If St Lawrence, the Roman deacon of the early days of the Church, said that our wealth is not the chalices and relics of the martyrs, precious and important as they are, but the poor, then equally valid for us is our wealth which is the young. And not only – as is obvious – in the field of youth ministry, but in the entire social and civil field. I find myself with them, I organise things with them, and I go to the places of greatest need with them. They are my real community, without which I would not have the strength, the courage and the possibility of confrontation.
Not only do they suggest new initiatives to me, but they are the network through which every encounter is possible and welcomed. I remember the trips from Kiev to the areas recently liberated from the occupation, the trips to the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions, to territories afflicted by insomnia due to unexpected bombardments at any time of the day and night; with them, at their own risk. I wanted to stop them, but there was no way. Several of these young people then enlisted due to their willingness to defend against the aggressor. I am sure that even in the circumstances of war, defending their homeland and their loved ones, they brought something special to the front, at least the awareness of a sense of justice, and trust in God. This too could be a “miracle”.
Of course, when it is over, and we believe and hope this will be soon, the possibility of rebuilding the future (and I am not talking about construction and industrial and civil structures) will be fully on the shoulders of these young people who have experienced these traumas. Can you imagine a young Italian high schooler or university student who is suddenly torn from his comforts and projects and thrown on a battlefield, with drones above him, with wounded or dead companions, and without understanding why? This is what is happening here. Our young people are living through this experience, at least the older ones, and none of them is without younger brothers or sisters who pray every night for their lives and their return home, safe and sound.
I have faith in our young people, who have matured too early and have wounds that are difficult to heal. How much work, not only psychological, but spiritual! The new Ukraine will be built on this youth.
