The youth’s potential in creating an impact in today’s evolving society is immense.
Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 2011 World Day of Peace titled “Educating young people in justice and peace” highlights the important contribution young people can make to bring meaningful changes in the Church and in society. Knowing the young’s great potential and fiery idealism, the pope calls on the youth to use their latent abilities to contribute in the building up of a “more humane and fraternal society.”
The Holy Father stresses the importance of education in unlocking the potential of the young. Educating the youth in justice and peace will lead them to become integral persons, deeply convinced of the value of human life and respectful of the dignity of the human person.
Educating in justice and peace also necessitates educating in truth and freedom. The pope notes that the prevalence of the culture of relativism in society is an obstacle in the effort to educate and form the young in authentic freedom which is vital in the promotion of justice and peace.
With all their idealism and spontaneity, the need to inculcate values founded in justice and peace among the young couldn’t be more significant at a time when the bulging demography of young people is making a mark in a society enmeshed in upheavals fuelled by a sinking economy.
Recent mayhems that happened in some societies across the globe had the youth at the forefront, questioning the status quo and demanding reforms from a leadership that has failed them.
The face of the Arab discontent that begun in Tunisia in late 2010 and has swept the rest of the Middle East was young. The message was clear—today’s young generation, fired with idealism—will not take sitting down a corrupt government and sinking economy that drive millions of citizens to the brink of poverty.
The face of the deadly riot that happened in London in August of 2011 was also young. The protesters were also aiming at the government’s failure to address the plight of the poor and underprivileged. But the extreme violence the picketers had resorted to led many to question the values of these young people who erroneously believed their violent way of protesting—with its disastrous consequences on others—was justified.
A task shared by all
Obviously, the pope has this phenomenon in mind when he said in his peace message that the young can offer new hope to the world if they are educated in justice and peace.
And the task of educating today’s young generation is a responsibility that is shared by each individual as it is the duty of every member of society to teach young people “an appreciation of the positive value of life” and awaken in them “a desire to spend their lives in the service of the Good.”
“It takes a village to raise a child,” an old African proverb says, thus clearly indicating that the task of educating and forming a child is not an effort that can be accomplished only by an individual.
The pontiff, in fact, cited the role of various sectors in society— the family, educators, leaders in the various spheres of religious, social, political, economic and cultural life, and the media— in the formation of young people.
Family as first school
The family—as the basic unit of society—is where the child first learned his or her values and where true education in justice and peace takes place, according to the pope.
But the structure of most families today—especially in the Philippines—is far from ideal. It is all too common for contemporary households to have only one parent present, and in some instances, not even one, because both parents are working abroad. The social costs have been tremendous, as the absence of one or both parents from their children’s lives has taken a toll on the psychological and emotional ability of children to cope positively with challenges they may encounter in life as they grow up.
Various studies have shown that adolescent children seem to be the most affected by the separation. Although regular remittances from an overseas parent assure financial stability and a comfortable lifestyle, the absence of the affective and moral influence of parents led some teens to fail in school, experiment on drugs and early pregnancy.
Fully aware of the sacrifices that parents make to be able to provide a better life for their children, the pope urges them not to get discouraged, exhorting them to teach their children “by the examples of their lives to put their hope before all else in God, the one source of authentic justice and peace.”
Educators take on the role
In the absence of both parents, who takes on the role of providing guidance to children? From whom and where the young can learn the values that would shape them as persons of character? Here, we have our extended families, and outside the home, the church and other institutions can pitch in the formation of the youth.
Especially mentioned in the pope`s message are educators who have direct responsibility over the formation of children outside the home. Here, the pope calls on educators to become authentic witnesses to young people, whom they are “leading to move beyond themselves and introducing them to reality, towards a fullness that leads to growth.”
Outside the home, educators assume the role of second parents to children whose full potential as a human being they are responsible to help develop— to enable the young to contribute productively in the building of a caring and compassionate society.
The pope stresses that educational institutions have “to ensure that the dignity of each person is always respected and appreciated” and that children “can receive an education that does not conflict with their consciences and their religious principles.”
Aside from educators, the pope also mentions political leaders who are also asked to provide concrete support to families and educational institutions in their duty to educate. And on top of that, political leaders ought to provide the young a clear idea of politics as an authentic service to benefit the public.
Naturally, the role of the media in education has been singled out as well by the Holy Father. He said the function of the media is not merely to inform but also to form the minds of audiences, hence, “it can make significant contribution in the education of young people.”
We live in an era where every movement or decision we make is influenced by the media. More than anybody else, perhaps it is the youth who are most impacted by the media’s allure, whether in terms of embracing a particular lifestyle, obtaining technological knowledge or acquisition of digital gadgets.
Setting the same standards for themselves
The responsibility of educating does not only rest on the shoulders of the teachers but on the learners as well. So the young should also take charge of their education and apply to themselves the same yardstick that they require for others.
Being youthful, young people tend to hold on their ideas aggressively and be impulsive in their actions.
Dispensing fatherly advice, the pope invites the youth to be “persevering in seeking justice and peace, in cultivating the taste for what is just and true, even when it involves sacrifice and swimming against the tide.”
The Holy Father encourages young people to remain steadfast in the face of difficulties and “not be afraid to make a commitment, to face hard work and sacrifice, [and] choose the paths that demand fidelity and constancy, humility and dedication.”
“Dear young people, you are a precious gift for society. Do not yield to discouragement in the face of difficulties and do not abandon yourselves to false solutions which often seem the easiest way to overcome problems… Be confident in your youth and its profound desires for happiness, truth, beauty and genuine love! Live fully this time in your life so rich and so full of enthusiasm.”
‘Be aware of your potential’
In the same way that the young can look up to adults as role models, the pope says the youth can also set themselves as examples and inspiration to adults, as they “seek to overcome injustice and corruption and strive to build a better future.”
“Be aware of your potential; never become self-centred but work for a brighter future for all. You are never alone. The Church has confidence in you, follows you, encourages you, and wishes to offer you the most precious gift she has: the opportunity to raise your eyes to God, to encounter Jesus Christ, who is himself justice and peace.”
Blessed John Paul II—also known as the youth’s pope—was the first pontiff in history to acknowledge the potential of the youth in enriching the Church with their zest for life and fervour in living the faith. His special affection for young people inspired him to establish the World Youth Day in 1984, a global youth gathering that brought incredible impact on the status of the youth within the Catholic Church.
In similar fashion, Pope Benedict XVI inspires young people with his encouraging counsels. In his message for the 26th World Youth Day held in Madrid last August, he rallied young people to remain steadfast in their faith amid the “culture of relativism” creeping in society, declaring that the Church depends on them.
“[The Church] needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope," the pope told young people in his 2011 WYD message. "Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God."
A peacemaker needs to be compassionate
As peace can only be attained through the joined efforts of everyone, the youth, like anybody else can become a peacemaker and a promoter of justice according to their particular capability.
But to become true peacemakers, the pope says it is necessary to educate oneself in “compassion, solidarity, working together, fraternity, in being active within the community and concerned to raise awareness about national and international issues and the importance of seeking adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth, the promotion of growth, cooperation for development and conflict resolution.”
The pope urges the faithful to sincerely work for the attainment of peace in the world.
“Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace,” the Holy Father says.
