The young person is not only the future but also the present. Youth is the transition from childhood to adulthood, a crucial phase during which young people are called to take on responsibilities within society. It would be a mistake not to recognise the potential that young people have to contribute to the growth and vitality of the Christian community. Moreover, youth is a profoundly formative stage in each person’s life — one that shapes whether we go on to live a life of depth and purpose, or one marked by emptiness and lack of direction. It is therefore essential that values are nurtured during this time, so that we may journey towards holiness and fulfil the richness of our calling.
Despite its importance, youth is often overshadowed by numerous challenges that many young people face daily: violence, marginalisation, manipulation, and addictions to drugs, pornography, and gambling. At times, society exploits the energy and ideals of the young, only to discard them. Others fall under the influence of destructive ideologies. Many carry deep wounds, with their failures etched into their hearts. As a Christian community, we must learn to weep in the face of these struggles so that we may respond with compassion and courage, acting not out of duty but from the heart.
What, then, can we do in the face of all this? There are indeed reasons for hope. Young people often carry within them a longing for a different, better life and a desire to develop their talents in service to others. Pope Francis continually reminds us of the need to accompany young people, offering them spaces where they can ask real questions and gradually build a relationship with the Gospel and with Jesus. He assures us that God loves each of us personally and unconditionally, a truth we can easily forget amid the distractions and traps of modern society. God’s love is perfect: it does not burden or belittle but rather heals and sets us free.
As a Christian community, we are called to be instruments in the hands of God, helping to promote and nurture Christian values, not only to better our society but for the genuine good of each person. For it is in the sincere gift of self that we begin to live life to the full, embracing the profound purpose to which Jesus calls us. It is a great grace when these values are discovered early in life.
May we support and guide one another with fraternal love, helping each other to live not in disillusionment or aimlessness, but to walk the path of holiness, the true goal of our lives.
Michael Spiteri
SDC Candidate
