The prime mission of Jesus Youth? Friendship (BJRE029)

The prime mission of Jesus Youth? Friendship

(By Dr. Edward Edezhath. Published in Kairos Magazine in 2020)

I knew this woman, Sumi, quite well. Recently, we had a heart-to-heart chat following a big tragedy in her life. “My father was an active political worker for a right-wing party. I, too, had the same strong will as my dad. But while in college, I moved closer to leftist party leadership. As you know, most teenagers want to rebel and do the opposite of what their parents expect from them. But my political activism was mainly due to the nice friends I found there. These boys and girls were so joyful and friendly, and they talked about big revolutionary ideas. And I became their good friend and thus an active Political leader.” 

With a mischievous smile, I commented, “Now your son has done the same, and at college, he met an active group and became their leader. The only difference is that he has become a Catholic and quite an active one. But are you upset like your father?” Now it was her turn to return a naughty smile, “Eddy, why should I? Maybe, when I was young, if I had met such vibrant boys and girls passionate about Christianity, I too would have become active in Church.”

Do everything possible to build love.

I have been active in my prayer group since my early college days. It was not just a prayer group. Instead, it was a joy-filled gathering on Wednesdays, and much of life and activities flowed there. I remember how we started some of our very beautiful celebrations.  Most of the significant steps were taken due to some messages received in the group. During the early 1980s, we used to get in the group a recurring message: “Do everything possible to build love.” The core group noticed these repeated messages and discussed how to respond. One good step was the Christmas celebrations we started, which used to be a big hit. The focal point of these celebrations was helping people to know one another thoroughly and help them belong well. 

Later, when the Jesus Youth movement gradually took shape, this emphasis on ‘building love’ always received special emphasis. So, many would mention' friendship if you ask young people what brought them to the Jesus Youth movement.’ ‘So and so became a good friend of mine, and when she invited me to the group, I couldn’t resist.’ Some others would mention how warm friendships kept them in the group. Many others would recall how when they were depressed or then had a life crisis, there was good Jesus Youth to accompany, and so they have continued. 

Sometimes, we forget how people come to know Jesus and deepen their relationship with him. The Lord works through relationships. Public announcements and attractive media have some role to play, but the most important step for getting connected to the Lord is a personal ‘invitation’ from a good friend. The Gospel of John chapter 1 has some beautiful illustrations for this. John the Baptist introduces Jesus to Andrew, and he becomes a friend of the Lord. Andrew, in turn, goes and invites his brother Peter. The next day, Jesus invites Philip, and Philip brings Nathanael; thus, the followers' chain widens. Friendship was the tool that Jesus used to gather his best followers. In Jesus Youth, the same dynamics are also present: loving and joyful friends bring their good friends to a friendly fellowship, where they experience the joy of the Lord and become friends of Jesus. 

The youth of today need friendship.

In his Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit, Pope Francis dedicates the 7th chapter to Youth Ministry. Many young people today feel orphaned, and “we need to make all our institutions better equipped to be more welcoming to young people” (216). The Pope elaborates on how friendship works in a group: “Friendship and discussion offer the opportunity to strengthen social and relational skills in a context in which one is neither analyzed nor judged. The group experience is also a great resource for sharing the faith and for mutual help bearing witness. The young can guide other young people and exercise a genuine apostolate among their friends”. (219)

Youth of today hunger and thirst for friendship. Suppose they don’t get it at a good place. In that case, they will look for it in the wrong spot and often get misled into a life of darkness and confusion. Jesus remarks, ‘Sons of this world are wiser in their own generation than the sons of light’ Lk 16:8. As the Pope points out, to help youth, we need ‘welcoming’ places, where there is friendship and lively discussion. But all this is possible only if there are committed young people who have discovered their call to be true friends of youth so that they will meet ‘the True Friend of Youth,’ who said, ‘I call you friends’ (Jn 15:15). In essence, the vocation of a Jesus Youth is to be a person of joyful friendships and his or her mission is to be a very good friend of everyone, especially the needy young ones, with a special commitment to bring them to the Lord. 

Earlier, I spoke about Sumi and my chat with her in the context of a tragic loss in her family. Her son was in the next room, inside and outside the house, so many of his friends shared his sorrow and consoled him with their presence. ‘He is so blessed to have them around him,” I told myself. And the tragedy today is that so many youths don’t have such friends. But, if they can have friends, and that too good friends, how wonderful it would be. And, surely, providing friends to young people is the primary call of Jesus Youth. 

= Pointers for Reflection =
1. What is your favorite quote or example of friendship in the Bible?
2. How important is friendship today, especially for young people?
3. What can happen when warm friendship is not given sufficient importance in a JY group?
4. How do we promote a spirit of joyful friendship in a group?

 

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