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Lord, It Is Good That We Are Here!
My Experiences at 2013 World Youth Day
and Vincentian Gathering
By Rizza Ibañez
While today’s society
may lure many young
adults away from Jesus
Christ and His Church, my
trip to Brazil confirmed me
not only in my faith but also in my
Vincentian vocation. At World Youth Day and the
Vincentian Gathering, the mighty power and love of our
Father, the mercy and hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
the strength and peace of the Holy Spirit came alive, and I
am encouraged to persevere in the mission proclaimed by
Pope Francis: “Go, do not be afraid, and serve.” These three
short commands evoke so much within me. On the whole,
the entire experience leaves me to rejoice with Saint Peter
saying, “Lord, it is good that we are here!” (Mt 17:4)
leading them to conversion. How could I, grateful for the
gift of faith, possibly keep it to myself, especially from
those who may have no other opportunity to experience it?
I must always remember the Holy Father’s words: “[The
Lord] wants everyone to feel the warmth of His mercy and
His love.”
The theme for WYD was “Go and Make Disciples of All
Nations. I had never thought of myself as one to evangelize.
I assumed that it entailed preaching, a task reserved for the
ordained. Yet, Pope Francis reminded us in his homily at
the final Mass that the command to go make disciples of
all nations is one that “the Lord entrusts to the whole
church, and that includes you.” Yes, all of us, you and I, lay
people and religious are called!
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What shall I do, Lord? What the Holy Spirit has inspired me
to do is to share the joy of my faith, the joy of experiencing
Jesus, with others. It is what the Holy Father also urged us
to do, for “faith is a flame that grows stronger the more it is
shared and passed on.” Setting faith on fire is one of the
great fruits of the entire experience. Though I was sent to a
foreign land with a group of complete strangers to meet
other pilgrims from all over the world, the unified
enthusiasm and excitement for our faith was incredible
and truly encouraging. I remember the morning after the
vigil camp-out on the beach, making my way up to a hotel
rooftop and looking out over Copacabana in awe, praising
our God who brought more than three million
international travelers together to worship Him and His
Son who saved and loves us. The night before, we all
proclaimed that we wanted to go out and build up the
Church. I carry that promise in my heart.
Where shall I go, Lord? In the final mass, Pope Francis
challenged us: “The Gospel is for everyone, not just some…
not only for those who seem closer to us, more receptive,
more welcoming.” I realized that I tend to talk about my
faith with those whom I feel comfortable, but if I am to be a
true disciple and lover of Jesus, I must go out of my comfort
zone. While I am generally a shy person, God has slowly
helped me reach out to others. Sharing my faith with
members of my travel group, whom I only knew for a short
time, was a bit daunting, yet it truly nourished the soul. At
the Vincentian Gathering, Yasmine Cajuste, the Vincentian
Marian Youth International President, insisted that
evangelization allows God’s grace to touch others’ souls,
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Looking back over the last three years of my life, I see how
God has been leading me to this new evangelization. I
recall hearing that term several times before without
knowing exactly how I could contribute. Although I had
already started telling others of the joy that Jesus brings
into my life, World Youth Day allowed me to recognize that
I am called to take part in the new evangelization by
sharing my faith experience with others. My dear brothers
and sisters, let’s go!
Do not be afraid! Throughout the Gospels, Jesus
reminds us that following Him is challenging.
Therefore, it fits that the command to go is
succeeded by the reassurance to take courage. Meditating
upon the cost of discipleship, three fears come to mind:
fear of trials and tribulations, fear of rejection, and fear of
transformation. It is human nature to avoid suffering, yet
united with Christ’s passion, suffering becomes a
redemptive power. The trials I have experienced in life have
deepened my trust in God and my awareness of Christ’s
love.
Our pilgrimage through the city offered us the chance to
really meditate upon these truths. We faced hunger, thirst,
fatigue, and aching feet. We carried heavy food kits whose
flimsy packaging left us scouring the ground several times
throughout the journey. When we finally made it to the
vigil site, there were so many people that we could not
make our way to the rest of the group. But through it all,
my travel companions were with me, lending a hand,
encouraging me, and being the light of Christ. There were
also older Brazilians cheering us on from the sidelines.
Christ was definitely with us, and His love for us became
more real. We recalled how Christ endured the weight of
the cross, how He must have been hungry, thirsty, and
weak from the scourging. We imagined how the bystanders
spat and cursed at Him. He endured all of that for us, for
our sins, because He loves us. Towards the end of the
pilgrimage, we saw a great view of the Christ Redeemer
statue, and in His outstretched arms I saw a mercy and a
love that remains throughout all things. Remembering this
pilgrimage, I am encouraged to face life’s challenges with
courage, whispering, “Yes, Lord, I love you.”
In today’s society, being an authentic Christian is not a
popular aspiration. That is why the command to go and
share our faith requires courage. Sure, I might be ridiculed,
but what I fear most is indifference, indifference
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