YOUTHS AND THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Some youths got so concerned on Sunday- the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. This concern was also shared in their priests’ homily that morning. What is this concern? Catholic Youths are avoiding the Holy Eucharist or should I say they have ditched the Holy Eucharist. On Sundays, take a look at the queue of those coming forward for Holy Communion. The statistics is always the same; majority are above 40 years old, children between 7-15 years old and then you have a sprinkling of youths here and there. What is the problem?

As true Catholics we know there is only one problem. It is sin! What kind of sin though? They said to me (and of course I know) if we want to be honest there is only one terrible sin that plagues contemporary youths- fornication (in all its ramifications- masturbation, pornography and others). It is actually something we must talk about. Shy as we may be or unimportant as some may think, we need to collectively confront this sin and look at it “eyeball to eyeball.” More than this, we must talk about our attitude to the Eucharist, our sins for abandoning the Eucharist and how to come back to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

We are living in an “adulterous” generation. We are soaked in obscenities. We are submerged in immoralities. Sexual immoralities are celebrated everywhere. Immoral sexual behaviours and activities make “most liked” headlines. Sexually-stimulating personalities and stories are noisily celebrated and searched. On bill boards, televisions, cinemas, advertisements, music and of course the internet- it is all about sex and sex-provoking materials. It is so sad that simple advertisements for toothpastes and bathing soaps are also sexualized. The most appalling of all is our confused comedians who lack contents but only display gross foolery in sexualizing and demeaning women in their godforsaken skits. But guess what? We watch them, laugh at their irritating and ridiculous videos, clap for them and then shortly turn around crying that women are being raped, shamed and humiliated- how beautiful is our hypocrisy!

Dear youths, we all live in this salacious generation and we are tempted alike. We know our society is sexually volatile and immorally combustive. But have we lost our virtues of self-control, self-restraint and self-discipline? Many of us have thrown caution into the wind; listening to false mantras and polluting our consciousness with weak standards. I know wisdom is very rare these days but we should never be found where insanity thrives. We cannot continue living like this- wasting our youth and destroying the future.

The profuse voluptuous fantasies, sexual escapades and anomalies are the reasons why marriage is becoming a “shameful” institution. When you have had tons and loads of sexual encounters, “exes” and partners, do you think all of a sudden you will be faithful to the one who probably caught you in-between? You have done despicable things for sex and you think all will be well eventually? You need to think! You need to stop destroying your body, it is the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). You need to respect your body or else that body will fail you in the future.

Fornication is fornication, it is not fun! Stop hiding behind your fingers. Once you ignore your self-control button, you have already clicked the self-destruct button. Calm down, build a strong relationship outside sexual activities. Premarital sex is a sin! Don’t be deceived by the world. What is wrong is wrong and can never be right! Fight yourself! Fight your sexual urges! Fight your immoral appetites! Even animals have some restraints! We can do better.

I am deeply disturbed by the amount of youths who have succumbed to this “depraved way of life.” Where is the future? When youths are too weak to shape the future. Where is the future of sane morality? When youths endorse, clap and praise thieves, Instagram big boys and naked Instagram girls. Where is the future for life? When aborted babies are more than the ones delivered. Where is the future of modesty? When all we see nowadays are rags looking like clothes. Where is the future of hard work, honesty and sincerity? When yahoo lords, scammers, money launders and ritualists are the mentors to youths. Where is the future of leadership? When politics is all about godfatherism, plots, lies and endless stealing.

Dear youths, return to Jesus Christ in Holy Eucharist. Live modest lives (Stop lying to yourself). Resist temptations and keep yourself sane. Avoid pornography; lead yourself not into temptation, be delivered from all evil. No one is perfect, we must struggle. When we sin, we must run to the sacrament of Penance- confession. Forget the shame or confidentiality, no priest is ready to see your face or tag you with any sin (Is he righteous himself? Are we not all sinners?). No priest is ready to divulge what you have confessed- there is what is called confessional secrecy which is binding on all priests. If you are not comfortable with this priest, go to that priest. There are abundant priests who are ready to reconcile us back to God. They sit at the confessional just for this singular purpose. Remember, no sin is bigger than God.

Dear youths, prepare yourself for the Holy Mass. Don’t jump into it. Don’t catch it on the way. Be at the beginning and do not leave before the end. Do not sleep during the Holy Mass, participate actively. Begin your preparations from Saturday evening. Come to confession, wash yourself clean, serve at Mass (Choir, Lector, Warden e.t.c). Make sure you receive Jesus Christ at every Mass. He will keep you away from sin. He will give you strength to resist temptations. He will grant you a peaceful and joyful life. Do not be grounded by despondency or obstinacy (sin against the Holy Spirit). At the confessional, our Lord Jesus is waiting for you to lavishly pour His mercy on you. Will you embrace Him or keep running away from Him?