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Recently I met a young couple expecting their first child, and during the course of our
conversation they excitedly shared their hopes and dreams for their child and what
they were expecting the child to become in the future. Yet, the mother was just four
weeks pregnant. If such is the case for us humans, how much more must our
heavenly Father plan and dream about each one of us (Jeremiah 1:5; 29: 11). It is
Jesus who reveals that the Father’s plan for us is that we, “may have life, and have it
abundantly” (John 10:10). We were all initiated into this life of God, through the
sacrament of baptism and are expected to journey into its fullness, by becoming more
and more like Christ. St. Paul expresses this truth succinctly when he says, “My little
children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you”
(Galatians 4:19). He expresses the deep need for Christ to be formed in us and we
are told such formation requires a regular and challenging journey of obedience
(“teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” – Mathew 28:20).
How focused and keen are we on the formation of our thoughts, attitudes and value
systems, in accordance with God’s will and design?
“Every other person who ever came into this world came into it to live. Christ came into it to die. Death was a stumbling block to Socrates — it interrupted his teaching. But to Christ, death was the goal and fulfilment of His life, the gold that He was seeking” (Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ).
November 2021 | Malayalam/മലയാളം
“Every other person who ever came into this world came into it to live. Christ came into it to die. Death was a stumbling block to Socrates — it interrupted his teaching. But to Christ, death was the goal and fulfilment of His life, the gold that He was seeking” (Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ).
The Church gives the faithful an incredible
opportunity to renew their missionary
commitment through World Mission Day, which
falls on the penultimate Sunday of October. “The
World Mission Day itself is not an isolated
moment in the course of the year but rather a
valuable opportunity to pause and reflect on
whether and how we respond to our missionary
vocation…” (Pope Benedict XVI, WMD 2011).
This month, we focus on the verse Pope Francis
has taken as the theme of this year’s World
Mission Day.
For the newly baptized believers of Thessalonica who had converted from paganism
and a culture with loose ethics, the warning of St. Paul would have been hard to
comprehend. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid
sexual immorality…For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (1 Thes
4:3-7). Slowly but steadily, the Gospel of Christ expelled the lax moral standards
prevalent at that time and heralded a new era. Sadly, the decline of Christian influence
is progressively manifested in declining moral standards worldwide. It is no wonder
that there is a growing indifference to the demands of the Gospel among the youth,
who mostly have been brought up in a culture of hedonism and self-centeredness. Yet
it is in this very culture that we, as Jesus Youth, are called to hold aloft the banner of
truth that sets people free.
വിചിന്തനം
സെപ്റ്റംബർ 2021
"അസന്മാർഗികതയിൽനിന്ന് നിങ്ങൾ ഒഴിഞ്ഞുമാറണം........ അശുദ്ധിയിലേക്കല്ല, വിശുദ്ധിയിലേക്കാണ് ദൈവം നമ്മെ വിളിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത് " (1 തെസ 4,3-7).
ജീസസ് യൂത്ത് വിചിന്തനം
ഓഗസ്റ്റ് 2021
അബ്രാമിന്റെ ഭാര്യ സാറായിയുടെ ദാസിയായിരുന്നു ഈജിപ്തുകാരിയായ ഹാഗാർ.
സാറായി തന്റെ ദാസിയെ 'വാട ക അമ്മ'യായി ഉപയോ ഗിക്കാൻ പദ്ധതിയിട്ടു.
എന്നാൽ താൻ ഗർഭിണിയാണെന്ന റിഞ്ഞ ഹാഗാർ സാറായിയെ നിന്ദയോട െ
വീക്ഷിച്ചത് അസ്വാരസ്യങ്ങൾക്കു തുടക്ക മിട്ടു. സാറായി അവളോടു ക്രൂരമായി
പെ രുമാറുകയും ഒടുവിൽ ഹാഗാർ മരുഭൂമിയിലേയ്ക്ക് ഓടിപ്പോകുകയും ചെ യ്തു
(ഉൽ.16,1-4).
Hagar was an Egyptian slave of Sarai, Abram’s wife. Sarai’s plans to use Hagar as a surrogate
mother had run into rough weather when Hagar began to treat her mistress contemptuously. Sarai
retaliated and Hagar had to flee (read Gen 16:1-14). Abram might have bought Hagar as a slave for
Sarai when he sojourned there to escape the famine in the land (Gen 12:10-20). The faith of her
owners in God would have rubbed off on her. Now famished and lonely, this pregnant woman is
wandering in the desolate wilderness not knowing where to go or what to do. Yet in that forsaken
and lonely place, she hears her name being called. It was an angel of the Lord! He reveals the plan of
God for her and the babe in the womb. “I will so greatly multiply your descendants that they cannot
be numbered for multitude”. But she was to go back and submit to Sarai, for to the Lord, she was
Hagar, the maid of Sarai.
https://jesusyouth.org/monthly-reflection.php
In the heart of every man and woman there is a
yearning for love. Love in its varied forms stirs up
our hearts. Jesus renewed and perfected this call
to love. Moreover, he became the best model of
love and strongly challenged us to lead a life rich
in love. Further, he continues to give every person,
thirsty for love, his beautiful gift of the Holy Spirit,
who moves us to experience his love, and in turn
helps us to grow in love.
Monthly Reflection:
June 2021
Salvation history is the unraveling of God’s love
for man, the greatest of which is the Incarnation
of the second person of the Trinity, who became
man to seek the heart of man with His own
heart. Jesus told St. Gertrude, “Nothing gives me
greater joy than the human heart, yet how much
I am denied the love of the human heart”.
Monthly Reflection:
June 2021
Salvation history is the unraveling of God’s love
for man, the greatest of which is the Incarnation
of the second person of the Trinity, who became
man to seek the heart of man with His own
heart. Jesus told St. Gertrude, “Nothing gives me
greater joy than the human heart, yet how much
I am denied the love of the human heart”.
The manifestation of the love of God for men reached its climax on the Cross and the cry of Jesus, ‘I
thirst’ epitomizes it. As a ‘missionary,’ we often understand this as a call to satisfy Jesus’ thirst for
other souls. But in contemplation, we must hear from Jesus’ mouth that it is for my soul that He
thirsts foremost. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, ‘I thirst’ is something much deeper than Jesus just
saying, ‘I love you.’ Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you — you cannot begin to know
who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him”. Unless this truth penetrates our
souls, we may try to do many things for Him instead of letting Him complete the good work He
started in our soul (Phil. 1:6). It is with Him and in Him and through Him that one can reach out to
other souls. “He who does not gather with me scatters” (Mt. 12:30). The Master himself said, “If any
one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of
his heart shall flow rivers of living water’” (Jn. 7:37-38). “Blessed is he, who drinking from this
fountain of love, sees how his thirst grows in the same instant in which it is satiated” (Cardinal
Etchegaray).
ഞാന് മനുഷ്യരുടെയും ദൈവദൂതന്മാരുടെയും ഭാഷകളില് സംസാരിച്ചാലും എനിക്കു സ്നേഹമില്ലെങ്കില് ഞാന് മുഴങ്ങുന്ന ചേങ്ങലയോ ചിലമ്പുന്ന കൈത്താളമോ ആണ്.(1 കോറിന്തോസ് 13 :1)* ദൈവത്തേയും മനുഷ്യരേയും പ്രകൃതിയേയും സ്നേഹിക്കേണ്ടവരാണ് നാം. സ്നേഹം എന്ന ഫലത്തിനായി പരിശുദ്ധാത്മാവിനോട് നമുക്ക് പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കാം.
St. Paul, writing to the Romans (12:11) insists that
there is no room for lukewarmness in Christian life.
In this verse, he speaks of the intensity of religious
commitment, warning the readers against growing
‘slack in zeal,’ and urging them to ‘be aglow with the
Spirit.’ He reminds us that the fire which God’s Spirit
has kindled in us must be kept constantly burning,
stirring fervour in each one of us.
Visit: www.jesusyouth.org
Man is in a constant quest; each one of us carries
within us a deep yearning for something
intangible. Like prodigal sons, many seek
fulfillment in a life of ‘freedom’, which is, to them,
to do what their carnal desires dictate. Many
others try to satiate their desires, involving
themselves in intellectual or mental pursuits.
These pursuits, even when wrapped up in spiritual
labels do not truly satisfy one’s heart but lead to
further quests and pursuits.
Read more: www.jesusyouth.org
They could not believe it when they heard God’s word. Jeremiah thought he was too young, Gideon
too fearful, and the Galilean boy too insignificant amidst the five thousand men who surrounded
him. Yet they heard God’s word and believed. Their lives continue to be an aroma to believers who
meditate on them centuries later. Today, the same God is whispering in your heart “You are the
fragrance of Christ!”
In the verses that we meditate on, Paul takes an image from the Roman world - a triumphal military
parade that was given in honour of victorious generals on their return from battle. Incense was burnt
in honour of the Roman gods along the route of the parade and both the spectators and the
triumphant army would breathe in this sweet fragrance as the soldiers walked along proudly
flaunting the spoils captured in battle including goods, slaves and prisoners.
In verse 14, Paul compares the ministry of evangelization to the triumphal military parade. He sees
Jesus as the victorious general, with his army of apostles. Jesus has won the decisive battle by
means of His crucifixion and death. The apostles march in procession to display this victory to the
world. The apostles who live in Christ, by their words and deeds, radiate the truth of God to those
around them and invite them to a personal relationship with Jesus - the only One who can satisfy
them. As Christians, we have been anointed with Christ to be the new apostles, who will be his
fragrance among the people we interact with.
The world we live in is filled with people hungry for Jesus - people who rarely know genuine love,
who do not know what it is to trust someone, who have never experienced true forgiveness,
gentleness, mercy, or kindness. If the forlorn and guilt-ridden in this world would have to believe in a
message of God’s love and forgiveness, the message has to be believable to them. As far as the
message of the Gospel is concerned, the messenger is as important as the message. We need to be
life-witnesses of the sacrificial message we preach.
Jesus walked the earth in search of the needy. His personal encounters with people like Zacchaeus
and the Samaritan woman, emboldened them to move beyond their past failures and reputation and,
be exemplars of true repentance and evangelization. They became His aroma to those around them.
In a world where selfishness, competition, and manipulation are rampant, every Jesus Youth is
invited in a special way to realize their identity and worth. The Lord of Love stooped down into our
misery and elevated us to be His heirs. Aware of this transforming love burning in our hearts, let us
seek out those in need, treating them with dignity, providing them with undivided personal attention,
comfort and healing.
Monthly Reflection:
March 2021
Prepared by Jesus Youth International Formation Team. Email: formation@jesusyouth.org
“I am the aroma of Christ to God”. This truth should permeate our whole being through constant
meditation. Then we will cease being unduly concerned about our own difficulties and plans, will
spend less time on social media, and be present to those around us and offer genuine friendship to
those we meet. Though some people may push us away when we reflect His character, yet, there will
be times when, on seeing our sacrificial lifestyle and what we represent, many will ask why we smell
so good - the reason for our fragrance. Our Christian presence will prompt people to make choices
that will bring heaven to their hearts. Let us rise and shine – to be the aroma of Christ. That is who
we are! For God says so!!!
We are called to be a joyful people, filled with
enthusiasm, passion, and vigor. Often from the first
weeks and months of our Jesus Youth journey, we
are ushered into creative activity, missions,
ministries, and even leadership. Rightly so. For,
springs of inner vitality surge naturally from a
person who just encountered Jesus and who is now
eager to live for him. Still, these springs do not flow
on just as naturally. Gradual disenchantment
through quarrels and failures leads to a quiet
cynicism or a self-deceiving and unrealistic
optimism. Here, the voices tell us to flee like a bird,
to find safety in stepping back. After all, the world
being as it is, the Church being as it is, my
community being as it is, what can really be done?
“Foundations once destroyed, what can the just
do?” (Ps 11)
The despairing soul thinks, “I did what I could. I
tried.” It looks out at all the injustice, all the political
games being played, all the fakeness of others, and
so comforts itself by distancing itself. It hides away
in a protective cell of criticism. The false optimist,
on the other hand, flees into the world of dreams
and great visions. In this world, one does not need
to confront the hard facts of actual life or the
struggle of faithful and daily commitment.
Perhaps of all the schemes of the evil one (Eph
6:11), discouragement of these kinds is the most
deadly for believers, a silent killer. It allows one to
maintain one’s faith pristinely, even to profess it
boldly. All the while, the person unconsciously
resigns to the sidelines of life, no longer daring to
make a difference in the world or in one’s local
community.
Today, I ask myself: What is my involvement in my
local communities? Am I engaged in the ministries
around me, in the initiatives, in Christian fellowship?
Am I connected with my neighbors or local forms of
government or social cooperation? If not, why not?
“Foundations once destroyed, what can the just
do?” Simply put, the just can act. The just must act!
When something disturbs my conscience, when the
present state of affairs stirs up indignation in my
soul, such is not the time to flee but to act with
greater love and courage. To hide behind endless
commentary or intangible dreams does not resolve
the inner movement of my conscience; it only
represses it and yields a numbing despair, an inner
paralysis. The beautiful excitement, joy, and
enthusiasm of Jesus Youth can only surpass
naivete and discouragement as it is inflamed daily
by the intensity and breadth of the Holy Spirit’s fire.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and
enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. By the grace of
the Holy Spirit, let us recommit ourselves to
courageous engagement.
St Paul’s encouragement to the Romans is the Jesus Youth encouragement to the world in 2021. We are always to be JOYFUL IN HOPE. Why? Because Jesus reigns in us! When Jesus is truly living in our hearts then there is always youthful hope. We are always joyful! Even in the midst of a Covid-19 pandemic.