We cannot follow Jesus on our own

We cannot follow Jesus on our own

Having returned from Madrid my mind is still full of the excitement and the colour of the vast crowds of joyful young Catholics united in their faith and with each other. This experience of communion, of being united in Christ is a central truth of what it means to be a Catholic. During the final Mass of WYD the Pope said, “Let me also remind you that following Jesus in faith means walking at his side in the communion of the Church. We cannot follow Jesus on our own. Anyone who would be tempted to do so “on his own”, or to approach the life of faith with that kind of individualism so prevalent today, will risk never truly encountering Jesus, or will end up following a counterfeit Jesus. Having faith means drawing support from the faith of your brothers and sisters, even as your own faith serves as a support for the faith of others.”

This reality of the Church as a support to each other is central to our vision in Youth 2000. Our motto is “youth leading youth to the heart of the Church” and our experience is in the support of our prayer groups and of the wider Youth 2000 community. Without you I could not being to say how I would be a priest in the Ireland of today. Your support and example give me the courage to be a priest and a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus speaks to us of the need to support and challenge each other in our faith. This Sunday let us thank God for the great support we receive in our faith journey from others and ask Him for the grace to be in our turn supports for others.

A final word from the Pope from Madrid: I ask you dear friends, to love the Church which brought you to birth in the faith, which helped you to grow in knowledge of Christ and which led you to discover the beauty of his love. Growing in friendship with Christ necessarily means recognizing the importance of joyful participation in the life of your parishes, communities and movements, as well as the celebration of Sunday Mass, frequent reception of the sacrament of Reconciliation, and the cultivation of personal prayer and meditation on God’s word.

Fr. John Harris O.P - Spiritual Director of Youth 2000 Ireland