Youth
in action
William Luke
School: Vandebilt Catholic High School, Houma Grade: 10th Church parish: Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, Houma Describe your family unit: Caroline, mom; Chad, dad; Lily (18), Mary-Frances (13) and Auggie (11), siblings Favorite Hobby: Sports Favorite Movie: Batman Favorite T.V. Show: The Office Favorite Genre of Music: Rap (especially Kanye)
Jesus sent out the disciples to build the kingdom on earth. What can young people do in today’s world to build God’s kingdom? Young people are given opportunities every day to build God’s kingdom in school, in the community and at home. Having a prayer life, receiving the sacraments often and being a part of clubs like Men of Christ is the first step in building God’s kingdom. It isn’t possible to build God’s kingdom without his guidance. When our hearts are open to God, we can lead others to Christ by being an example of goodness, kindness and compassion. Reaching out to people outside friend groups by finding common interests, inviting younger students to clubs like Men of Christ and speaking openly about our faith are a few ways we
can build God’s kingdom at school. Some ways young people can build the kingdom in the community is by helping people in need during times of distress like Hurricane Ida. There were opportunities everywhere to help clear debris, tarp roofs and collect money and supplies. There are also opportunities to mentor younger kids or help coach through organizations like VICI Hoops. Sometimes, the hardest place to build God’s kingdom is in our own homes. We get comfortable and forget to serve the ones that love us the most. However, there are tons of ways to share God’s Love with our family. We can help our siblings practice sports or help them
24 • Bayou Catholic • Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux • May 2022
with homework. We can encourage them when they have bad days. We can offer to cut the grass or clean the kitchen or just take some of the burden off of our parents. We can pray with one another and hold each other accountable. Older siblings can model virtue for their younger siblings and also share the faith with them. These are only a few ways young people can build God’s Kingdom in today’s world. We live in a time where it is sometimes hard to find anyone doing the right thing, so it’s more important than ever to show people what Christianity looks like. BC
