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
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