[Many times we hear of radicalized youth who are committed to violence. However, Catholic youth called to be as radical as Christ are exactly the opposite. We are called not to destroy but to build up. Not to take another’s life, but to give of ourselves. Adriano Gonçalves touches on this in his column for Revolução Jesus, a youth based movement from Canção Nova in Brazil.—.ed]
In times where being called radical does not resound very well, I decided to throw a question on Twitter:
“What it means to be radical in [the Catholic] faith?”
The crowd reacted quickly and sent many took these answers:
“For me, it is seeking an authentic life, rooted in the Truth and which have as a consequence a great enthusiasm for living!”
“The radical term derives from the Latin radix, meaning” root “. In this case the root of faith. “
“Radical faith … is more than practical and spiritual exercises! To be radical is to have roots! And faith … is paradoxically BE FREE “
“To give oneself completely into the arms of Jesus” #tobeRadical #inFaith
I see it is this very thing that everybody said. The word “Radical” has its origin in the Latin radix term that means: root, foundation, origin. What does that mean? It’s simple! When you ask someone to be radical you want this person to go to the root of that with which he is involved, i.e., a radical Christian is one who goes to the root (base, foundation) of your Christian life that is Jesus Christ!
You know that song, “To love as Jesus loved, dream like Jesus dreamed … live as Jesus lived” that’s right. To be radical is to be another Christ.
And you think this is not radical?
Caramba! It is very radical.
Jesus invited the rejected.
Welcomed the despised.
He believed the discredited …
This is to be radical.
I see that now the need to raise a radical youth that have one desire: To be another Christ.
Love and surrender to Jesus to the point that we can say with Paul:
“It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me”
Think of this truth … that changes everything.
Today lifted with this desire: To be radical, keep the roots. Be another Christ … The world needs this said, a lot of people who read a bible … how about proposing living our life with a living Gospel?
I’m in and are you?
Let commented here if you are you in or not. But start acting soon … Send this post to your youth group your friends, your college, family … And let’s raise a radical Catholic youth.
Tamu Together