World Youth Day USA Guides International Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 41
The questions for pilgrims and for ministry
7. The end of World Youth Day
leaders that should result from those
is only the beginning.
unanticipated moments on the trip include:
Where is God now leading me (or us)?
Why might God be pointing me (or us) in
So much effort is put in preparing young
pilgrims for traveling to World Youth Day and
keeping them safe and focused at the events
this new direction?
themselves. This is important. Yet too often,
What could God be calling me (or us) to
very little is done in the days, weeks, months,
do, to be, or to move towards by this
and years following the return home to assist
sudden turn of events?
the explicit appropriation of the World Youth
Whom is God pointing me (or us) towards?
What needs to change within me (or us) to
down in the United States and the luggage is
better accept and understand this situation?
collected, aside from a reunion event or two,
How can I (or we) respond and react in a
the journey seems to be done. However, the
calm, patient, and mature manner?
end of the World Youth Day activities is just
Day experience. Once the airplane touches
the beginning, in a sense, of the next part of the
These questions apply to both the simple
pilgrim’s story. World Youth Day is a
accidents and the life-altering moments that
continuation of a voyage begun at Baptism that,
God offers pilgrims and leaders along their
for some, has been steadily growing prior to
journey. Help pilgrims to keep these questions
their international journey, and for others, has
on hand when the situation changes or when a
been reawakened by the World Youth Day
new insight is given to them during the events
encounters. Before embarking on the
of World Youth Day.
international portion of their pilgrimage,
though, young people and their leaders should
At any of those times, it is important to remind
be fully aware of this trajectory of faith.
pilgrims how the Holy Spirit is now in control.
When they (and we) accept and love that truth,
Consider again the story of the Transfiguration
personally challenging as that might be,
from the Gospel of Luke (9:28-36). Moses and
amazing things can happen. It is at those
Elijah appear with Christ who “appeared in
moments when the true goal of pilgrimage
glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going
begins to take shape – transformation and
to accomplish in Jerusalem” (9:31). In the midst
conversion of heart towards God’s will.
of this phenomenal experience, Jesus is looking
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