Saturday, February 10, 2007
Message for SALTies
Hi guys. Thanks for inviting me to contribute to your blog.
Last year during your 3rd anniversary celebrations, i wrote a message for you all. Though I publish it in my blog I had no opportunity to make it known to you guys. So as a 1st contribution to your blog I thought of publishing it now. I believe it is still not too late to read it. And for those who do not know me, especially those new ones, I am the seminarian who together with Br. Clement was attached to your youth group for our weekend pastoral in the year 2005.
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ppy 3rd Birthday SALTies (Saint Anne Life Teen).Wow you guys are growing, hope there is growth in your faith and commitment to the group too. It has been so long since I visited you guys, but nevertheless I have been informed of all your activities. I am very proud that you guys are still going strong and I have been part of you at least for a year. As you celebrate your anniversary, it is a good time to review the group, the objective, and the activities especially with all the changes that has taken place and will take place in the church and also in the group.
A youth group in the parish is not just a social group; it has a mission to accomplish. And your name itself shows the mission, a mission to be the ‘salt of the earth’ (Matt. 5:13). We see this phrase in the gospel just after the Beatitudes when Jesus highlights the role of the disciples. The role of the followers of Jesus is expressed by the images of salt and light. In Jesus’ time, salt was used not only to improve the taste of food but also to preserve meat and fish. When Jesus compares his followers to salt, he says that they are to improve the quality of human existence and preserve it from destruction.
Wow, do you see how big your role is!!As a parish youth group (young disciples of Jesus) where youths serve youths, you are called to teach and guide the many youths in and around your parish no matter what race or religion they may be. To improve the quality of life for the youths today, we are called to guide them in the path that Jesus has set especially when the world today is so competitive, materialistic and individualistic. To preserve them in the love of God, we are called to instill in them the good values Jesus has taught in the scriptures. And one way we can do all this is to be AN EXAMPLE to them, this is peer-pressure. We have talked many times about this and we always say that we should be careful of the dangers of peer-pressure. Now I want you to look at another angle; another form of ‘peer-pressure’ is to influence those around us with good values. Yes, this is being salt of the earth; an example for others to follow, a life of contradiction.
You have many talents and gifts; use them all in expressing God’s love for all humanity and your love for God. Use all the means of information technologies and especially music. Music is a good tool to speak to your peers and as I remember there are many with such talents in SALT.
As I conclude, I want to assure each one of you of my prayers, that you may be Jesus’ special disciples in Singapore and throughout the world – salt of the earth. May the prayers of Mary, the humble daughter of St. Anne be with you. Do pray for me too. Wishing you all the best and hope to see you all soon.
Br. Adrian Mathews
Seminarian.
posted by Adrian Mathews @ 4:19 pm
ppy 3rd Birthday SALTies (Saint Anne Life Teen).
Wow, do you see how big your role is!!
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