Youth, Gifted to Give (Part 2)

(An excerpt of the talk of the Most Rev. Abel C. Apigo, D.D., bishop of Mati, March 22, 2021 during DXGN Online Recollection)

Christus Vivit (Christ is Alive!): Youth as the Now of God!

This is a new apostolic exhortation of Pope Francis issued last March 25, 2019 the seventh (7th) year of his pontificate gives a fresh look at the young people in our time. “After this brief look at the word of God, we cannot just say that the young people are the future of our world. They are its present, even now, they are helping to enrich it. Young people are no longer children. They are a time of life when they begin to assume a number of responsibilities, sharing alongside in the growth of the family” (cf. CV # 64). Ang Dokumento sa Simbahan nagpadayag nga ang mga kabatan-onan anaa gayud sa atong kiliran ug ilang contribution dili pa kay umabot pa apan karon nagsugod na sila ug hatag sa ilang kaugalingon alang sa uban.

“Youth, as a phase in the development of the personality, is marked by dreams which gather momentum, by relationships which acquire more and more consistency and balance, by trials and experiments, and by choices which gradually build a life project. At this stage in life, the young are called to move forward without cutting themselves off from their roots, to build autonomy but not in solitude” (cf. CV # 137). Diha sa ilang damgo ug pangandoy nga ang usa ka batan-on magsugod ug paningkamot aron iya kining makab-ot. He is gaining a momentum in his life. Diha sa iyang relasyon sa kauban nga batan-on ug diha sa Simbahan nga siya makabaton ug balanse diha sa iyang kinabuhi. Naa silay buhaton usab nga mga trials and experiments ug mga choices nga dili magdala ngadto sa ilang gitawag ug LIFE PROJECTS. Dinhi magsugod ang ilang paghupot ug mga responsibilidad nga magdala sa pag-ila kanila nga ANG KARON – THE NOW of the Church and the Society.

Diha sa atong Simbahan sila aduna nay mga papel/responsibilidad nga gigunitan aron makatabang diha sa kinabuhi pastoral (pastoral lfe) diha sa atong Simbahan. Siguro guilty usab kita nga dili nato mahatagan og kahigayonan ang usa ka batan-on nga makapakita gayud sa iyang nindot nga gasa ngadto sa ubang mga tawo. They are helping the Church enrich its mission through the creativity of the young people. Kini nga ilahang pagka-KARON (the NOW) makita unta diha sa matag pari diha sa parokya kung diin naka assign ang usa ka pari. Ug tungod nga sila naghupot naman sa mga katungdanan nga ilang nadawat mao nga ang mga hamtong dili unta ma-THREATHEN sa presensiya nila diha sa matag parokya. Providing A WELCOME AND RECOGNIZING THEIR CONTRIBUTION in the Church is a silent declaration that we are indeed one with them.

“The synod recognized that the members of the church do not always take the approach of Jesus. Rather than listening to young people attentively, all too often, there is a tendency to provide prepackaged answers and ready-made solutions, without allowing their questions to emerge and facing the challenges they pose.” Dili unta nato sila himoon nga magsalig lamang sa mga hamtong ug nga sila magsunod lamang kanato, apan ang mga batan-on makaamgo nga sila giila diay nga adunay daku nga kalambigitan sa Simbahan. There should no prepackaged answers but we should give our time to LISTEN TO THEM and in doing this you can understand them and they in turn can understand the desire of the adults for all of them.