World Youth Day: Thoughts from Day 1
Last night was an awesome site. I had the great privilege of being on a balcony overlooking the opening Mass. Imagine the scene. It is sunset over Darling Harbor and 250,000 are gathered around the table of the Lord. All around, flags from different countries are being waved: Nigeria, Ireland, France, Philippines, Brazil, and too many more countries to be named.
It's flags that make me cry. Yes, they represent countries and governments but, more than that, they represent people. They represent the body of Christ. Christians who have been persecuted for their faith in Jesus are here. People from the developed world are here. People who have never been on a plane before are here. People have come to be fused into unity with each other and to become eyelash-to-eyelash with the Father are here. It is incredibly moving.
Our sacramental theology says that there can be no sacrament without a calling down of the Holy Spirit. That is the theme of this World Youth Day. Please join us in prayer that the Holy Spirit would fall on us and make us the sacrament of Christ to the world!
Read all of Robert's World Youth Day reports:
