The Dalaguetnon Youth: A vital part of the Body of Christ

Recollections from the 4^th Archdiocesan Youth Congress

“The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the members of the Body. From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honored, all the members together rejoice. (CCC, p.194)”

The New Testament offers many metaphors for the church, four of which follow. One, it is the Body of Christ. Christ is the head, Christians the many members. Two, the church is related to Christ as branches to a vine. Three, the church is the bride of Christ, an image that stresses the personal, intimate quality of the relationship and the depth of mutual commitment. Four, the church is the people of God, a description that stresses, on one hand, the continuity of the church with Israel and, on the other, the church's potential universality.

                Of the four metaphors, the Church as the Body of Christ is the most fitting description to portray the Dalaguetnons and the whole Archdiocese of Cebu today. We belong to a Mystical Body that is constantly journeying towards growth. For this Body to grow, its head, Jesus, provides nourishment through gifts and assistance by which we help one another along the way of salvation. Without unity, the grace coming from Jesus will be futile, and the result would be a lame and a dysfunctional body.

               

                Of the many members or parts of this Body, perhaps it is the youth who do not fully grasped the role it should take to make the body healthy. He does not believe in his capacity to be a catalyst of change. It is ingrained in his psyche that he is only an insignificant detail to the whole tapestry. And his insecurity and his need to be free are unfathomable to the extent of making him a liability rather than an asset to the system.

However, this cultural problem is only a human product and therefore can be corrected by humans. Correction on the other hand is a risky endeavor, and reform must begin while young and with oneself.

In effect, this is a great challenge of the time for the youth to take. And they can only elucidate this by setting themselves free from their delusion that the grownups especially their parents are after their freedom. Parents, in reality, are not after their children’s freedom. Parents are only preparing their children for their independence. How can they free their sons and daughters if they are not yet educated, if they are not healthy, and if they are not successful enough to raise themselves? Can they survive the world?

If the youth empower and change themselves, then they will become leaders, environmentalists, and religious persons.

As leaders, they can lead with participation, transparency, and accountability. They must follow the rules of the law even if others are not looking. They must study Math to become logical. They must read sensible materials like the Holy Bible. And they must involve or link themselves with organizations that develop their potentials. With these, corruption is minimized and good governance with the involvement of all sectors of the society is achieved. Since governance is all around us, the youth must be the first to see the predicament of ignorance vs ignoring in our society. People who are ignorant of the social problems in the Philippines are curable with education whereas those who are ignoring these problems are already malignant and terminal.

As environmentalists, the youth must make themselves aware that they are not a virus but a mammal. A virus destroys its host whereas a mammal has a motherly instinct of preservation and love to those who nourish her. Consequently, the Philippines, especially Cebu, is the center of the center of biodiversity. The youth must save their environment for according to the Vatican recently, doing harmful things to the environment is a sin. The youth must keep themselves informed to know what to change and how to change our condition for the betterment of all beings.

 As religious persons, the youth must make themselves aware of their spirituality and their relationship with the head, Jesus, and the other members of the Body. There is no fixed or normative spirituality. Spirituality begins when a person starts to understand that he is a son of God. It is a feeling of commitment towards the other parts of the Body.



@ Osmena Peak



When the youth becomes united with the other parts of the Body, they start to feel what the others feel as if their relationship is deep rooted and the very essence of the other parts are the same as theirs. The unity of the Mystical Body produces and stimulates charity among the members of the Body. From this it follows that if one member suffers anything, all the members suffer with him, and if one member is honored, all the members together rejoice.

When the youth commence to grow together with the rest of the body, they start to serve other people even if they are naturally selfish and self-absorbed. They set out doing things for love and sacrifice. They begin to realize that the old people have sacrificed themselves for their sake, and through this, they start to discipline themselves. Discipline is an act of sacrifice especially if it is directed to those you love. The youth tend to do these things to become the best persons for those who love them. They become a forgiving part, for forgiveness frees their hearts from the burdens that they do not have to carry. They start to learn that hatred destroys no one but themselves, and that holding grudges has their humanity as collateral for subsequent damages. However, the youth must not act as self-righteous individuals or else others will become “turned off”.

For all of these things, the youth can triumph in playing their vital role in the growth of the Church and of Dalaguete. This however can be achieved only with the eminent assistance of the other members of the Body. The youth cannot do this overnight. They cannot just say to the other parts to change their negative perceptions for them. The youth must act on it first. And together with the other parts of the Body, they will grow together as the Body of Christ.

How about you? Are you willing to take part and stand as a living witness to your being a baptized person and an essential part of the Body of Christ?