Minimalism - Why does Jesus Youth love it? (BJRE032)
Minimalism - Why does Jesus Youth love it?
(By Dr. Edward Edezhath - Published in Kairos Magazine in 2020)
“Four sons I have, and the second one, a JY. About him, I was worried, thinking he was careless about money matters. Unlike his brothers, he is not eager to buy many things, and his home is simple and bare. But now I see his point. His life is not cluttered, but he is focused, loving, and happy. Perhaps that looks much better.”
Many active Jesus Youth are ‘minimalists with a mission.’ What is minimalism? It is an attempt to live with the essential things you need and give up what distracts you. Very often, such a life has a clear focus, which results in greater freedom and enjoyment of the little things in life.
Less is more
Is it being miserly, not spending money for your real needs? No, the lifestyle of minimalism is all about the simplicity of living and the joy of giving away. Joy and generosity are at the heart of it.
“Nowadays, many who take life seriously adopt this slogan, ‘Less is more.’ For them, this is a reaction against a decadent culture of blindly following a ‘use and throw’ lifestyle.” One active Jesus Youth shared his thoughts with me. “But in my case, I became a minimalist, not as a reaction. My Christ Encounter turned my value upside down. Earlier, it was a ‘successful life,’ but now, it is a ‘life of joy in Christ.’ And now I have started seeing others’ needs. So, for me, ‘less is more’ and ‘it is more blessed to give’ and experience that joy.”
One special thing about the Jesus Youth movement is that there have been outstanding models of minimalism in all generations of its growth. Fr Abraham, one of its pioneers, often challenged youth. He would ask, ‘What does the Bible teach about giving? How much?” They reply, talking about ‘tithing.’ No! he would say. That is the Old Testament teaching. Even John the Baptist talks about giving 50 percent, “if you have two coats, give away one.” But Jesus challenges us to give fully; if you want to follow me, sell everything, give to the poor, and follow me. He would conclude, ‘We are only custodians of the Lord’s gifts; those in need are the real owners.’
Another challenging person in the movement has been Alicekutty, who has been animating the movement from the beginning. While working as a professor, she would say, ‘My income is for those in need’ and would support others generously after meeting her meager needs. She always lived in a simple home, but that, too, was always shared by a few others. Those are early examples, but over the years, the movement has produced many such, committed to a life of simplicity and found joy in giving.
According to Pope Francis: "We need to take up an ancient lesson, . . . the conviction that “less is more.” A constant flood of new consumer goods can baffle the heart and prevent us from cherishing each thing and each moment. . . Christian spirituality proposes a growth marked by moderation and the capacity to be happy with little." (Laudato Si', 222)
A true Christian culture
A life of minimalism, in the sense of not being enchanted by material goods and slowly turning away from the luxuries of life, is a true sign of Christian commitment. As Apostle Paul remarks, those who desire to be rich fall into ruin and destruction because ‘the love of money is the root of all evils’ (1 Tim 6:9,10). He speaks of a life of extreme simplicity in which “if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (v. 8). One reason for this was Jesus, his master, was a very poor man with “no place to lay his head” (Mt 8:20) and challenged his disciples to be poor, challenging them towards simple living.
For a Jesus Youth, the example of St Francis has been another challenge, not just for the love of beauty and joy of life but also for simple living. Young Francis, from the year 1208, devoted himself to a life of utter poverty and the proclamation of the Gospel. His example shocked yet inspired people from all walks of life in his generation and continues to challenge the young and old of contemporary times to embrace a life of moderation.
Minimalism is integral to JY’s lifestyle.
Jesus had some special instructions for his disciples sent on a mission: “Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, no two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff” (Mt 10: 9,10). In brief, a missionary must travel light.
We live in a consumeristic world in which needs are rapidly increasing, and new products constantly appear. It is natural that people want to gather more and more. But here is a ‘sign of contradiction’ in which people buy only the essentials and even give away what they already have. This, in turn, builds up a caring and sharing community and helps one turn attention a little more to the poor and needy.
Three years ago, a couple of Jesus Youth from Kuwait had a brief discussion in which they said, ‘Most of our families have a lot of dresses in very good condition that we surely can spare. We can ask others also. If only we had a way to collect and reach them to some who need that.” That was the beginning of a new initiative, JY Dress Collection Mission. This helped families ask themselves what they could give away and created a mechanism to collect and send dresses to the needy. More than ten thousand kilograms of dress has already been collected and put to good use. A spirit and style of minimalism have evoked so many such small and big steps in the movement. Surely, much more is on the way.
1. How do you understand 'Minimalism' in relation to JY?
2. Why is a 'less is more' approach important today?
3. What is your favorite Bible passage in relation to minimalism?
4. Suggest some practical steps to practice minimalism.
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