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 Dear Marist Young Adults,
Happy Easter! I hope that you all enjoyed a prayerful and reflective Paschal Triduum. I was able to join the community at the Marist Brother's Center at Esopus for a reflective remembrance of this time. This remembrance of Christ's sacrifice in death ends in joy as we celebrate His resurrection.
Speaking of celebration, the Church is in a time of celebration with the canonization of two new saints: Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Both popes left their mark on the church in different ways. While Pope John Paul II is historically closer to my generation, we can't forget the contributions of Pope John XXIII. Pope John's most notable achievement was convening the Second Vatican Council. The products of these meetings were 16 documents explaining (and at times reforming) the Church's teaching on liturgy, the laity, interfaith dialogue, religious life, and much more.
Pope John XXIII's goal was to invite a "gust of fresh air" into the Church, exploring the ways it could communicate with and exist in the modern world. Conforming was not the goal, communicating was! As young adults and as a Marist community, we have a special opportunity to evangelize in our world. By sharing via social networks and other internet resources, we are already "modern" in many ways. Exploring novel ways to evangelize through social networking is the next step.
It has been said that Pope John XXIII opened a window to make his point about the need for "fresh air" and the need for a council. It is also said that Marcellin Champagnat regularly gazed out of the single window of his bedroom as a young person, pondering what exactly he would do with his life. Through our own lives and experiences, we constantly look out the windows of our own eyes on a world that we can impact.
How can we as a community improve our ability to evangelize in an ever-changing world? What practical impact can we have on those we encounter? I hope that you prayerfully consider these and other questions as we move through the end of the spring semester.
God bless you all, and keep living Marist!
Luis Ramos
Chair, Marist Young Adults Advisory Committee
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