World Youth Day: Thoughts from Day 7
I just came back to my hotel room. I haven't been in my room since 6:30 on Saturday morning.
We had the liturgy for the US pilgrims in the Domain and I then walked with the rest of the pilgrims to Randwick Racetrack. We left the Domain at 11:00 and arrived in Randwick at 2:00. I joined Matt Maher on stage at 4:00 for his set. Then the vigil began at 7:00. It was amazing!
After the vigil, I bedded down for the night under the stars, under the Southern Cross constellation. Very fitting. They woke us up at 6:30 and we had morning prayer at 8. The pope flew over Randwick in a helicopter at 9:00. Mass started at 10 and ended at 12:30 with Madrid being named as the site for the 2011 World Youth Day. Start saving; start praying!
Enough schedule. Here's the real part. We have been to the Upper Room! In an earlier blog, I called Pope Benedict my theological hero. I have never had anyone articulate my thoughts and feeling about God like Pope Benedict XVI. He chose the scriptural theme for WYD 2008: "When the Holy Spirit comes, you will receive power and you will be my witnesses." In the Upper Room, the Eucharist was given. In the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit was given. I have experienced the most impactful week of my life. The Holy Father wanted us to go to the Upper Room to beg the Father for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit and he wants to us to be witnesses.
I came to Syndey to work, but the Lord said: "Come with me to the Upper Room."
If any of you have ever heard me speak, I guarantee you have heard me talk about the Trinity as a community of love, and about the body of Christ. I felt it! I have adopted the phrase: "We have not fully received communion until we all have received communion." Today, I was connected in the Lord Jesus to 325,000 people at Randwick Racetrack. Representatives from the worldwide body of Christ were in union with each other as we receive the body of Christ. In that communion, we became the body of Christ.
Gosh, . . . too many thoughts! I will pray more on the plane and offer more reflections on my time in Sydney where the Church's supreme pastor ministered to his flock.
Come to the Table of Life.
See Robert's earlier World Youth Day reports:
