The CCSJ is pleased to share with readers the essay written by JISELLE SINGH who won the 15-19 age category in the Commission’s Essay Competition during last month’s observance of Respect for Life Week. Jiselle belongs to the parish of St Francis of Assisi in Erin. The essay topic was “How can young people foster gospel values in the society?”
“For if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share that love with others? – Pope Francis. Prior to the 20th century, gospel values were seen as merely applicable to individual and interpersonal relationships. However, beginning with the encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII and culminating with the documents of the Second Vatican Council, gospel values were now seen as integral to all spheres of society.
All the gospel values originate from Jesus’ law of love made visible in His words, deeds and commands. The gospel values are respect for life and the dignity of each person, trust in God, honesty, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, community, servant leadership, equality, simplicity, justice and peace. Despite the daunting challenges of today’s world, young people can foster these values and positively transform society.
Firstly, we can inculcate respect for life and human dignity by introducing others to Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (TOB) by sharing these videos via social networking. TOB teaches that the body is a unique instrument capable of communicating with others and God in profound ways and therefore deserving of respect.
Before viewing the afore-mentioned, I had poor self-esteem and would sometimes dress promiscuously to feel attractive. After looking at these videos, I realised how wonderfully I had been fashioned by God and began dressing more modestly, valuing my body as the precious temple of the Holy Spirit.
In addition to this, we can protect the dignity of our peers by speaking out against all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying. By not liking or sharing negative comments about others on social networks and taking a strong stance against abortion by getting involved in Pro-Life organisations, we youth can promote these values.
Without trust in God, we can easily succumb to depression which can lead us to resort to negative forms of gratification to experience relief. We can build trust in God through praying individually, with a partner or in groups. On two occasions, I had to persuade an individual, struggling with belief in God, not to commit suicide. This experience strengthened my belief that trust in God is fundamental to a happy life. In the midst of world crises like the threat of ISIS and the Ebola virus, this value is crucial to experiencing inner peace.
Honesty is also dying in our society and we must strive to be honest in all things to tighten the widening gap of mistrust in society.
Similarly, the intertwined values of compassion, forgiveness and mercy are essential to improving our nation. Helping peers who are weaker than us at a subject, reaching out to the poor, helping differently-abled persons or listening to someone share his/her problems are ways to show compassion in our lives.
Likewise, forgiveness and mercy can be engendered if we forgive each other instead of holding grudges and seeking revenge. Hence, we should support organisations like the Mary Care Centre which provides a sanctuary for pregnant young women, ages 12-17, who often have nowhere else to go. Speaking out against capital punishment by wearing buttons with the print ‘Say No to Capital Punishment’ can also spread the message of forgiveness and mercy.
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In these ways, we will blossom into true community. How we love each other identifies us as Christians and simple acts like calling someone whom we didn’t see at Mass, visiting the sick, and creating Christian groups on Facebook and Whatsapp can build community.
Servant leadership and equality are also important in nurturing community. Regardless of social position, we should treat each other equally as siblings in Christ. A call to lead is a call to serve and I learnt this through my experience as Head Prefect at school. When I started I just wanted to do what my list of duties included. However, I soon realised that true leadership required much more than that! Sometimes I would help students with their schoolwork, listen to their problems and clean up the messes they made. Literally! This experience greatly humbled me and I am confident that if our leaders practise this, especially in the Dr Wayne Kublalsingh case, our country would be a much better place.
Simplicity is epitomised in St Theresa’s Little Way, which demonstrates that the little things we do make a huge difference. By helping out in household chores, disposing of rubbish left by someone else, and bearing patiently with our imperfections and that of others we can foster simplicity.
Finally, it is a Christian duty to promote the dignity and fundamental rights of each person, for without justice there is no peace. Charitable hand-outs will do little if we fail to cultivate ways to enhance the lives of the underprivileged. I know a Catholic woman from Laventille who mothers youth in the area belonging to broken homes. She feeds, clothes and helps them with schoolwork and though she is not wealthy, she constantly enriches their lives with her little acts of love.
Similarly, we can help impoverished children in our communities with their homework and volunteer for ALTA, a programme geared at improving literacy among illiterate adults and those with reading difficulties. We should never hesitate to lend our voices to the cause of the marginalised by standing up for victims of injustice or joining organisations like the Catholic Commission for Social Justice. In order to maintain peace, we must also deal with conflict by facing it head on, resolving it and making it a link in the chain of a new process.
It is my firm conviction that we youth have a tremendous responsibility and capability to foster the gospel values of respect for life and the dignity of each person, trust in God, honesty, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, community, servant leadership, equality, simplicity, justice and peace in society.
Despite the many challenges, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and it is our duty to make the Kingdom of God present in our world. Furthermore, let us never disregard the necessity of prayer and the primacy of God’s grace in accomplishing this tremendous work in our society.”
