World Youth Day 2011 has just ended, and I hope you have seen the images! Over 1.5 million teens and young adults from around the globe, waving flags from every nation, full of joy, laughter, and excitement, peacefully united in Madrid, Spain to be in the presence of…
an 84-year-old man!
Whom they love very much.
And why? Because this 84-year-old man, the Vicar of Christ on earth, the successor of St. Peter himself, is the one who proclaims Jesus Christ, our Resurrected Lord, to the world. The message of Truth, Goodness and Beauty still resonates with and transforms young people, even in a jaded, increasingly secular world. (A world that doesn't realize that the Light of Christ can never be extinguished.)
The Church is very, very old, and yet the Church is always young!
Watch this video for super quick and inspiring overview of the World Youth Days (including a clip of JPII's voice that gets me all choked up):
Next stop? Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2013!
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A little PSA: Our very own Bubble Buddy, Brent Stubbs (former Pentecostal) will be on EWTN's Journey Home with Marcus Grodi, Monday, August 22 at 8:00pm est. I can't wait!
I went WYD in '93, and this was the first that I had felt any love for the Pope. To me, he was just a nice old man in a white robe but I couldn't understand why people loved him so much.
ReplyDeleteWhen I stood there in the crowd as we waved to Pope John Paul, I suddenly saw in his eyes so much love! I will never forget that moment! I felt like he was looking at me, even though I knew I was only a dot in the crowd. But I learned that it was the people he loved so much, and so this love in his eyes was meant for everyone.
Since then, I love these two Popes so much! I have not yet seen Pope Benedict but I have seen this same love reflected in his eyes as PJP2.
I don't know if people really understand what it takes for these old men to go out on these crusades for the youth--they are old men! Yet they do it out of love for all of us, and especially for the youth, who thirst so much for love these days.
Becky, that is so beautiful! And, your last line is spot on!
ReplyDeleteMy own daughter was one of those little specks in the crowd! As I watched on tv my heart was so full and the tears kept pouring. What a tremendous outpouring of love and joy.. I cant imagine what it must have been like to be there in person. It was so wonderful to see all those young people in the pouring rain and gusty wind shouting out their love for God and the Pope. I know this experience will have changed my daughter and all who attended forever!
ReplyDeleteLisa Maria, that is so amazing! And, I know just how you feel, as my daughter was at the Sydney WYD in '08. She couldn't make Madrid, but she and her best friend are already planning to "cap off their childhoods" by saving for the Rio WYD in a couple of years!
ReplyDeleteI hope you come back here and tell us about how she loved it! (I'm assuming she is not home yet…)
No Leila.. she comes home tomorrow and hopefully she's kept her journal up. Can't wait to share her experience with you all!
ReplyDeleteLove that video, it made me cry. My daughter's teacher's daughter attended and I hope I am able to hear her story. Love.
ReplyDeleteThis clip brought tears to my eyes! I will never forget my experience at WYD 2002 in Toronto, as you know it was life-changing!
ReplyDeleteMy husband's god-daughter attended - can't wait to hear all her stories!
ReplyDeleteI was there! It was so amazing and life-changing! Viva el Papa, viva!
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