Heart Talk

It’s Jubilee time! There’s excitement in the air as all of us prepare to receive the many blessings and graces that God has in store for us. The Jesus Youth International Assembly gave us a deep insight into the past 25 years, enabling us to realize that as our very name signifies, it was Jesus who was at the centre of everything the movement has been able to accomplish. More than two decades of prayer, commitment, sacrifice and visions has made possible what is now a reality. Looking at the growth of the movement we can only agree that the Holy Spirit has taken us way beyond what anyone of us could ever imagine. It is a miracle to witness not just the growth of the movement, but the very life of each Jesus Youth; the way the spark of God-experience pulls us into the movement, the fire refines us, binding us in a loving fellowship to radiate the light of Christ as we challenge the world with our uncompromising zeal. The journey of the movement is also a fruit of the journey that our loving Lord has made into the lives of each one of us, in the most fertile formation ground of our Mother the Church.

While in Assisi for the European Leaders’ Training, a few of us had a very close look at the life of our patron saint - Francis of Assisi. It is amazing how much his life relates with what God is doing in our lives, especially through the six pillars. It looks like a love story wherein we are ever growing in love; in love with our Lord, in love with the Church, in love with our call and in love with the poor. Let me elaborate on this.

In love with our Lord - with utmost priority; no doubt this is how the life of everyone in this movement began, and it keeps growing deeper and deeper, day by day, quite like St. Francis who spent days together in caves experiencing this love. This relationship is experienced powerfully in the numerous whispers of love from the Lord during our time of personal prayer and reading of His Word. Without this personal relationship with the Lord, a Jesus Youth cannot give anything to the world. As we prepare for the Jubilee with projects like ‘Prayer Powerhouses’ and ‘100 days of Grace’, let us be attentive to the powerful promptings of our Lord in this year of special grace.

In love with the Church - with an uncompromising missionary zeal; wherein we receive energy from our sacramental life, then go out with great missionary fervour to spread the Good News. Our love for the shepherds of the Church and the many vocations the movement has produced are beautiful expressions of the same. Projects like ‘Fulltimership’ and ‘1000 Missions’ are initiatives in this direction.

In love with our call - in challenging real life situations. I remember the Archbishop of Assisi telling us how St. Francis through the power of the Holy Spirit, renounced everything, even his clothes, to follow his mission. It reminds me of the many Jesus Youth who, guided by the Holy Spirit, are at the service of the Church, ready to give up anything to go on mission. Our witnessing in real life situations, offices, campuses, etc., and our Jubilee projects like ‘Testimonies on the Web’ and social networking platforms, reveal our strong resolve to live up to our call as Jesus Youth no matter where we are.

In love with the poor - with a sense of family. I have been inspired by the many Jesus Youth who have given up so much for helping the poor and I don’t mean just the visibly poor in society. They support numerous students with no means to study, families with no homes to stay in, children without parents, etc. And they do this not just as an act of charity but like St. Francis did, with a great sense of family where the needy are like their own family members. Our Jubilee offers many opportunities with projects like ‘Outreach - Child Support’ to reach out as a movement to many who need us.

This is also a time to thank God for all those who brought us to that first prayer meeting or initial programme and thereby to this movement - our elders, leaders, friends, religious sisters, priests and bishops. As I look at many families I know and particularly my own family that is preparing for the ordination of my brother who found his vocation in the movement, I realise that the movement has brought a spiritual revival not only in us but also in everybody around us. Refined, Renewed and Radiant, let us make this Jubilee year memorable not only for our generation but for all generations to come.