by Dick Lajiness

Our youth and young adults have been and always will be an integral part of our lives. The goal of the community needs to be to instill in our youth a hunger for God’s love in each and every one of them, and to seek out the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives, manifested through fruits, such as peace, mercy, kindness and gentleness. Since our youth and young adults will set the world’s future and will dictate the value system that following generations will hold, accomplishing this goal is essential. We were all created to do God’s will, but we have a free will and can choose to follow another path. Let’s take a look at the negative side and positive side of the issue.

On the negative side, consider the new technology that is available to us and our youth and young adults now: the access to massive amounts of good and evil information that can infiltrate our minds through the various forms of media today; or electronic games that can influence our children and young adults to do good or great evil. So, it seems true that our youth and young adults are so bombarded by the darkness in the world today that we are losing them, or are we simply concentrating on these negative influences to a point where we just accept as fact that darkness has taken over the lives of our youth?

On the positive side, there is a new book recently published called "Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers" (Oxford University Press). The survey for this book was conducted on 3,370 randomly selected teens between the ages of 13 to 17. The results found that 82% of those surveyed were affiliated with a religious congregation; 80% had few or no doubts about their beliefs in the past year; 71% feel "extremely," "very," or "somewhat" close to God: 65% pray alone a few times a week or more; 52% attend worship 2 to 3 times a month or more; and 50% experienced what was believed to be a miracle from God and the same amount experienced a definitive answer to prayer or guidance from God. Doesn’t it make one wonder what the percentages would be if 3,370 randomly selected adults were asked the same questions? From the results of this survey it seems clear that for our youth and young adults today, the glass is quite full - not quite empty.

But what can we do to help these teens in their search for meaning in their lives? Here are some ideas:

Parental Example - The research also showed that 72% of those teens surveyed had a "very" or "somewhat" similar religious belief to their fathers and 78% had a religious belief "very" or "somewhat" similar to their mothers. Parents have the ability to demonstrate that a God-filled life is more meaningful, fruitful, and peaceful than an evil one. All the religious education in the world cannot match the witness of faith between parents and their children.

Love One Another - As we adults encounter our youth and young adults in the world today, rather than concentrating on the negative - their differences from us in clothing, dance, earring placement, etc. - we need to concentrate on what gifts they have received from God and include them in our activities. We must help them develop their spiritual gifts as the important

part of the body of Christ that they are.

Prayer - Let us keep our youth and young adults in prayer. Pray that God will protect them with his Precious Blood from all evil; that His word will penetrate their hearts and bring them true inner-peace and joy in Him. May God send ministers to our youth and young adults who will teach them of His unending love for them. May the youth and young adults come to realize that even if they fall victim to earthly priorities, God still loves them, and all they have to do is seek to choose his forgiveness - He is there waiting for them to make that choice.

Support - We need to provide opportunities for them to share with others the value of having God in their lives. Often our youth and young adults are too busy to connect with God’s inner-peace. We need to encourage them to be less busy with earthly matters and take the time to quietly reflect on what God is calling them to do and to rest in Him. In the silence, they will find God in a powerful way.

To all who seek the salvation of our youth and young adults, I say pray, pray, and pray. For those who have the ability to influence the free will of our youth and young adults towards God, I say pray for the ability to guide and influence their lives with the same love that God used to guide you - not condemning but loving, and not self-righteous but genuinely concerned that these young individuals will obtain that comfort, peace, and self-assurance that lets them know they are a loved child of God.

 

Dick Lajiness and his wife, Sue, serve in the healing ministry at their parish, St. Anne, in Monroe, Michigan.

Dick is a member of the DCCR Assembly, representing the South Region.

(This is the sixth in a series of Bulletin articles that will address the twelve areas of prayer for which the Lord has requested that all in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Archdiocese of Detroit intercede. Those who are led to pray for this particular intention of " Youth and Young Adults," please contact Dick Lajiness, the writer of this article, at #734-289-1490, to let him know that you will join with him and others in praying for this topic.)