Firm in the Faith

I am just returning to my hotel room for a siesta and am in awe of what I just witnessed.

I know I know..... I'm always in awe , right? Well.... there is a lot of joy in me. Ask anyone. The spirit of World Youth Day (JMJ in Europe) is something that is distinct and cannot be compromised or faked. Pilgrims (myself included) are running around the streets of Madrid imitating chants, making up cheers, waving flags, trading accessories, and exploring the city for what would seem like the first time. It is my first time in Madrid, but it is not my first World Youth Day. Yesterday I was given an Australian flag by a girl who was volunteering at the Salt and Light booth. I told her I had nothing to offer her in return, but she insisted I carry it with me because of the beautiful story I shared with her about my time in Sydney three years ago.

I was as high as a kite! My pilgrims didn't understand why I would run around with the Australian flag, rile up the Austraian pilgrims by yelling AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! Oi Oi Oi!, but only an experienced pilgrim would understand. Its not about the country you come from; its about the Catholic unity among cultures.

This morning was our first Catechesis session at the Love and Life center. We had keynote speakers Sister Mary Gabriel of the Sisters of Life and Cardinal Robert Pell from Melbourne. I had the opportunity to meet Cardinal Pell while in Catechesis in Australia and he is a profound leader in the Australian church. What amazed me about today is that the Love and Life center is probably about the same size as the Rogers Center, and it was full of english speaking pilgrims! When it was time to celebrate Mass, the collective reverence was astounding. It is usually difficult to experience deep spirituality in such a large setting, but today proved otherwise. I was moved to tears by the selection of mass settings (all in latin), the reverence of everyone around me (you could hear a pin drop), and the deep beauty of the sacramaent. The stillness at certain moments of the mass, while kneeling, is probably the element that can be most dismissed in such a large group, but I felt it. I felt something deep within me that was saying: Rejoice. He is Risen.  Christ be with you. Christ live in you.