During our teenage years, our relationship with the Lord begins to change. As children, we typically love Him without caring about the details. We love Him with the love of a child with wonder, often praised in the Gospels. However, when we begin our teenage years, we start to think differently, and our faith becomes more complex. Why does our faith teach certain things?  Doubt sneaks into our thoughts and the voices of the world challenge us. It feels like we are rapidly launched from childhood into adulthood.  At least, this has been my experience.

Like many teenagers, I sometimes struggle to stay on the narrow path (see Matthew 7:13-14). There are moments when it seems almost impossible to do so. The voices of the world are saying one thing, while those of the Holy Spirit are saying another. This is where we make our decision. Who do we serve? Living the Catholic faith is not a life of perfection, rather it is a life of struggling towards God. Like many of you reading this article, I have been hurt by this world. In today’s world, embracing the Lord means rejection by the world. However, what I have found is that embracing the Lord always leads me to live a life of greater purpose and greater joy. Embracing the Lord is not embracing rules that make life feel restricted, rather carrying your cross leads to a life of greater beauty, purpose, and joy. 

As a fellow teenage Catholic kid, I would like to share with you some of my experiences in cultivating a relationship with our Lord and maybe some encouragement to help you in your faith. Each person’s relationship with God is personal and unique, so there is no “set-in-stone”way to grow closer with God. Our crosses and journeys vary – different routes, different sizes, different weights.  I would like to share three methods that I have found useful in growing closer to the Lord: an understanding of Scripture, a connection with the Sacraments, and prayer. 

Scripture

Reading the words of our Lord is important in understanding who our Lord is and why we should follow Him. I didn’t start out reading and studying Scripture. A class on Bible literacy and a captivating teacher changed that for me.  I recall people in the Bible, relate to them more, and learn from their examples.  One of my favorite stories to turn to during trying times is the story of Joseph being sold into slavery. During times in my life when it feels like things are not going well, remembering the story of Joseph has been powerful. Trusting that God can work evil into good provides me with hope during the more challenging times of my life.  Understanding the promises God makes (and keeps) with His people throughout the Scriptures helps me through tough times. 

An understanding of Scripture has helped me hear the call of God better. Through reading Scripture and understanding how God has called other people to follow Him, I am able to see how God is calling me. Understanding the different ways God is for His people and has brought them back to Him is powerful. From Abraham to the Prophets, Scripture shows the love God has for us, and shows us how we can best follow the Lord and love Him. Scripture is particularly important during our teenage years, because we are in a weird phase of life where we feel stuck at times while trying to figure out how to grow into the person God is calling us to be. Allow Scripture to guide you during your times of uncertainty and try and plant yourself in the good soil.

Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Matthew 13:8

Quick tips: listen to great Catholic priests and teachers (Bishop Barron & Fr. Mike Schmitz are my favorite), read the Gospels and see how the Lord is speaking specifically to you through them, find a podcast, try the Hallow app, or read the Sunday readings before going to Mass.

Sacraments

Embrace the Sacraments.  The most beautiful gifts in our Catholic faith are the sacraments, especially the Eucharist.  Sacraments are powers that come forth from the Body of Christ which is ever-living and life-giving…(CCC 1116).  Sadly, over the past decades, many have lost their understanding and faith in the sacraments. We’ve grown more scientific and material, and our mindset has become “seeing is believing.” However, the sacraments are not something we can understand. We can, however, see the beauty and fruits of the sacraments. We can look towards the miracles associated with them.

[Quick Reflection]  The sacrament of Confirmation has played a huge role in keeping me close to the Lord throughout my high school years. Struggles that I had prior to the sacrament of Confirmation were almost non-existent after my confirmation (even though I still fall short constantly). All glory to God! 

Confession…kind of humbling and embarrassing, right?  All of my sins and my failings laid out in the open.  Just like pretty much every other Catholic in history, I have been scared of going into the confessional. What will the priest think of me? Will he judge me?  Remember, the priest is happy that you are there, AND he has likely heard it all before! Confession is not a punishment, rather it’s a gift. During confession, we free ourselves from the power that the Devil has in our lives. We all offend the Lord daily. We cannot be freed from our sins by ourselves. I remember times where going into Confession was scary, it was hard on me to confess my sins without being embarrassed. The more I have gone, the easier it has become, and I have found it easier to lay my sins down in front of the Lord and have them forgiven.

[Quick Tip] Commit to going once a month and experience this grace. Sometimes, I feel like I just need a fresh start, and Confession is the perfect Sacrament for it! 

The greatest Sacrament given to us is the Eucharist.  Yes, it’s the Real Presence: Body, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This teaching is truthfully hard to wrap my mind around, but I trust and believe that Christ is truly present in the Eucharist. Flannery O’Connor is one of my favorite authors.  As a young writer, she was invited to a bougie dinner party in New York City.  Late in the evening, the topic of conversation turned to the Eucharist.  The host shared that she thought of the Eucharist as a symbol and a good one.  Well, Flannery, who had been mostly silent, spoke up.  “Well, if it’s a symbol, to hell with it.”  She’s right!  A symbol represents something abstract.  The Eucharist is not something abstract; it is the presence of Christ. Our Lord is humbling Himself to the point of becoming a wafer and allowing Himself to be given to all His children.  I sit in awe of this mystery. When I allow my mind to accept this, the consecration of the Eucharist suddenly seems so much more jaw-dropping. I remember the awesome feeling of being in the presence of our Lord.

[Quick tip]: If you struggle to accept that Christ is present in the Eucharist, visit Him in Adoration. Place yourself in front of the Lord and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. 

Prayer

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10) 

Commit to a powerful prayer life.  Prayer is a crucial part in developing a relationship with God. The Lord wants to cultivate a relationship with us, but He will not trump our free will. He invites us. We must orient our desires to the Lord. Through prayer and contemplation, we grow closer to Him. In my experience of prayer, I ask the Lord to lead me. Often I think that I can be self-reliant and direct my path where I think it should go, but this is simply not true. The Lord knows the way He has for my life.  I’m trying (yet struggling) to surrender each day to the Lord.   

The Rosary has become my favorite prayer. Yes, it can be long and repetitive. But, as I have prayed it over the years, alone and with my family, it has become a part of my life.  As we reflect on the mysteries of Christ’s life, we are reminded of the important role our Blessed Mother plays in His life and ours.  She is the greatest example of surrendering one’s life to the Lord, and she was a teenager when she did it! Mary is our perfect Mother. We strive to learn from her and ask her for her intercessions.  By reflecting on her “fiat”, her sorrows, and her love for our Lord through the Rosary, we will grow closer to her and Christ. 

We are called to align our lives with Christ. We will find that our lives will have joyous, sorrowful, glorious, and luminous times.  When we meditate on the Joyful Mysteries, we meditate on the joy that we have in this life. The joy of being called upon by God, the joy of sharing this message with others, the joy of giving it to the world and it being good. During the Sorrowful Mysteries, we meditate on times of hopelessness, when our crosses are heavy and it feels like Jesus is asleep in our boat. During the Glorious Mysteries, we meditate on Jesus’ Resurrection and how we are also resurrected in small ways during times of our lives. The Luminous Mysteries are the times in life when we have such a direct connection with our Creator and when we can point to such a clear sign that He is with us. 

Conclusion

I hope my humble thoughts have encouraged you to develop a relationship with our Lord at a young age. Remember, God called Mary when she was just a teenager. You are being called to say “yes” to God’s plan for your life.  Believe Scripture and who the Lord says you are, His beloved child (Romans 8:16). Believe that He will provide for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Seek the sacraments; they will help you grow holy.  Pray with perseverance.  And remember, wherever your life’s circumstances may lead, God loves you and works for your good. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

About The Author: Hello! My name is Will Henry. I am a Catholic teenager in Western North Carolina. I am the oldest of 5 children. I attend an online Christian school. After school, I play golf, and run my business Rings of the Lord.  Rings of the Lord is a rosary company dedicated to bringing people closer to Jesus through Mary by making durable, beautiful rosaries. I have a passion for business and love my Catholic faith. I have been running Rings of the Lord for about 4 years now, and I am so grateful for all the support I have received from it. If you would like to reach out to me, please contact me on my website. Thank you! God Bless!

Image: Photo by Luke Porter on Unsplash