Youth Ministry Blog

Hey y’all!

As we enter our last month of summer (I know - it’s sad), I figured I’d do another “how are we doing” post. New beginnings offer a time for reflection and growth. As we begin a new school year in just a few weeks, I think we should take some time to think about how our summer went. 

Did I maintain my prayer life?

Did I continue to go to Mass every weekend?

Did I do anything that I need to go to Confession for?

Did I grow closer to God, or farther away?

I bring up these questions not to judge or condemn, but to encourage. Believe me, I know how hard maintaining a relationship with God is without the structure that the school year provides. In college, we had a chapel in every dorm building, as well as 24/7 Eucharistic Adoration that was only a ten-minute walk across campus. When I came home for breaks, my home parish was a 15 minute drive away. I also had to juggle family, friends, holiday craziness, and household responsibilities in addition to my faith. I get it. It’s hard, but it's also necessary.

Maybe you haven’t been in relationship with God as well as you would have liked this summer. That’s okay. Jesus offers us second chances every second of every day. I encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to run back to God, who is waiting for you with open arms. 

If you’ve done a great job keeping up with your prayer life, Mass attendance, and other aspects of your faith, I challenge you to take this new school year as an opportunity to go deeper. Start a new devotion, read a new spiritual book, or add something to your prayer life. Constant conversion, the practice of constantly turning towards God and away from sin, is a huge aspect of our faith. That means that no matter how good your relationship with God is, it can always get better. It also means that this is a marathon, not a sprint. If you sin, don’t beat yourself up. That’s not what God wants for you. He wants you to recognize your sins, but He doesn’t want you to dwell on them and let them hold you back. 

If you want to turn back to God but don’t know where to begin, let me know. I’d be happy to chat with you and help you figure out what your next step is. Also, I want to invite all of you to youth group starting September 13th. This school year, we’ll be doing a Bible study on the Sunday readings. This is a great opportunity to dive deeper into Sacred Scripture and prepare yourself for Mass on the weekends. There will also be snacks (but come for Jesus, not for the snacks). 

That's all for now. Know of my prayers for you and your families, and please keep me and this ministry in your prayers.

Peace of Christ,

Miss Jessica

A.M.D.G.