What do you believe?

This past weekend I took part in a youth weekend for Catholic youth preparing for their confirmation. You might remember that Karla Verheijen was approached in her village by the committee which organizes the catechism for these young people. They knew Karla and Ruud were believers and that they know their Bible, so they asked if Karla wanted to help. Along the way Karla mentioned that I had experience with youth weekends and the committee asked my help with this weekend.

This was a unique opportunity – both Karla and I want people to consider what they believe and to look deeper at what they are taught. We also encourage all people to read the Bible. The other adults in this committee not only don’t know much about the Bible, they aren’t really sure if they believe in God. But they do believe that the church is important for these young people. So this weekend was organized to help prepare them for their confirmation – the time for Catholics when they accept the decision made for them when they were baptized as babies, and the moment when they receive the Holy Spirit, according to Catholic teaching.

At the weekend, one of the activities was to look at the creed that they were to know. Often this must simply be learned by rote and repeated at the ceremony. But the committee member who isn’t sure if he believes in God thought it better to have these young people look at what they really believe. In this way they will not be saying that they believe something that they don’t believe. So we had them list some things they believe in. Then they were allowed to vote for the points they considered most important. It was very interesting to see what came out of the voting.

What do you really believe? What are your articles of faith? Do you believe that God is creator of heaven and earth? That Jesus died and was raised on the third day? That we can live eternally? That the Holy Spirit lives in us and guides us and gives us strength to be different people? And what is the most important for you? And what does this mean for your daily life then?

And then the thought: does it really matter what we think? We can vote all we want – and we live in a world where the publics opinion is the most important (“Idols” with the tele-voting) – but that does not change what is. When we say: “I believe”, are we saying “I think this is true” or are we saying “I accept this truth”?

It was an exciting weekend. And these young people have been challenged in ways that others certainly will not have been. And that happened because a man is not sure what he believes and is willing to ask others to help. I am glad that we were able to participate and look forward to what will happen in the future.