I encourage all of you to follow along in some way the Beautification of John Paul II. He began WYD. If you do not know his story, please find it. It will change your life.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Pilgrim vs. Tourist
Here is a talk Fr. Will Prospero gave to his pilgrims. He includes the five rules of pilgrimage and the story of St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius is one of the patrons saints for this WYD.
On a Journey
When we first began to meet we talked about the story of Exodus (going out). We know the story is about God freeing his people from slavery in Egypt and leading them into the desert towards the Promised Land. We read about the spectacular miracles God performs, the Nile River turned into blood, locusts, flies, frogs, Passover and the parting of the Red Sea. God will care for His people and perform miracles throughout the whole journey! How powerful and great is Our God!
However, that is not the real struggle in the story. It almost seems easy for God to free His people from the slavery of the Egyptians. What seems to be the real issue at hand is how to free the hearts of the people. The hearts of the Hebrews were filled with things from Egypt. They had begun worshipping the Egyptian gods. Even though they were slaves, they knew they could count on the Egyptians providing them food, shelter and protection. To a degree, they had become comfortable in their slavery. They believed that that Egypt did more to keep them alive then what God did. They lived in a lie.
So Exodus is not just about how God freed His people from slavery in Egypt, it is also how God freed the hearts of His people from Egypt. How did He do this? He took them on a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey. As you read, you will notice that the journey was not easy! There were many obstacles and hardships, each one having a purpose. God used each hardship to show the people what was in their heart that kept them from fully letting Him in to it.
John Paul II said to us many times, “BE NOT AFRAID! THROW OPEN THE DOORS TO YOUR HEARTS!” I am sure if we have the courage to do this we will see many things there that don’t leave room for God. During the time you prepare for WYD and the time you are there, God we reach into your heart and pull something out. He will show it to you clearly. Then he will ask you, “Do you love this more than me?” He will then wait for your response. He will keep doing this over and over. When this happens He will not leave an empty space there. He will fill it with Himself! How powerful and great is Our God! Let us pray with the psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Psalm 51
However, that is not the real struggle in the story. It almost seems easy for God to free His people from the slavery of the Egyptians. What seems to be the real issue at hand is how to free the hearts of the people. The hearts of the Hebrews were filled with things from Egypt. They had begun worshipping the Egyptian gods. Even though they were slaves, they knew they could count on the Egyptians providing them food, shelter and protection. To a degree, they had become comfortable in their slavery. They believed that that Egypt did more to keep them alive then what God did. They lived in a lie.
So Exodus is not just about how God freed His people from slavery in Egypt, it is also how God freed the hearts of His people from Egypt. How did He do this? He took them on a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey. As you read, you will notice that the journey was not easy! There were many obstacles and hardships, each one having a purpose. God used each hardship to show the people what was in their heart that kept them from fully letting Him in to it.
John Paul II said to us many times, “BE NOT AFRAID! THROW OPEN THE DOORS TO YOUR HEARTS!” I am sure if we have the courage to do this we will see many things there that don’t leave room for God. During the time you prepare for WYD and the time you are there, God we reach into your heart and pull something out. He will show it to you clearly. Then he will ask you, “Do you love this more than me?” He will then wait for your response. He will keep doing this over and over. When this happens He will not leave an empty space there. He will fill it with Himself! How powerful and great is Our God! Let us pray with the psalmist, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Psalm 51
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