Young people!

Talk No. 2 ~ 5 Oct 1971

The world is passing through troubled times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for older people, are impatient of all restraint.

Do you agree with all that? It was said by Peter the Hermit in the year 1274. What do you think of young people? Have you been disappointed in them? Have you been downhearted because every time you read a newspaper some young people have managed to get into trouble?

But the picture is not all that dark. There are many wonderful youngsters who do a lot of good, who give hours of their time and their energy - and they never hit the headlines. One day a young man rang and asked in a solemn voice if he could come and see me. Hmm. It didn’t sound too good. I knew that he was a student at the university, and after I’d put the phone down I said to myself: I wonder what he’s been up to? What difficulty has he got that he wants my help to solve. Is he going to ask me to espouse some madcap scheme with which I might not be in full sympathy?

Anyway, he came at the appointed time and put his problem to me. Father, he said, I’m involved in a social action group with other students. And because we feel that we are very privileged we want to help others. We don’t want to give food or money. We feel that the best thing we have to give is our own learning and education. We want to share it with others…with others who need it. We think that those who are most in need are the newcomers to our country who cannot speak English. Once they learn the language they can settle in better and quicker, and find themselves more happy and at home. Can you help us find such people who need tuition in English. We want to give lessons free of charge.

Dear God, you are always sharing your gifts with us – thanks for inspiring these young people with the same generosity.