1. Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!
2. He is in you, he is with you and he never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One. He calls you and he waits for you to return to him and start over again. When you feel you are growing old out of sorrow, resentment or fear, doubt or failure, he will always be there to restore your strength and your hope.
These opening paragraphs begins Pope Francis’ exhortation to Christian youth, as well as pastors, ministers, and the general Christian population. It is exciting that Pope Francis encourages and challenges our youth, while at the same time asking us to recognize the value of and nurture our youth.
Our youth bring energy, optimism, and fresh ideas. As full participants, they nourish the Church. At the same time, they challenge the Church by asking questions. They challenge us to more deeply understand our faith, so that we can better explain it to them.
Therefore, it is good for all members of the Church to read Christus Vivit. It affirms the youth, gives direction to ministers and pastors, and challenges the entire Church.
For the last five years, I have served as Associate Youth Coordinator for St. Michael Church. I’ve seen the value our youth bring to our Church. Our youth have lead Stations of the Cross, made cards for assisted living communities, made hats and scarves for the homeless, prepared breakfast for the parish and lunch for the homeless, and built and repaired homes from Appalachia to Guatemala. I have learned far more from them than I could ever teach them. They bring a freshness to our faith. As they grow in their faith, they challenge us to grow in ours.
Through their example, they have reminded me of my own call to serve, learn, and grow in faith. They are a true blessing to the Church, and we owe it to them to constantly remind them of their value to the faith community. We need to listen and learn from them as much as we ask them to listen and learn from us.