SPECIAL REPORT • YOUNG ADULTS

YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!

This article reflects on some aspects of the reality of young adults. Convictions emanating from faith are presented as the basis and ground which add solidity to their lives. Challenges of various sorts remain present in the lives of young adults but, as the author states, some practices and sacraments can strengthen them and help them in making their daily decisions.

BY DONELLE MCKENZIE | CHAIRPERSON OF BLAZE YOUTH MINISTRY, ST DOMINIC’S PARISH, BOKSBURG, JOHANNESBURG.

LIFE IN the fast lane isn’t as easy as it seems. A lie many young adults feel is that they don’t have what it takes. My brothers and sisters in Christ, I’m proud to announce this simply isn’t true! If this is new to you, read on. If you already know you have what it takes, I congratulate you and still encourage you to read further, so you can help me inform others of this incredible truth!

Adolescence Stage

During our adolescent years, ages 10 to 19, we experience a surge of dopamine in our brains. This encourages us to take more risks, be more social, and try new things. An abundance of new ideas comes to mind, and the excitement makes us want to dive in head-first! This may include trying a new sport, learning a new skill, starting a business, studying further after high school, pursuing a vocation in marriage or celibacy, or entering whatever form of unknown territory. It can all be extremely fascinating as we allow our ambitions to soar among the stars.

However, that excitement can quickly be trumped by fear. Sometimes, this fear is slowly instilled in us through advice and comments shared with mixed tones and intentions. I must admit, though, some advice is truly encouraging! Other comments, instead, are often just plain scary without any context. No matter our goals, before we reach the age of eighteen, we usually hear statements and questions like: “The real world is a scary place,” “You have to grow up quickly,” and “Are you sure that this is what you want to do?” We get a big push after matric and try our best to hit the road running.

Unveiling the Truth

As we enter adulthood, as much as we try to ignore it, those words of caution we heard are often still in the back of our minds. How we remember these words depends on how we received them. How we received them depends on what we already believed to be the truth. Did we know everything we needed to know at that specific moment? Of course not! That’s the beauty of it.

People, especially young adults, are wonderful creatures in a continuous state of “becoming”.

We will always be learning, growing, and reaching for the truth.

So, what exactly is the truth? I’m not talking about subjective truth, or “your truth,” which many self-help guides focus on. I’m talking about objective truth, the facts, the things that remain true whether we actually believe them or not. The truth is that you are a child of God first and foremost. Before you are anything else to anyone, your highest calling and greatest grace is to be a son or daughter of the Most High King. You have a God-given dignity that no one can take away from you.

The next truth you should know is that God loves you and He provides for all your needs in His perfect time. He is your first need, and all your other needs involve Him in one way or another. He is the highest intelligence, the ultimate provider, as well as the loving Father. With that being said, the next step is to understand that you have what it takes because He has brought you to your calling and equipped you accordingly. In some cases, He provides at the very last minute. Think of Moses and the Israelites fleeing Egypt as they travel through the desert. God split the sea, brought forth water from a rock, and made bread rain from the sky! Sometimes our “not enough” is God’s “enough for now”. He cannot give us everything we want all at once. He prepares, tests, protects, and loves us with intense passion through the whole process. His ways may not always make sense to us in the moment, but He always knows what is best for us and provides it in His perfect time.

Another point of objective truth is that humanity is undeniably flawed. Wherever you find people, you will find brokenness. Whether it’s on campus, at the office, on the sports grounds, or in your homes, expect people to make mistakes. So, I encourage you, for your own sake, do not be discouraged when you encounter disappointing behavior in people. Our brokenness is a reason, but not an excuse. Let us encourage each other to keep striving to do better. As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Theology of the Body

As we grow older, we realize how much we still don’t know. Some things we need to relearn. I truly believe that every single person on the face of this earth should learn about the Theology of the Body (TOB), which we’ve come to know through St. John Paul II and Christopher West. TOB helps us understand why we are created body and soul, in the Image of God, male and female. The journey from boyhood to manhood and girlhood to womanhood is incredibly beautiful and extremely detailed. We need all the help we can get, no matter our age or circumstances. One of my favorite lessons I learned in TOB is that we all eventually face a terrible lie, but God has helped us to conquer it. For men the lie is, “you are not man enough”. The truth is, you already are a man, your DNA is the only proof you need of this, and God has blessed you biologically, mentally, and spiritually to be the man He created you to be. It is up to men to use this knowledge. Some texts from Scripture appropriate for it are found in Joshua 1:9 and Ephesians 5:25. For women, the lie we face is that we are not worthy of loving as we are right now, and that we need to earn love. The truth is that we were loved before we were born, before we could even try to earn love. Some texts from Scripture for women are Romans 5:8; 8:37-39.

There is no definite timeline for life and the “achievements” we should obtain along the way.

So, we won’t spontaneously combust if we don’t reach certain milestones by a certain age, such as buying a car and a house by age 25, or getting married by age 30. Please, I beg of you, trust God with the plans He has made for your life. Trust that He invested an incredible amount of effort into every single detail of your life. Trust Him to show you the way. The only foolproof plan is the one where you hand over complete control to God.

God in our daily life

Regarding careers, money, taxes, and surviving in this economy, I honestly don’t know how to give advice here, because I’m still figuring these out myself. However, I encourage you to surrender everything to God. Speak to Him openly about every detail of your career and finances. Tell Him also about the annoying thing your colleague said, the massive four-way stop that you can’t avoid on your way to work, or how expensive cheese has become. Pour out to Him all the concerns of your heart. This may involve praying before planning your budget, consecrating your finances to our Blessed Mother, and asking for St. Joseph’s intercession when working on a project or looking for a job. Be honest in all that you do and let all that you do be to the glory of God.

How do you know if you are living the plan God has for you? Well, how often do you consult Him? Do you talk to Him about your family, finances, and major life decisions? Do you also talk to Him about how excited you are for dinner, about that small inconvenience which occurred while you were traveling, and about the friendly stranger you chatted to? Our daily lives are filled with these small, seemingly insignificant moments.

When we invite our Lord to become a part of the small things, we become attuned to the sound of His voice.

And in doing so we allow ourselves to hear His voice in the big moments too. I cannot stress the importance of the following three facets of your life enough:

• Confession: We will fall, numerous times, on a daily basis. So, when you fall, make sure you fall into the Confessional and our Lord will help you stand again.
• The Eucharist: Our Lord is physically present in the Holy Eucharist in every tabernacle of every Catholic Church throughout the world. Run to Him in Mass and Adoration. I especially love Adoration to talk, cry, and sing to my Lord, and hear His tender whispers of encouragement, love, and conviction. Go to Adoration as often as you can and I promise that it will change your life.
• Prayer: You cannot have a relationship with someone if you do not talk to him or her. It is impossible. Ask, complain, thank, question, scream, cry. Whatever you do, just talk to Him. You can pray through scripture, through praise music, through traditional prayers like the Rosary, or simply in your own words. One more thing, don’t say God is silent if your Bible stays closed.

I conclude writing this piece on the night our new Pope was announced. May Pope Leo XIV be an admirable guide for the youth, and the whole world. I pray God’s blessings over every single person reading this. May God give you courage, wisdom, humility, and peace. May your heart be generous and may your soul burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit. May our Lord Jesus Christ cover you in His Precious Blood and keep you safe from the enemy’s attacks. May the Holy Spirit move in every corner of your life. By God’s grace and provision, may you come to realize God’s plan for your life and live it with hope, humility, and joy.