Solemnity of Christ the King (National Youth Sunday): Engaging the Young

Fr Richard's homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King (National Youth Sunday)

Readings: Universalis: Mass

 Engaging the young

The American Bishop Robert Barron is a well known social media evangelist. He is the founder of the Word on Fire ministry, which produces weekly shows exploring the Catholic Faith. Bishop Barron often speaks about the "disaffiliated" - those who have abandoned their Faith - and how to bring them back into the fold. 

The auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles analyses recent surveys which indicate the "disaffiliated" are increasingly young people who explain the main reason they've stopped practising the Faith. They say it's because they never had their questions adequately answered - and therefore don't believe the doctrines of the Church. Whenever such polls are done in the United States, it's safe to assume the findings are similar in the United Kingdom. Bishop Barron's advice on how to engage these young people is to first begin with the aspect of the Church's life that does attract them - namely its teaching on Social Justice. 

That teaching is beautifully presented for us in today's Gospel - the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Christ the King instructs us to see His regal face in the hungry, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the prisoner. To stretch out our hand to the needy is presented not just as a call but as a command, as necessary for salvation. The importance of works of justice resonates with young people. Therefore, Bishop Barron encourages us to use this social teaching as the point of engagement. He asks us to present to them the great examples of charity - like Saint Teresa of Calcutta and Saint Francis of Assisi. More importantly he encourages the Church to get young people involved in these works.

The hope is, that by drawing the young to something that attracts them, we can then present to them the fullness of the Faith, centred on the Person of Jesus Christ, who we adore today as King of Creation. By showing young people (and, indeed reminding ourselves) that Christ is to be recognised in the marginalised, the poor, and the vulnerable - prompting us to serve Him in them - they will then be drawn further into relationship with Our Saviour, receiving Him in the Sacraments.

Faced with the beauty and majesty of the Universal King, we pray that our young people may enter into the depths of His wisdom and that of His Bride, the Church. By our pastoral outreach, Christ can lead them to understand and follow faithfully the other teachings of the Church that they find difficult.

One thing is for sure, the Good Shepherd is constantly searching for the lost ones. As we hear the Lord say in the Prophet Ezekiel (today's First Reading): "I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong." May we assist Our Lord in encouraging the young to an encounter with Christ the Priest and King. We pray for the faithful young people of our parishes who are the witnesses each and every day to their peers of Christ's love. We give thanks to Almighty God for the gifts, talents and their example. We ask the Lord to bless them.