HONG KONG (SE): Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, SJ, in a video message for young people at the start of the Year of the Tiger, encouraged them to strengthen their relationship with their families even though there might be problems between them. He also urged them not to lose their passion and face life with the zeal of a tiger.
The video message was posted on Boiling Point, the youth Facebook forum supported by the Diocesan Audio Visual Centre and the Diocesan Youth Commission, on February 1, the first day of the Lunar New Year.
The bishop said that he understood the frustration of having to stay at home as Hong Kong entered the fifth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, with community celebrations of the liturgy and in-person classes in schools suspended again. He said he could also see that in this situation, young people tend to stay at home with their families more often and encounter more conflicts in Hong Kong’s small flats.
However, he expressed his hope that young people will not be depressed. “It will pass,” he said.
“It is New Year. We all hope for a good beginning for you and your family members. Blood is thicker than water. Your relationship lasts for a lifetime. Do not let obstacles and problems, though they are serious ones in your mind, occupy the whole family life,” he exhorted.
‘“Things around us may fall short of our expectations. However, it is important to change our minds with kindness and love, and do small acts of love for family and friends’
“There are many things for the family to talk about and many beautiful memories to share. We can build a good future together. So have confidence,” he continued.
Bishop Chow explained that many external factors affect our mood, like the cold and wet weather, which makes it hard to go out and makes us feel gloomy and dispirited. He encouraged young people not to be affected by the outside environment and instead remain joyful.
“Things around us may fall short of our expectations. However, it is important to change our minds with kindness and love, and do small acts of love for family and friends. For example, send a message or make a phone call, which I think is good as people can hear your voice,” he said, adding that many people, especially the elderly, who may feel lonely, need to be reconnected with others.
“Let us take the opportunity in the Chinese New Year to rebuild and strengthen our relationship with others so that we can face things with positivity in the coming year,” the bishop said.
Concluding his message, Bishop Chow exhorted young people to be vigorous and cheerful in adversity like a tough tiger. “The zeal of young people in faith, in life and for their future should never be cooled down,” he said.
The bishop noted that in ancient Chinese tradition, the tiger is a spiritual animal that protects people. “In the future, many people will need your protection and your blessings,” he said.
