World Youth Day USA Guides International Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 70

pilgrim must come down from the mountain – In Pope Francis’ final homily on Copacabana not depressed for leaving a wondrous place, but Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the Closing Mass of excited for the great work that is yet to be the last international World Youth Day, he sent accomplished with the grace of God. Helping forth those pilgrims with a mission reflecting pilgrims to see World Youth Day as a stop on the biblical passage and theme of the 2013 along the way instead of the end goal will go a encounter, “Go and make disciples of all long way to a more fully-realized pilgrimage nations” (Mt. 28:19): experience and a permanent, not temporary, encounter with God. With these words, Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: “It was wonderful to take It is also critical that leaders accompany and part in World Youth Day, to live the faith support their pilgrims through the melancholy together with young people from the four that can sometimes possibly result from leaving corners of the earth, but now you must go, such a transformative moment. now you must pass on this experience to others.” Jesus is calling you to be a disciple Helping World Youth Day participants move with a mission! from excitement to sadness to excitement again, upon returning home, is not always easy; The end of World Youth Day was only the however, it is something that leaders are called beginning. The Holy Father, like Pope John to do as part of their journey with their pilgrim Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI before him, had travelers. The pilgrim leader’s work, then, is called the pilgrims to embrace their mission. He not over when everyone is back in their home; also explained that the beatitudes were the the pilgrim leader’s work also continues on. action plan for their lives: “Look, read the Beatitudes: that will do you good!” Like Blessed Go Make Disciples with Mercy Pier Giorgio Frassati, whom John Paul II had One of the ways to assist pilgrims in the declared “the man of the beatitudes,” the young return experience is to introduce them to adults of World Youth Day were to be simple the understanding that they are missionaries, and pure in heart; to become peacemakers, and with the 2016 World Youth Day theme hungering for righteousness and justice; to in mind, they are to be missionaries with a comfort those who mourn and who are poor merciful and compassionate heart for the world in spirit; and to be strong in the face of and society into which they are being sent. persecution. In particular, with the 2016 WYD 68