero: Ustedes son el ahora de Dios Introducción Esta presentación se realiza con el fin de explicar acerca del capítulo tercero del Christus vivit, que es el título de la exhortación apostólica que el papa Francisco escribió, y que tuvo como eje central [163] SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (25 March 1992), 10: AAS 84 (1992), 672. The Church has always sought to develop ways of providing the young with the best education possible. At fifteen years of age, having overcome many difficulties, she succeeded in entering the Carmelite convent. Why not? Because in the end I came to see That we do not really enjoy what we enjoyed Unless we have suffered for it. [106] What can we tell them? Nothing is more solid, profound, secure, meaningful and wisdom-filled than that initial proclamation. Ad Adolescentes, I, 2: PG 31, 565. [100] Cf. In every case, the long years they lived and all they have experienced in life should make us look to them with respect: “You shall rise up before the hoary head” (Lev 19:32). 224. “We can teach those young people, sometimes so focused on themselves, that there is more joy in giving than in receiving, and that love is not only shown in words, but also in actions”.[108]. Christus vivit (en latín; Vive Cristo, en español) es el título de la exhortación apostólica que el papa Francisco escribió tras la celebración de la XV Asamblea General Ordinaria del sínodo de los obispos, que tuvo como eje central a los jóvenes, la fe y el discernimiento vocacional.Se encuentra dirigida a los jóvenes y a todo el pueblo de Dios. Very often, they come to realize that there they receive much more than what they give. If young people sink roots in those dreams, they can peer into the future; they can have visions that broaden their horizons and show them new paths. These questions immediately give rise to others: How can I serve people better and prove most helpful to our world and to the Church? Some of this is already happening in oratories and other youth centres, which in many cases offer a friendly and relaxed setting where friendships can grow, where young men and women can meet one another, where they can share music, games, sports, but also reflection and prayer. In this way, you will not be a photocopy. To find, to disclose and to highlight this beauty, which is like that of Christ on the cross, is to lay the foundations of genuine social solidarity and the culture of encounter. None of this pain goes away; it stays with us, because the harsh reality can no longer be concealed. Argentina . They say that it is not worth making a lifelong commitment, making a definitive decision… I ask you, instead, to be revolutionaries, I ask you to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes you are incapable of responsibility, incapable of true love”. Occasionally, I would bring this up with young people, and they would respond almost jokingly: “No, that’s not for me!” Yet, a few years later, some of them were in the seminary. [97] â€œLord, make me a channel of your peace”, prayer inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi. F. . But if the elderly do not dream, young people lose clear sight of the horizon. He missed the opportunity of what surely would have been a great friendship. Mt 27:50) on a cross when he was little more than thirty years of age (cf. As Saint Augustine says: “Sing, but continue on your journey. The Lord’s love is greater than all our problems, frailties and flaws. With this outlook, she can support the call to respect women’s rights, and offer convinced support for greater reciprocity between males and females, while not agreeing with everything some feminist groups propose. This is even more serious if they think of the lay vocation simply as a form of service inside the Church: serving as lectors, acolytes, catechists, and so forth. Whenever you are enthused about life in common, you are capable of great sacrifices for others and for the community. [96] Cf. 142. The last images we have of Jesus as a child are those of a tiny refugee in Egypt (cf. He is concerned when you don’t talk to him, when you are not open to dialogue with him. [119] Singing can be a great incentive to young people as they make their way through life. 170. In other words, do you love me as a friend? This means that they must find ways to pass from virtual contact to good and healthy communication. Dear young friends, do not let them exploit your youth to promote a shallow life that confuses beauty with appearances. An ancient sage asks us to respect certain limits and to master our impulses: “Urge the younger men to be self-controlled” (Tit 2.6). Some Catholic schools seem to be structured only for the sake of self-preservation. [85] Cf. Popular piety “is a legitimate way of living the faith”[130] and “an expression of the spontaneous missionary activity of the People of God”.[131]. 10. Deste modo, o Santo Padre recorda todo o fato de que Cristo traz esperança aos jovens do mundo. Él es nuestra esperanza y la juventud más hermosa de este mundo. This is an important issue, and I want to spend a brief chapter discussing it. They did nothing more than follow the order of his Mother: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5). Often this service is the first step to a discovery or rediscovery of life in Christ and the Church. King Saul was also young when the Lord called him to undertake his mission (cf. [78] Five Loaves and Two Fish, Pauline Books and Media, 2003, pp. Forgiving his executioner, Isidore died in 1909. The second great truth is that Christ, out of love, sacrificed himself completely in order to save you. Don’t observe life from a balcony. As the old saying goes: “If the young had knowledge and the old strength, there would be nothing they could not accomplish”. Please, do not let yourselves be bought. There are no borders, no limits: he sends us everywhere. 239. That is why I would remind you of the most important question of all. The heart of the Church is also full of young saints who devoted their lives to Christ, many of them even to dying a martyr’s death. To discern our personal vocation, we have to realize that it is a calling from a friend, who is Jesus. 160. It would be helpful if this shared energy could be channelled and organized in a more stable way and with clear goals, so as to be even more effective. It is said that he spoke constantly of Christ and tried to convert his companions, to the point that he was ordered to renounce his faith. The very first truth I would tell each of you is this: “God loves you”. Because he lives, there can be no doubt that goodness will have the upper hand in your life and that all our struggles will prove worthwhile. Don’t let this happen to you! [139] It follows that every form of pastoral activity, formation and spirituality should be seen in the light of our Christian vocation.