杏MAP导航

22. Jesus is 鈥測oung among the young in order to be an example for the young and to consecrate them to the Lord鈥�. For this reason the Synod said that 鈥測outh is an original and stimulating stage of life, which Jesus himself experienced, thereby sanctifying it鈥�.

Jesus鈥� youth

23. The Lord 鈥済ave up his spirit鈥� (cf. Mt 27:50) on a cross when he was little more than thirty years of age (cf. Lk 3:23). It is important to realize that Jesus was a young person. He gave his life when he was, in today鈥檚 terms, a young adult. He began his public mission in the prime of life, and thus 鈥渁 light dawned鈥� (Mt 4:16) that would shine most brightly when he gave his life to the very end. That ending was not something that simply happened; rather, his entire youth, at every moment, was a precious preparation for it. 鈥淓verything in Jesus鈥檚 life was a sign of his mystery鈥�; indeed, 鈥淐hrist鈥檚 whole life is a mystery of redemption鈥�

24. The Gospel tells us nothing of Jesus鈥� childhood, but it does recount several events of his adolescence and youth. Matthew situates the time of the Lord鈥檚 youth between two events: his family鈥檚 return to Nazareth after their exile, and Jesus鈥� baptism in the Jordan, the beginning of his public ministry. The last images we have of Jesus as a child are those of a tiny refugee in Egypt (cf. Mt 2:14-15) and repatriated in Nazareth (cf. Mt 2:19-23). Our first image of Jesus as a young adult shows him standing among the crowds on the banks of the Jordan river to be baptized by his kinsman John the Baptist, just like any other member of his people (cf. Mt 3:13-17).

25. Jesus鈥� baptism was not like our own, which introduces us to the life of grace, but a consecration prior to his embarking on the great mission of his life. The Gospel says that at his baptism the Father rejoiced and was well pleased: 鈥淵ou are my beloved Son鈥� (Lk 3:22). Jesus immediately appeared filled with the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the desert. There he prepared to go forth to preach and to work miracles, to bring freedom and healing (cf. Lk 4:1-14). Every young person who feels called to a mission in this world is invited to hear the Father speaking those same words within his or her heart: 鈥淵ou are my beloved child鈥�.

26. Between these two accounts, we find another, which shows Jesus as an adolescent, when he had returned with his parents to Nazareth, after being lost and found in the Temple (cf. Lk 2:41-51). There we read that 鈥渉e was obedient to them鈥� (cf. Lk 2:51); he did not disown his family. Luke then adds that Jesus 鈥済rew in wisdom, age and grace before God and men鈥� (cf. Lk 2:52). In a word, this was a time of preparation, when Jesus grew in his relationship with the Father and with others. Saint John Paul II explained that he did not only grow physically, but that 鈥渢here was also a spiritual growth in Jesus鈥�, because 鈥渢he fullness of grace in Jesus was in proportion to his age: there was always a fullness, but a fullness which increased as he grew in age鈥�.

27. From what the Gospel tells us, we can say that Jesus, in the years of his youth, was 鈥渢raining鈥�, being prepared to carry out the Father鈥檚 plan. His adolescence and his youth set him on the path to that sublime mission.

28. In his adolescence and youth, Jesus鈥� relationship with the Father was that of the beloved Son. Drawn to the Father, he grew up concerned for his affairs: 鈥淒id you not know that I must be about my Father鈥檚 business?鈥� (Lk 2:49). Still, it must not be thought that Jesus was a withdrawn adolescent or a self-absorbed youth. His relationships were those of a young person who shared fully in the life of his family and his people. He learned his father鈥檚 trade and then replaced him as a carpenter. At one point in the Gospel he is called 鈥渢he carpenter鈥檚 son鈥� (Mt 13:55) and another time simply 鈥渢he carpenter鈥� (Mk 6:3). This detail shows that he was just another young person of his town, who related normally to others. No one regarded him as unusual or set apart from others. For this very reason, once Jesus began to preach, people could not imagine where he got this wisdom: 鈥淚s this not Joseph鈥檚 son?鈥� (Lk 4:22).

29. In fact, 鈥淛esus did not grow up in a narrow and stifling relationship with Mary and Joseph, but readily interacted with the wider family, the relatives of his parents and their friends鈥�.Hence we can understand why, when he returned from his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, his parents readily thought that, as a twelve-year-old boy (cf. Lk 2:42), he was wandering freely among the crowd, even though they did not see him for an entire day: 鈥渟upposing him to be in the group of travellers, they went a day鈥檚 journey鈥� (Lk 2:44). Surely, they assumed, Jesus was there, mingling with the others, joking with other young people, listening to the adults tell stories and sharing the joys and sorrows of the group. Indeed, the Greek word that Luke uses to describe the group 鈥� synodía 鈥� clearly evokes a larger 鈥渃ommunity on a journey鈥� of which the Holy Family is a part. Thanks to the trust of his parents, Jesus can move freely and learn to journey with others.

His youth teaches us

30. These aspects of Jesus鈥� life can prove inspiring for all those young people who are developing and preparing to take up their mission in life. This involves growing in a relationship with the Father, in awareness of being part of a family and a people, and in openness to being filled with the Holy Spirit and led to carry out the mission God gives them, their personal vocation. None of this should be overlooked in pastoral work with young people, lest we create projects that isolate young people from their family and the larger community, or turn them into a select few, protected from all contamination. Rather, we need projects that can strengthen them, accompany them and impel them to encounter others, to engage in generous service, in mission.

31. Jesus does not teach you, young people, from afar or from without, but from within your very youth, a youth he shares with you. It is very important for you to contemplate the young Jesus as presented in the Gospels, for he was truly one of you, and shares many of the features of your young hearts. We see this for example in the following: 鈥淛esus had unconditional trust in the Father; he maintained friendship with his disciples, and even in moments of crisis he remained faithful to them. He showed profound compassion for the weakest, especially the poor, the sick, sinners and the excluded. He had the courage to confront the religious and political authorities of his time; he knew what it was to feel misunderstood and rejected; he experienced the fear of suffering and he knew the frailty of the Passion. He turned his gaze to the future, entrusting himself into the Father鈥檚 safe hands in the strength of the Spirit. In Jesus, all the young can see themselves鈥�

32. On the other hand, Jesus is risen, and he wants to make us sharers in the new life of the resurrection. He is the true youthfulness of a world grown old, the youthfulness of a universe waiting 鈥渋n travail鈥� (Rom 8:22) to be clothed with his light and to live his life. With him at our side, we can drink from the true wellspring that keeps alive all our dreams, our projects, our great ideals, while impelling us to proclaim what makes life truly worthwhile. Two curious details in the Gospel of Mark show how those risen with Christ are called to authentic youth. In the Lord鈥檚 passion we see a young man who wanted to follow Jesus, but in fear ran away naked (cf. 14:51-52); he lacked the strength to stake everything on following the Lord. Yet at the empty tomb, we see another young person, 鈥渄ressed in a white tunic鈥� (16:5), who tells the women not to be afraid and proclaims the joy of the resurrection (cf. 16:6-7).

33. The Lord is calling us to enkindle stars in the night of other young people. He asks you to look to the true stars, all those varied signs he gives us to guide our way, and to imitate the farmer who watches the stars before going out to plough his field. God lights up stars to help us keep walking: 鈥淭he stars shine in their watches, and are glad; he calls them and they say: 鈥楬ere we are!鈥欌�� (Bar 3:34-35). Christ himself is our great light of hope and our guide in the night, for he is the 鈥渂right morning star鈥� (Rev 22:16).