Spirituality for Youth

How the Young Emulate God

“Jesus is not the Lord of comfort, security, and ease. Following Jesus demands a good dose of courage.”

—Pope Francis at a prayer vigil at the thirty-first World Youth Day (WYD), Krakow, Poland, July 30, 2016

At this event in St. John Paul II’s home country, Pope Francis called on young people to be active, explore their faith journey, and be free from what he calls “sofa happiness.” This kind of mentality, the pope said, is “probably the most harmful and insidious form of paralysis, which can cause the greatest harm to young people.”

Throughout human history, young people have always been inherently hopeful, idealistic, and desirous of causing change in the world. But too often, the young are led to believe their dreams are too big to achieve. In today’s world that is enveloped in the battle between body and soul, how can youths combat the overwhelming sense of futility that contributes to the paralysis to which Pope Francis refers?

Fr. Eugene Tiongson-Batungbacal, CSsR; and Emily Ferguson

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