Bishop Fintan hearing Confessions at the Youth 2000 RetreatBefore being a disciple of Jesus in today’s world, young people need to come to know Jesus, bishop says..
This was the key message of Bishop Fintan Gavin who spoke to over 900 young people who were making a retreat last weekend.
The young people were taking part in a gathering organised by Youth 2000 and which was held at Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co Kildare.
Bishop Fintan spoke of his own faith journey and how central it is to have an encounter with the living Jesus.
“How do we do this?, the bishop asked in his homily. “We have to trust and to build a relationship with Jesus in the same way as we do any other relationship.”
“Once we open our hearts to encounter Jesus then our faith and what Jesus has to offer is no longer seen as a burden or obligation but rather the greatest gift that our God offers us.”
Young people from the Cork area with Bishop Fintan at the Youth 2000 Retreat.
“And so, I would say to you this morning - that the personal encounter with Jesus is a gift offered to all who open themselves to that possibility – it's never forced but equally it needs to deepen and grow if it to really take hold of our lives.”
“Like all friendships it needs to develop and grow, the bishop said, “So we need to spend time at it.”
This relationship with Jesus is then sustained and nourished, he said, through prayer and worship, by friendships and by reaching out to those most in need.
