Youth and the Search for the ‘Great Hope’

By Rita Murdock

    To be young with dreams and life ahead of us….We all need a firm and reliable hope. But it’s especially exhilarating to look towards our young people. They have a whole range of expectations with ideals, dreams and plans. They have hope. They look to adults, especially their parents for direction in choices concerning the rest of their lives. They question everything: God’s existence, life, death, morality, and virtue, vice, ethics, legality.  We must be informed and dedicated to living joyfully, the life we want our children to live. The road of life leads to heaven or to hell. Insistent questions we face sometimes seem insurmountable. We must stay hopeful as we ask ourselves: where can I obtain and how can I keep alive the flame of hope burning in my heart?

    Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, says, “Experience shows that personal qualities and material goods are not enough to guarantee the hope which the human spirit is constantly seeking. Politics, science, technology, economics and all other material resources are not of themselves sufficient to provide the great hope to which we all aspire. This hope 'can only be God, Who encompasses the whole of reality and Who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain'. ..One of the main consequences of ignoring God is the loss of direction that marks our societies, resulting in loneliness and violence, discontent and loss of confidence that can often lead to despair".

    We must be a beacon of hope for our youth as the crisis of hope is more likely to affect the younger generations. In this socio-cultural environment with few certainties, values or firm points of reference, our young people find themselves facing difficulties that seem beyond their strength. ... For some the almost unavoidable way out involves an alienating escape into dangerous and violent behavior, dependence on drugs and alcohol, and many other such traps for the unwary. Pope Benedict XVI asks, “How can we speak of this hope to those young people?” The main task for us is helping younger generations to rediscover the true face of God, Who is Love.

    God is love, our hope and our salvation.  When we show love to our youth, they experience hope for a future. We do this best by living our lives with Jesus Christ…then we are never alone. Pray, make space for prayer in your daily encounters. Pray together; nourish yourself with the word of God and participate actively in the Sacraments. Then our youth, your children and mine, will act in accordance with Christian hope. Sustenance in God encourages us to speak about Him making Him known and loved by those around us, engendering a society of hope. Adults, do not be discouraged by difficulties and trials. Be patient and persevering. Make choices that demonstrate your faith. Show that you understand the risks of idolizing money, material goods, career and success. Do not yield to selfish interests.

    Cultivate love of neighbor and try to put yourselves and your talents and professional abilities at the service of the common good and of truth. Be prepared to 'make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you'. True Christians are never sad, even if they have to face trials of various kinds, because the presence of Jesus is the secret of their joy and peace.