Ozanam News 4th Quarter 2013 Ozanam News | Page 12

th & You ung Yo lts du A 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! > 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, 12 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 End Poverty Through Systemic Change