Christ is Alive

+JMJ+

Lent 2009: Day 5

"What I liked most about the retreat: Goodness Gracious! Having the Blessed Sacrament right there for nearly the entire retreat was just phenomenal...on this retreat I really felt a distinct and solid call (to the priesthood)."

~ 17 year old male participant's witness at the end of Bread of Life

350 Teens.

3 Days

1 High School Gym.

Jesus Christ, present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity...

...Lives Changed Forever.

Perhaps you are a little down. You think the Church is not strong, the young people don't care...and that there is little, if anything, to hope in. I am here to tell you, do not despair! This weekend, in Chicago (just as in it happens around the globe) the Youth 2000 Retreat invited young people to have a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist...and illuminated the treasures of the Catholic Church--and the truth about life.

While this year we called our retreat Bread of Life (because we are using a local retreat team vs. the national team), it was true to the Youth 200 model to a "T".

I knew as the teens started to fill the gym on Friday night, there would be walls broken down, hearts open and tears shed: as the retreat progressed, my intuition was confirmed.

Unlike last year, Meditation and Eucharistic Adoration had a distinct impact on the youth Friday evening...leading into a more centered group when they came back Saturday morning. With over 350 teens, you can imagine there is a science to keeping the retreat focused (not to mention curtail cell phone use, talking and extended bathroom 'breaks')...but through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the retreat) and the power of the Holy Spirit, little by little, minute by minute, hearts were more and more open to the Grace and Love of God.

Jesus Christ was truly present in the Eucharist, exposed in the Monstrance upon the pillar of candles we call the Burning Bush. Truly, He is the Retreat Master--how can one refuse the Love of Christ Himself? He invited many holy priests, religious and lay people to be His instruments of love and mercy. Through witnesses and talks seeds were planted, all in the presence of Christ. In the silence, He spoke to every heart present. Even those who would not listen heard...and we pray that those things whispered in the silence will remain with them, that they might truly listen to the message of His love for them.

There were a few times throughout the weekend when my own vocation was strengthened. I continue to feel a deep longing to be in religious life, sometimes so deep that it is painful--I desire it so greatly! This weekend I experienced that a few times: not during the times when you are "supposed to feel it" but rather in the silence...when there were just a few people in our gym Chapel...and I was there before Jesus, feeling His love and just desiring to be His, and to be an instrument of Love for His children. A while back I told God that I just want to be Joy...as He is Love, I desire so deeply to be Joy. I felt that confirmed this weekend.

If only you could have seen the young people dancing and singing...or if you could have sat in on some of the small groups and heard them ask honest questions and share deep faith...if you could have seen the smiles on their faces as they left...and even sensed the seed planted among the most challenging teens, you would know there is hope. Our Hope is Jesus Christ. He comes among His people, He walks among us just as He walked among the those at Bread of Life Saturday evening, when we had our Eucharistic Procession, when we were each invited to reach out to receive Jesus' healing and love.

Christ is alive, and truly He reigns. He wants nothing more than all of us, so that He can give us that life He talks about...that life that is abundant. If we don't answer His call, we'll miss the greatest adventure we could ever experience.

Please pray for the young people and all involved in Bread of Life this weekend in Chicago. Many brave young men and women publicly witnessed to their sense that God is calling them to Religious Life and the Priesthood. Pray for them...as the Enemy will surly try to discourage them these next few weeks and months.

Praise be Jesus Christ...Now and Forever!