Sunday, June 1, 2014
The Youths In The Way
It is remarkable to see teenagers and youths participating in a two-hour Eucharist. Most young people today would rather "hang-out" with their friends in bars and clubs, going to the movies,...... and sadly sometimes doing illegal things such as getting into hardcore drugs.
The importance of family is emphasized in the Way. Husbands and wives sit together. Youths sit together with their parents unless they are part of the cantors. What is learned in the Neocatechumenal Way is practiced in the home. Families at home say their prayers together, and eat their meals at the table together. Gone are the days when teenagers would be eating dinner in the living room watching television while mom and dad eat separately in other parts of the house.
Of course, there are also a few teenagers who came only with their single parent because their father had left them when they were very little. Dad is nowhere to be found and does not even come around. These kids first came into the Way feeling abandoned and rejected by their father. Therefore, it is not surprising to find some anger in them. In time, these kids have received the grace to forgive. In the Way, they learned that they cannot change the other person. The only change that can take place is themselves. In other words, one cannot change the other person's adultery, but one can change his/her own anger.
Matthew 15:17-20 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
In time, these youths learned that it was their father who suffered the most in his adultery. He was a weak man, and they prayed for him.
These youths walking in the Way have learned to read and use the Bible than the regular Catholic. Most regular Catholics like my parents keep the Holy Bible at home on a book shelf. Many of these youths have also taken part of the World Youth Day events. Some of them have stood up to be itinerants or missionaries. Many of them also participate in the monthly scrutacio, which usually takes about 3 to 4 hours long. Can you imagine youths who give up their Sunday evenings to attend Bible scrutacio for four hours? Can you imagine teenagers giving up their Saturday nights to attend a two hour Eucharist? Can you imagine young people staying up all night until dawn during an Easter Vigil?
Of course, these youths are no better than the youths who spend their Saturday nights "hanging-out" with their friends. They simply found it better to spend their Saturday nights worshiping God.
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So is it only through the Way that I can learn these things?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 5:23 a.m.,
ReplyDeleteNo, it isn't only through the Way that youths can become close to God and His Church. Sometimes, God sends people in our lives that can change our lives so that we become closer to God and His Church. Unfortunately, the reality is the family is under attack. The secular world is teaching teenagers that it isn't "cool" to sit with your parents.
So the NCW is not the only true way to serve God?
DeleteDear Anonymous at 6:29 p.m.
DeleteOf course the NCW is not the only true way because there are other Catholic organizations. Just look at Josemaría Escrivá. He was the Founder of Opus Dei, and the Vatican declared him a saint.
Do i have to join an organization? I just attend mass regularly and i enjoy reading the Bible, but my friend said that I won't experience the full love of God until I become part of the NCW community.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous at 7:22 p.m.
DeleteThat actually depends on how you live your life. Mother Teresa never joined the Way, but she experienced the full love of God. And Mother Teresa was a nun. Although there are many saints who joined Catholic organizations, there are also some who did not because it depends on how they live their life.
Every baptized Catholic is called to be holy. That means to lead a virtuous life like Christ did. Many times, we prepare ourselves for this world by getting a good education, a great job, a nice house, etc. All these things are good things, but none of these things will prepare us for the afterlife.
The things that we do in this life depends on what happens to us in the afterlife. Going to mass regularly and reading the Bible (although these are good things) is not going to determine whether you will have eternal life in Heaven or not. In other words, God is not going to count the number of times you attended mass and how many times you missed mass and then decide to bring you into Heaven because you went to mass regularly. God is also not going to give you a written test on the Holy Bible to see if you passed or not. We are to imitate the saints, and the saints did much much more than attend mass regularly and read sacred scripture. For example, the saints learned to love their enemies.
Well I don't think I need to be like a saint in order to get into heaven, but thanks for answering my questions... I'm happy with my Catholic beliefs. I think I'll just tell my friend no thank you.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 8:15 p.m.,
DeleteThat is your wish, and that should be respected. Continue to read the Holy Bible.
Naturally these youths spend their Saturday night worshipping God. It's the night you do your celebration! You judge the youths who are not in the NCW as spending their time idly on a Saturday night. You make it sound that the youths in the NCW are far better than those not walking.
ReplyDeleteIn your other comment, about recording elsewhere, you judged again. How do you know all these things? Do you spend time with all the youths on island. Being a mother I resent your comment! You make it seem that I have not raised my teenagers and adult children to love and serve The Lord!
Dear Anonymous at 8:54 p.m.,
DeleteI was not judging the youth who are not members of the Way because in the first place, my post was NEVER about them. My post was about the youths walking in the Way. Please learn to read.
The whole point of my post is how remarkable that the youths walking in the Way would spend their Saturday night in a 2 hour eucharist, go to a 4 hour bible scrutacio, and stay up all night in a 6 hour Easter vigil. Most youths don't do that. Most youths prefer to "hang-out" with their friends, go to movies, etc. In other words, read my last sentence in my post.
"These youths walking in the Way have learned to read and use the Bible than the regular Catholic."
DeleteThis is a very judgmental statement diana. As if non NCW youths don't know how to read and use the Bibe?
You don't write about other youths explicitly true but you implicitly cast them in a black vs. white type of argument.
Youths in the Way, i remember the WYD Sydney, the whole return trip was detained at the airport in Australia because three or four of these spirit filled kids shoplifted from an airport store.
Youths in the Way, still get pregnant outside of marriage. Please don't sugar coat everything.
-Catholics United-
Dear Catholic United,
DeleteThis is what I stated:
"These youths walking in the Way have learned to read and use the Bible than the regular Catholic. Most regular Catholics like my parents keep the Holy Bible at home on a book shelf."
As you can see from my statement above, I was not even talking about the youths who were not walking in the Way. I was referring to the average Catholics in general like my parents who usually put the Bible on a book shelf rather than read it. My parents were like the average Catholics who attend mass regularly, always kept a big bible in the home, but rarely read it. This is what happens when you take one sentence out of context of the entire post.
Furthermore, where in my post did I say that the youths walking in the Way were better????? This is what I stated in my post:
"Of course, these youths are no better than the youths who spend their Saturday nights "hanging-out" with their friends."
So, how did you manage to miss this particular sentence??
Diana, instead of making statements about youths outside the way or giving advice to priests. Maybe you should write about what prompted you to join the NVW.
DeleteThe NCW way is good for some and not for others. It remains good when the family is all involved, but when one or two are not, there is the friction than can be felt.
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteI was not writing about youths outside of the Way. I was writing about my observations of youths inside the Way. I agree that the NCW is not for everyone.
In due time, I will write about why I joined the Way. My blogsite, however, are my experiences and observations of being in the Way.
The problem Diana is you compare and put those in the WAY on a pedestal!
DeleteDear Anonymous at 10:35 a.m.,
DeleteOn the contrary, I was not comparing at all. I was remarking how incredible that young people would actually stay in a Eucharist for 2 hours, go to a 4 hour Bible scrutacio. and even participate in a 6 hour Easter Vigil. That's not putting them on a pedestal. I think it's awesome that they can commit that amount of time to God.....don't you?
But you were comparing. It's so sick how you deflect and straigh out call it like it's not.
DeleteDear Anonymous at 5:20 pm,
DeleteThe title of my post is "Youths in the Way". There is nothing in my saying that youths in the Way are better than youths not walking in the Way. My post is about how remarkable the youths in the Way have committed that much time to God.
Why can't people just be happy that youth are even receiving the sacraments at all? And I think that it really goes to show that youth in these communities who get pregnant outside of marriage or whatever else you guys are talking about in the earlier comments are not brainwashed like people want to believe. there is no one holding these young people at gun point, forcing them to walk in the community. There is no one bribing them...it's not like their parents say if you do this for me, i'll buy you a new car or something like that. Everyone is free. Even the young people. No one is guilt-tripped into going to eucharist every saturday night. They come freely...maybe not in the mood..maybe upset because they are 'missing out' on something. But when they leave the celebration? they are happy - they have been nourished by the word and the body and blood of Christ. Shouldn't we be happy about that, at least?
ReplyDelete