To my fellow Catholic Millennials: Make a Conscious Effort to be in this World

Growing up as a Catholic millennial has proved to be a confusing challenge. My generation is the least religious in American history, and becoming less religious as we get older. This generation is also said to be one of the most tolerant. However, with most millennials viewing Christianity as out-dated conservative nonsense, it is becoming difficult to identify and be proud of being a person of faith. My faith is the most important thing in my life, but when I make mention of it in class, conversations with my friends, or on social media, eyes are rolled or ridicule is met.

Although living out my faith has proven to be a challenge, it has also proved to be the most rewarding and joyful experience I can imagine. At a time when so many in our generation want to throw religion to the wayside and claim it is useless, we must do the opposite. This does not mean that we need to separate ourselves from anyone though. It does not mean that we must alienate ourselves from our generation and look down upon our peers. Again, we must do the opposite.

My advice to my fellow Catholic millennials is that we must work hard to make a conscience effort to be in this world. Often we are reminded of the words from John’s gospel that say, “you are not of this world.” It has been stressed that we are in this world but not of this world. I think it is time that we fully realize the implications of that statement in its wholeness.

It is true that we are not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). Our law and our life comes from God. Life on earth is vapor, time bound and short (James 4:14). We will one day return to God and spend eternal life in paradise with the Trinity in heaven. Being of another world, we follow a divine rule that compels us to act differently. It compels us to seek our Creator and to Love our Creator. It compels us to know that there is life beyond suffering, it compels us to hope in new life and give praise to God for all that is good.

This also has divine implications for us. Being of the kingdom of heaven means we have to be in this world while we are here. Our lives on earth are not simply a waiting game. Our divine rule doe instruct us to act differently, and most importantly is instructs us to act, to be in this world. Even on the day of judgement when we are either welcomed into heaven or banished to hell, we are judged on how we acted in this world. (Matthew 25). Did we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, give drink to the thirsty?

Constantly in the gospels, Jesus is teaching us how to act in this world. He calls us to push boundaries, to question the status quo. Much of Jesus’s ministry was entirely radical. The greatest among you must be the servant of everyone else (Mark 10:35). He showed us the importance of welcoming the stranger, the beauty of diversity, the evils of conducting financial transactions in His Father's House, and the dignity of every single human being.

Jesus didn’t come to earth and die on the cross in a matter of days. No, He was born, grew up, and one day He stood in the temple and said, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4: 18-19). He then began walking the earth preaching radical love, justice, peace, and forgiveness. Once his ministry was complete, He suffered pain beyond human comprehension and united us to the divine.

We must always remember that we are not of this world, but we must take to heart what that compels us to do in this world. We can’t keep our faith contained to the Church on Sunday, or the adoration chapel on Thursday night, listening to podcasts and associating only with other Catholics. I’m not saying these aren’t necessary, they are entirely necessary. Even Jesus spent 40 days in the desert preparing for His ministry. But we must go out, into the world as Jesus did.

Pope Francis has told us, “ God is not rigid. . . whenever we Christians are enclosed in our groups, our movements, our parishes, in our little worlds, we remain closed. . . it begins to get dank.” We can not only talk about Catholicism to Catholics. We can not let Christianity be seen as outdated, conservative nonsense. We must show the world that it is still open, welcoming, refreshing, counter cultural, and worldchanging.

Our generation has indeed become more tolerant and more progressive in shaping the world to be more just. But we must remember that we cannot do this without God. When we talk about the absolute importance of feminism and equal dignity in men and women, bring your faith into the conversation. There is nothing our faith does not add color to. When we talk about recycling and the imperative to save the planet bring your Catholic Social Teaching principles up. When we talk about raising the wage and economic justice for all, remember that this too is a moral issue of which Jesus spoke on. Get involved in conversations about the importance of diversity and the real and harmful effects of a still racist society, bring Catholic teaching into the sphere.

This generation has amazing potential to affect systemic changes that can create a more just and compassionate world, but we can’t do it without God. We cannot hide our faith in chapels and in our own circles. We must fuel our faith there and then we must go out. As Catholic millennials, we must engage with our peers on these important issues with the light and truth of Christ.

Although it may seem discouraging and daunting to relate your faith to a conversation about social justice in a crowd that says no to faith, we must. The new evangelization is about relationships, openness, and conviction. Pope Francis has told us, “ I would prefer a thousand times over a bruised Church to an ill Church! A Church, a catechist, with the courage to risk going out, and not a catechist who is studious, who knows everything but is always closed--such a person is not well.”

We need the courage to go out. With the Gospel as our guide, and the Sacraments as our strength, we must work with our peers to salt the earth, and show the unquenchable flame of truth God has to offer.