World Youth Day USA Guides Stateside Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 61

Do we trust him as our Father, living as sons

(Mt 28:16-20). The command to “go forth

and daughters in the Son, and relying upon

and baptize all the nations” was the theme for

the Holy Spirit? The intimacy and personal

World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in 2013,

connection with God that a pilgrim feels

and with this in mind, Pope Francis

during World Youth Day is often caused by a

challenged all pilgrims to go out and be

powerful moment(s) of prayer, praise, or

“missionary disciples,” saying:

connection to the larger community; a
moment(s) where we experience the depth

With these words, Jesus is speaking to

and fullness of the Father’s love for us in his

each one of us, saying: “It was

Son, our Lord Jesus, and through the gift of

wonderful to take part in World

the Holy Spirit. This feeling of intimacy with

Youth Day, to live the faith together

the Lord can last long beyond the initial

with young people from the four

World Youth Day experience and may be

corners of the earth, but now you

carried into one’s daily life. Making more time

must go, now you must pass on this

for prayer and reflection, finding a preferred

experience to others.” Jesus is calling

prayer style or spirituality, and living the

you to be a disciple with a mission! 37

sacramental life with more joy can be some of
the gifts that come from a powerful World

A missionary disciple is what we are all called

Youth Day experience.

to be. It is the going forth and sharing the
Good News in every place we go and

The second aspect is living out our

wherever people are gathered, whether that is

relationship with God in our day-to-day lives.

abroad to another land or down the block to

While feelings can ebb and flow, the

our local hangout. We go forth with the

encounter with the Lord and the joy that

intention of sharing with others the love that

comes from it are deeper than any momentary

we have experienced and inviting others to

feeling and help provide direction for our day-

embrace the love that God our Father has for

to-day journeys. All of us are called to seek

them. In inviting others to that intimacy with

the Lord continually, to be open to and led by

the Lord, pilgrims are able to bring the World

the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, this is about our

Youth Day experience full-circle, passing on

graced response to the Great Commission

what has been received, so that others may

37

Pope Francis, “World Youth Day Concluding Mass,”

July 28, 2013, introduction.

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