Greetings and peace to you in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, alleluia!
Let us continue our reflection in this Centenary year on our service to the local church, particularly in youth and vocation ministry. One area where we can be of particular service to the local church is in inspiring and encouraging young people to participate in the Eucharist on Sundays and Holy Days...and even on other occasions.
This is true because participating in and celebrating the Eucharist helps strengthen their faith, enlighten them more as to their vocation, and gives them the power and will to respond to that call. The local church is in turn strengthened by this and becomes a greater witness to the kingdom of God in the world. It is a “win-win” situation for everyone!
In his message for the 46th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, which is celebrated on May 3 this year, Pope Benedict XVI has this to say about celebration and contemplation of the Eucharist:
The awareness of being saved by the love of Christ, which every Mass nourishes in the faithful and especially in priests, cannot but arouse within them a trusting self-abandonment to Christ who gave his life for us. To believe in the Lord and to accept his gift, therefore, leads us to entrust ourselves to Him with thankful hearts, adhering to his plan of salvation. When this does happen, the one who is “called” voluntarily leaves everything and submits himself to the teaching of the divine Master...
If we can help our youth to see the Eucharist in this light, they might be less inclined to see it as “boring” and a waste of time. It certainly helps to have a celebration which is geared toward them whether in the enthusiasm with which it is celebrated, the type of music which is used, and the message of the sermon being crafted for their ears and minds. However, this must not lead them see the Eucharist as another “show”, something to entertain them for an hour or so, and then on to the next thing. If they have in this celebration “the awareness of being saved by the love of Christ”, then they will be in a better position to respond to that love in faith, hope and charity.
For this to take place, they must encounter Jesus. We repeat here once again these very fundamental words for Josephite-Marellian Youth Ministry as expressed in number 34 of Step by Step: “Everyone who works in youth ministry must learn from St. Joseph to have a very special relationship with Jesus, which then can be presented to the youth as an intrinsic element in learning the way of faith”. If we are able to have a deep and continuous experience of this special relationship with Jesus in the celebration of the Eucharist, we will then be able to present this to our youth as an “intrinsic element” in the “way of faith”. This, in turn, will make the local church more “Church” and what could be beneficial than that?
One other element of the Eucharistic celebration that we must make clear to our youth is that their presence and participation is essential for the complete celebration of the Mass by the local church. Maybe our youth (and possibly some of us) believe their presence at the Mass is not that important. The mass is celebrated all the same...not true!! All of the baptized are called to be a part of the Body of Christ as we enter into the perpetuation of the salvific mystery. My presence in that Body is necessary and essential. If I am not there, the celebration is lessened, not complete, and the Body suffers. The long tradition of the Church bringing communion from the Eucharist to the sick who were unable to attend demonstrates the Church’s firm conviction that this is true. By their reception of the Eucharist, they do indeed participate in the community’s celebration of the Eucharist and this makes the celebration more complete and this helps the local church to be more united and deepens their faith.
If we are convinced of this, it will be much easier to convince youth of the same. The Holy Father in his message makes very clear the connection between Eucharist and vocation. If we are able to help youth to see the intimate connection between their fulfilment as human beings (which is in their discovering and answering their vocation) and the Eucharist, they will certainly be more inclined to participate, and participate with enthusiasm. This enthusiasm is what the local church needs most especially in order to continue to be an effective witness to God’s plan of salvation in the world.
