Papal Visit

As you know, the pope has been in New York this past weekend. I have been so blessed to be able to attend two papal events – the youth rally at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, and the Mass at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. He called this trip, Christ Our Hope, and for me, it has been just that. I felt as if he was speaking directly to me at the youth rally, where he spoke for about a half an hour. It was his longest speech on his trip to America.
During his speech at the youth rally, he said, “At times, however, we are tempted to close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ’s radiance, to limit the horizon of hope,” he said. His words were so inspiring. How many times do we “close in on ourselves” and in effect place ourselves in darkness. And why should we do this, when we can find light and hope in God?
After his trip, I feel so renewed in my faith. I want to go out and live a better life. There is so much hope in the world. There is so much to be gained by believing.
He talked about the lives of the saints and said, “Inflamed with the love of Jesus, their lives became remarkable journeys of hope.” Later, he added, “For each there was an act of abandonment to God, in confidence that he is the final destination of every pilgrim.” After this weekend, I feel that I am becoming enflamed with love, and filled with hope. And I hope that soon, I can understand what it means to truly abandon all to God. I know I cannot do it to the same degree that the saints did it, but I hope and pray that I can abandon those things that God wants me to abandon. I felt like God was telling me, through the pope, that there are things that we all need to let go of. What a wonderful feeling!
Twice during his speech, he said with great enthusiasm, to have courage. That is what people need. Courage. Courage to live the life that God wants us to live. And that is, what I think, the pope gave us. Now we just have to accept it, and use it. I hope to carry the moments and feelings of joy, and yes, of hope, from this papal trip with me for my pilgrimage through life.