Who Am I
By Ajani Gibson

Youth Article Index

We've Come This Far By Faith: St. Augustine Parish Youth Ministry About St. Lawrence Abstinence Education Notre Dame's First Black Valedictorian Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist: Two Sacred Sacraments and Blessed Acts Who Am I My life serving in the African American Catholic Community African American Young Adult Ministry is an act of Social Justice It's Time to Walk the Walk Your talents: Gifts from God and a call to action. A Purpose-Driven Life Not My Own Abstinence Saves Lives Our Forgotten Children "Prayer Changes" Pro-Life Pilgrimage If You Don't Know Where You're Going, Any Road Will Take You There Transitioning from High School to College Examination of Conscience PRE-CANA Archdiocese of New Orleans's IMANI Team

Youth Article Index

When you meet someone for the first time, one of the first questions he (or she) may ask is "Who are you?" This is the question that the Church poses to the youth today. However, many youth of the Church have a problem answering that question. Today's culture pushes and pulls young people in so many directions opposed to the values of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church that they begin to lose their sense of identity as Children of God.

In today's world, youth are pulled down the roads of drugs, sex, and violence. They are pulled down these roads, because the world creates false images of wealth, power, and pleasure. The paths are adorned with the superficial ornaments of money, cars and clothes. However, when the young people turn down these paths, they experience no power, or pleasure but pain and suffering. Their pain and suffering is in a drug addiction or AIDS. The world appeals to the youths' superficial pleasure which results in a lifetime of separation from God and the very thing that created the pain, the world.

Therefore, how do we combat this problem when we, ourselves, do not have a true grasp on our identity as Children of God? The answer is very simple; it is found in 1 Corinthians 14:15, "So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind". It is through prayer all things are possible. It was through prayer and faith that people of Israel were led out of slavery. As Christian people, we have the responsibility to show the world, most especially the youth, the power of prayer. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, said in his response to questions posed to him by the bishops of the United States: "Young people, if they know how to pray, can be trusted to know what to do with God's call." How do you teach young people how to pray? In Luke 11:1-13, Jesus says to simply call upon God as Father. It is through prayer that God reveals himself to us. It is also through prayer that God reveals to us who we are.

Now, this requires not only the efforts of the young people, but the efforts of the whole church. Each of us, young and old, has a special part to play in the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 stresses the importance of each part in the body, "As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ". As many in one, we have the responsibility to teach, to preach, and to pray. The world is a growing distraction in our faith life, but God told us that we would be faced with opposition and hardship. However, he gave us many gifts and blessings, the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit. The identity of the young Church lies in the faith of the older church. Therefore, the church has the responsibility to show the young people the beauty of the path of salvation, "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2). So, the next someone asks you who you are make sure you tell them "I am a Child of God".

Ajani Gibson is a junior at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, LA. He is a very active member of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. He also a member Archdiocese of New Orleans's Imani team, a black catholic leadership team.