VOCATION PAGE

Vocation and mysticism

BY Fr Raul Tabaranza

AS VOCATION promoter I am getting to know better about the aspirants’ life, prayer habits and involvement in the Church.  During a recent Prayer Hike, in “The Wild”, Johannesburg, the participants were reluctant to have Mass in the forest, next to a dried pond.  “Mass should only be in the church, father, on the altar!”, they said. However, as they accepted to have Mass there, we sat on the ground and celebrated it in communion with nature.  They were greatly amazed by the experience and they also shared deeply about the contemplative walk, previously done, and about the Mass itself. At the Summer Vocation workshop, during the adoration to the Blessed Sacrament, we sat down on the floor, surrounded by candles and incense, and spent an hour of guided meditation and silence.  Again, our young aspirants were amazed by it—as if that was a new experience to them.

As we discuss in this issue about women and mysticism, we can apply it to Vocation or to Youth and Mysticism.  We need to instill into our young people the discipline of contemplative prayer so that they may learn to listen to God´s voice and to find wisdom for whatever they are facing in their lives. In order to become good leaders and missionaries, some mystical paradigm shift is required, being trained in a dialogue of heart with God, and to discover how to help other young people to be closer to God.

We organise activities of sharing and deepening of faith for our aspirants, but also worship, giving them a space to grow, serve and affirm each other.  It is necessary to develop young mystics, individuals with an experience of oneness or union with the divine; creating a habit of care, support and respect and developing their own vocation.

Workshops can be a good avenue for contemplative prayer.  Anyone can be a mystic.  We may not reach a deep absorption with the divine, but we can always deepen our connection with God through talks, silence and nature, letting go of our own self, towards a closer union with Him.  What we need is just to embrace the mystery of God.

VOCATION

Youth: Partners of Evangelisation

BY FR RAUL TABARANZA

AS THIS issue’s theme is ‘Youth’, I thought of writing something challenging for young people: “Youth: Partners of Evangelization.”  Many young people are in crisis, especially emotionally, spirituality, in their identity; with issues of neglect and abandonment, hunger for power and fame and a search for meaning in their lives. As a consequence, they direct their vitality to self-gratification.  Therefore, new ways of reaching out to the young ones are needed.  Evangelization is an important aspect of our ministry, a top priority in the culture of the youth, as we witness the decline of their conduct. 

Youth evangelization is weakening, yet we give up shepherding our young people.  God wants youth. He wants them to be fun-loving and fruitful and to help in rebuilding the Church. Evangelization is a spontaneous response from the heart, so we train our youth to become formators for themselves and for each other, to evangelize their fellow youth and to be partners in spreading the values of the Gospel.  Jesus has to be found once again in the midst of young people, for Jesus too is wearing the face of the youth. 

God wants youth. He wants them to be fun-loving and fruitful and to help in rebuilding the Church

Youths should be taught to become critical thinkers to respond to the ministry of evangelization.  St John Paul II, during the World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada, 23-28 July 2002, gave a message to the youth as the light and salt of the earth, inviting them to become fearless witnesses of the Gospel and to bear witness to its presence in our society. One of the main functions of salt is to season and preserve food and to give it taste and flavour. Youth, as the salt of the earth, are called to preserve the faith they have received and pass it on intact to others.  Light makes things visible. When the light fades or vanishes, we no longer see things as they really are.  The Pope challenged the youth: “To be watchmen and watchwomen of the morning, to announce the coming of the Sun, who is the Risen Christ.” 

In this way, young people who are deeply connected with love, strong in service and aware of their spiritual journey, will have the motivation and freedom to hear their calling and find their true vocation.