Let us stay young by walking with the young people. While the young people need good peers for a good company, they also need good advisers to help them channel their energy, talents, and creativity healthily, and to realize their dreams.
Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, is known for his powerful line, “The youth is the hope of the fatherland.” Hence, we need to educate, evangelize, and love the young people today. We will not be anxiously anticipating the future if we are doing our vital part in informing, forming, and transforming them today.
The church, the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion, and the Mountain Province Police Office are harmoniously collaborating for the young people of the province. There is joy collabora-ting with the soldiers and police, especially the Charlie and Bravo companies of the 54th IB under the baton of 1Lt. Keith Paquibot and its new commanding officers, 1Lt. Roland Domingo, 1Lt. Ramil Sumague, and Maj. Pedro Tactay of Sagada Municipal Police Station.
Being their spiritual adviser and regular resource person on the Role of the Youth for the Youth Formation Program and Youth Leadership Summit (YLS), common dreams and activities for the young people were established and now bearing good fruits.
The “Moving the Youth towards Peace and Development” (MYPD) of the Philippine National Police and YLS of the Armed Forces of the Philippines are two important avenues of formation among the young people managed by these two uniformed institutions. Fittingly, these are the institutions to which the government entrusted the care of peace and order in the communities.
The AFP and PNP will do more beautiful services to the young people if we multiply our support to them. Let us be encouraged to constantly support and appreciate the uniformed in their good deeds. If there are rooms for improvement, they will be happy to receive feedbacks and suggestions for better results. The alumni of YLS and MYPD can give beautiful testimonies regarding the benefits of these activities.
Who are the youth? What is their role?
The youth is a vulnerable sector of our communities. One gets out from the sector upon marriage. Merriam Dictionary defines youth as the time of life when one is young, especially the period between childhood and maturity. It is the early period of existence, growth, or development. If one is married and yet enjoys being with the young, the dictionary defines it as “the quality or state of being youthful.”
The youth in the Old Testament are considered “anawim.” They are defenseless, the oppressed due to poor economic status; and powerless for being deprived of political power. Anawim is a Hebrew word for poor but beautifully blessed by God because they see God as the sole source of their everything. They depend solely on God for protection and providence.
The youth can be most vulnerable sector of society because they cannot stand on their own. They depend on their parents for their studies and living and for their basic needs.
The youth are the most critical agents of change, especially in nation building. Later on, they will be the leaders of the church and the government.
Jesus affirmed the important role of the youth. We ponder on John 6:1-15. The miracle of the multiplication of the bread and fish is the miracle of Jesus where he involved a young boy.
The young boy was instrumental in the feeding of more than 5,000 people. Jesus channeled the generosity of the young boy in his miracle.
Jesus encourages each one of us, especially those with overflowing blessings, to share their time, talent, and treasure to the young ones. If we constantly do that today, the youth will be able to see their talents, their creativity, and their important role in transforming the world. Pope Francis keeps on telling us, “Walk with the young people.” It is “synodality.” Immerse with the young to pray, play, work, and even cry with them. In so doing, their energies will be integrated healthily and productively in building God’s kingdom here and now.
Reach me at [email protected] or 0908-727-6735.
April 23, 2024
