I'm supposed to write 150-200 words about World Youth Day so I can share my thoughts and feelings to the country during a press conference on Friday. A couple of years back when my body and soul were still recovering from the experience, I would've struggled to fit my thoughts and beliefs in a mere 200 words. Over 400 challenging days after the experience, however, I'll admit I'm finding it hard to write a simple sentence.
How can I speak about WYD? The 2005 Cologne experience was on that left so much adrenalin in my body that to this day, it's what gets me up in the morning so I can march up to level 15 and do my job. It was the experience that led me to this very place, this very chapter of my life, this very feeling in my soul.
It's hard to be balanced about it because truth be told, I'm... tired. Shamedly, I've become one of those people who sit on a train with their earphones plugged into both ears, with eyes closed and with drool threatening to stain my work-shirt collar. Tiredness, yes... but emptiness: NO.
So what's to say about my WYD experienced? What did I experience that was so profound that I felt the irresistable urge to surrender any hopes my parents had of me being a lawyer so I could work full-time for the Church while the event made its way to Sydney?
SHORT VERSION: God
EXTENDED VERSION:
WYD didn't change my life. When World Youth Day was finished and I returned to Sydney in August 2005, I returned to the same family, the same friends, the same uni text books, and the same job - as will most pilgrims when the WYD journey concludes in 2008.
What WYD did change, however, was me. I came back glowing. I was on fire. I had experienced our Church in Europe, marvelled in its history, I had a multitude of new friends, new questions to find answers for, but perhaps, most importantly, I had a renewed relationship with my God. This relationship, which is my anchor and my source of life, is something I hope every person - whatever age - can find. What I love about the WYD celebrations is that it has allowed me, and millions of other people to meet God in an exciting and profound way.
During my WYD journey God proved to me that even in midst of crowds, chaos and turmoil, his whispers could still be loud and clear. While I could feel His energy in the songs and the laughter of the youth from around the world, I also experiencesd Him speaking to me personally; answering my questions and listening to my voice, addressing my concerns and my fears..
My hope and prayer is that through WYD, that people will experience God in a personal way. In 2008 this country will witness God in the hearts and lives of the young people who journey to Sydney. I want them to see, just as I saw, that God does exist in this world, and He is very much alive and active. I want them to realise, just as I realised, that they don't have to settle for a mediocre life, but that God wants them to have the best - and that best is in Christ's love for us.
People underestimate the power of God's love, but it is a remarkable and life-changing love that heals people, gives people hope, and gives people purpose. It's the type of love that turned my life upside-down - and I know that I couldn't experience God's love and be the same person - it changed me and will continue to change me during this journey.
I would encourage every person to join Sydney as it journeys to WYD08 and beyond, because this is an opportunity to bring the spark back in our young people and our entire nation. Imagine thousands of youth experiencing renewal, revival, and being witnesses in their everyday lives: people would be genuinely happy, people would have hope and purpose - God provides all these things - and I do believe that that is what the young people in Australia need, and want - and continue to search for.
We have 500 days until the Spirit of our universal Church celebrates in the streets of Sydney. There are so many things happening that people can involved in - I tell people to sign up for the updates, to visit the website, to register this July, to journey with the WYD Cross and Icon - to be alive and active in our Church so that energy builds up and continues far beyond 2008.
Why would you ignore an opportunity to meet God personally?
Hmmm.. so much for being uninspired.
No comments:
Post a Comment