Come to the Feast

A few months ago, I came across a study about how young adults leaving the church start down that path at age 13.  This got me thinking about the class of eighth grade students I had this past year in CCD (religious education) class.  I was thinking about all of the discussions we had and topics we covered up until the pandemic cut the remainder of the year short.  One evening, I asked the class to make lists with the reasons why they thought going to Mass was important.  Before I had a chance to finish handing out the paper and pencils, I was interrupted by multiple students all at once.  I was bombarded with, “we don’t have time to go”, “that’s when my basketball tournaments are”, “it’s too long.”  I was a bit disheartened by the total dismissal of faith by a large number of the students.  Are these students on their way to abandoning their faith?  Will they be left wandering around life without knowing the power and love of Christ in their lives?

It does not take long to look around and notice that so many people around us are lost and desperately searching.  People are hungry and trying to be fed from empty plates.  They are thirsty and trying to drink from empty wells.  The one place that will truly satisfy them is the one place they are giving up on.  As churches lose more and more young adults in what seems like alarming amounts, hearts are being emptied and minds turned towards some of the world’s most dangerous weapons; power, pleasure, greed, and hatred.

The reasons people often give for leaving the faith sound similar to those of the middle schoolers, except for the fact that they usually sound more specific and personal.  Typical responses seem to be “there are too many rules”, “this teaching is offensive or outdated”, “the church has a lot of problems.”  Instead of taking the questions, confusion, struggles, and misunderstandings of the faith to Jesus at the foot of the cross in prayer, these things are brought into the world and dropped at the devil’s door.  He takes these things, runs with them, and doesn’t look back.

The world we live in is really good at convincing people that they don’t need faith or a faith community and that they can do everything on their own.  The world tells people that what really matters is to do “whatever makes you happy” and successful.  Our culture says that freedom and happiness can be found in doing whatever you want without any consequences.

​Jesus lays out a plentiful feast for us and so many people are digging in the trash.  People are chasing after things that will never truly satisfy them.  How can we fill our churches with people who are on fire in their faith?  When I take time to think about it, it always seems like an impossible task.  Then, I remember that it is God who will work within people’s hearts.  The one job I have is to strive to share the fullness, truth, beauty, and goodness that is found in having faith in Christ, one day at a time.