Do everything with the INUKTITUT language culture to be part of the group, to walk forward towards the light. Listen to the words of elders and write new pages of history. You have a rich heritage and live with personal freedom
Marina Raj. The Vatican
This is the message of Pope Francis during his meeting with the elderly and young people in IQALUIT this Friday, July 29. I begin my speech with a comment an elderly person shared with me about how the family ties of the indigenous people were before the arrival of boarding schools in this land. The time when children lived happily with their grandparents and parents, in the springtime was seen like a flock of young chits singing happily near their mother bird. Suddenly the young souls were separated from their parents and transported elsewhere, leaving the land empty as it always had winter. This story gives us not only pain but also sorrow.
The children here were separated from their parents, race, country, language and culture and taken to another place so that they could not follow the commandments of the Bible to honor your father and mother so that your days of life may be prolonged in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. One remembers the righteous Naboth who wanted to save his ancestral property from the authorities who wanted to take it away. To break the bond of parents and children and to destroy intimate relationships, Jesus says, is to cause any of the little ones to fall into sin.
Let’s try to recover from the darkness of the past to see the light of what has happened in the present with the help of our Creator who is on a joint journey of reconciliation and healing. Just as the qullig oil lamps you use remove the cold and give heat and light, we remove the darkness and bring light. Like a lamp that shines as a symbol of life, let us seek to chase away the darkness with light. You, the NUNAVUT, INUIT and NUNAGAT people, have a very close relationship with nature, loving, respecting and enjoying the living space for generations. Nature, like you, is firm and constant, driving away darkness with light. Like the land, you need to be protected and cared for.
Today’s youth is entrusted with the task of protecting, learning and teaching nature. They are specially called to protect the earth, people and history by using the exemplary life and advice of the elderly. According to the poet Goethe, before your father’s property becomes yours, it must have been created by you, so we should feel that it is our duty not only to protect what we got in the past, but also to create new things. As a senior who has lit the lamp of life, I would like to share three pieces of advice with you.
1. Walk forward
2. Come towards the light everyday
3. Be part of a team
Walk forward
We were not created to think only of you, to relax, to do whatever we want. We were created to move forward, to love God, to help others, to pursue the most righteous things. Don’t feel sorry for your dreams as if they are an unreachable sky. You were made to fly. We are created to do acts of kindness with true courage, the beauty of justice, to build relationships, to sow seeds of love and peace wherever we go. It may seem harder than flying, but the truth is that sometimes we are pulled downward by spiritual gravity. Before flying from one place of the earth to another place, you have to act like the arctic birds who change their path according to the weather and climate. Even if we change the path, our goal should be clear. Recognizing that each of us is unique, he guides us on which path we should travel as we seek God and remember the sufferings of Jesus on the cross. So young people, adjust your compass to a clear goal of your life path today.
Come towards the light everyday
When you are sad and sad, remember the message of the quill lamp that gives light every day. The lamp that insists that only we can give light to the world, to eyes, to smiles, to goodness, urges us to fight against darkness every day. These things can only be done with oil filled lamps which say that if we want to live well we should fill ourselves with virtues. Fireworks that give light and sky fun give only smoke. Your words should be free-spirited to say “no” to evil and “yes” to good. Come towards the light everyday by pleasing the Lord who has gifted you with such a unique free spirit with good deeds.
Be a part of the group.
As the stars of the heavens come together to delight the eye, you young men are skilled in working together and not alone. Your youth should be used to do things that bring light to the world, not to be lost in solitary cell phone delusions. Canada’s national sport, ice hockey, is a great symbol of team unity. How can Canada win all the medals in the Olympics? Think how people like SARA NURSE and MARY PHILIP POULIN were able to succeed. Sports teaches creativity, virtue, surprising results, sportsmanship, physical strength, teamwork, patience, teamwork, focus, and practice. Team sports teach us many lessons in life as well, with the emphasis on giving room to others, being quick to act when it’s our turn, and cheering the team on.
So step forward and shine everyday and be a part of the team and work with your culture and language. Write new pages of your history based on the exemplary lives and advice of the elders. Please God with unique freedom and live seeing INUK Christ in everyone.