Photo: Sebastian Porral
Wo r l d Yo u t h D a y, Kr a kow
n 33 Young people from Gibraltar pray with the Pope in Krakow n Testimonies from Henry Earle and Adriana Amor Henry Earl writes
Just back from Krakow, Poland.
P
ope Francis invited the youth of the world to join him for a few days of prayer and to celebrate the Faith. Youth travelled from all over the world, spending hours waiting, flying, piled into coaches and walking. All to celebrate our one Faith, to celebrate our salvation in Christ Jesus. Days of little sleep, unfamiliar food, makeshift beds (if you were fortunate enough to have one) and horrible weather, very hot with torrential downpours. Mostly they slept
on the floor of halls, schools and stadiums. It was the biggest event ever to happen in the whole of Poland’s history. Every time the Pope calls a meeting for the youth anywhere in the world it turns out to be the biggest event ever held in that country. Three million turned up to this meeting with the Holy Father in Krakow. Three million youth at a religious event. Of course the world news was not and never is interested in these meetings, called World Youth Days. But as we made our way to the first meeting on the Thursday afternoon, it started to rain. I thought to myself, we should stay indoors, very few will
Upon this Rock magazine is published monthly by EuropeAxess Media, Gibraltar. Editor: Fr. S. Chipolina: editor@uponthisrock.gi. Production Editor: A. Sargent: angela@europeaxess.com. Upon this Rock magazine is entirely supported by advertising and donations. It is run in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar by EuropeAxess Media Ltd. as a not-for-profit project. For Advertisers: This magazine is handdelivered to homes, churches, hospitals and many businesses around Gibraltar every month. To discuss your advertising requirements, or promote your church group or charity, call Tel: +350 200 79335 email: angela@europeaxess.com. Editorial is selected by EuropeAxess Media in liaison with the Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Neither of these parties is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor do the views and opinions expressed herein necessarily reflect the views and opinions of either party. Advertisers are not endorsed by virtue of advertising in this magazine. EuropeAxess Media Ltd. reserves the right to refuse space to any submissions or advertisements. Efforts have been made to establish copyright owners of images, but if we have used your material, and have not credited you, please contact us to discuss restoration. The magazine is online at uponthisrock.gi. You’ll find exclusive Christian gifts in the WebShop. Cover: Gibraltar Youth at the WYD Mercy Centre,Tauron Arena, Krakow Photo: U.S. Pilgrim
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with testimonies from Henry Earle and introducing Adriana Amor
3,000,000
come, Gibraltar had a group of 33 youth. But no one said anything so we carried on and as we got nearer to the venue, an open field, I was impressed by the numbers of young people, it was impossible to walk along the chock-a-block roads, alleys, paths and lanes.
Why are they here?
‘Why are they here?’ I thought it’s not comfortable, not even a nice day. I am sure there are loads of other things they could do, other things they could have spent their money on. But they were there with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, celebrating their one Faith in Jesus Christ. The Youth of the world are religious. Are you? In amongst three million people, with no space to stretch out, we were all happy. Not wanting it to finish. The days had passed too quickly. We are holding to the call of the Holy Father “We will meet again in Panama 2019” Thank you – God Bless
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n The biggest event in Poland’s history.
Adriana Amor
Photo: Sebastian Porral
Pilgrims at World Youth Day
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Adriana Amor writes
Our paths unite in World Youth Day
I
was terrified, my heart beating faster than the ticking of a clock.
The refreshing sea breeze caressed my face as I focussed on the rocky path. One of my best friends gripped my hand as she helped me down the step. In all honesty I did not want to do this, she dragged me here and would not let me get out of it easily. The only thing that comforted me was her grip on my hand as she guided me along the unfamiliar path. It was only due to this gesture of hers that I continued to walk; cautious in every step I took, I feared I would loose my footing on the rocks. It was not until after she left me to my own devices -with some occasional assistancethat I started to realise a second
point of view towards the rock climbing. It was not only the freedom I felt as I was able to walk by myself; I started to draw some parallels with school and the subjects I struggled with, or felt the least confident in. I needed a small push from my friend in order to start climbing, similarly, I could recall so many instances in which a teacher, or classmate, gave me the encouragement I needed to persevere. Also, there were times during lessons when I needed to seek help, in order to be able to advance, just like then, when my friend, with her experience in rock climbing, assisted me. Perhaps, there would be instances in which I may fall, however, one can never know unless one tries. And even if I did fall, even if I did fail, I
can always get up and try again. Maybe I will need help to do so, after all, we are human, and we make mistakes and need to be
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guided in the right direction. And as I saw the surreal view of the horizon, in which the sun was slowly swallowed by the sea, that’s when I really understood. I realised how perseverance would be rewarded greatly. I was grateful to my friend for pushing me, for not letting me give up. It was now crystal clear how, if I did not give up with the subjects I struggled most with, if I kept trying and asking for help when I needed it, I would be rewarded. I would be able to see something incredible. A gift I would only be able to see if I persevered. If I gave up, I may have been so very close from the truth, from my true potential. I knew perfectly well that it wouldn’t be an easy path, I would fall at times, but as long as I got up each time, it
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Photos: Sebastian Porral
A d r i a n a A m o r w r i te s
would be worth it. And as I now look back at this memory, I can see how, what has become an important metaphor in my life, can be applied to so many other areas. Religion, for instance. We may all fall into temptations and sin, but there will always be someone who, even if they are not visible to the human eye, will hold your hand, forgiving you and helping you stand on your own two feet. However, this can only happen if you don’t
give up on yourself and repent.
See your true path
You will always have opportunities to see your true self. Your true path. And it is when you fail to see them that you will fall; you will need to open your eyes as well as your heart to be able to see the slippery rocks which will make you fall. There will always be someone to hold your hand, to comfort you, to guide you through your
path. It may not be apparent to you at first however, be it the people that cross your path, the texts that are closest to your heart, or a presence that only your heart can see, you will never be left to walk your path alone. There shall always be someone covering your back, someone you can always count on. And this never ceases to be apparent in my life; not until my mind can see the knowledge that my heart has concealed. Continued on page 15
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Cursillo Team Leaders write...
Three Encounters in the 3-Day Cursillo There are many different views as to what actually happens during a Cursillo weekend, but essentially it all revolves around three encounters, an encounter with yourself, an encounter with Christ and an encounter with others.
relationships if we don’t know who we are or what we want, we really can’t. Not knowing ourselves will lead to confusion and wasting much time in hit and miss situations. We tend to underestimate the importance of knowing ourselves. Many of us go through each day reacting to events and just getting by rather than making conscious choices based on who we are and what we want. When we don’t know where we are headed it’s hard to set goals, get motivated and determine the best course of action. Before we can do any of these things we must establish who we are. To know ourselves we need to be aware of our strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. We need to observe and be aware of our moods, reactions and
responses to what is happening around us. We need to become aware of how these moods and emotions affect our state of mind. We need to examine how we interact with others, observe how our environment affects us.
The three days at the Cursillo Weekend start with an opportunity to really look at ourselves, we are asked to step back and look at our busy lives and consider whether we have become prisoners of it all. To stop and face ourselves, and ask ourselves who am I? Having an encounter with yourself initially is vital to having an encounter with Christ.
Christ is presented to us as we have possibly never heard before, real, alive, personal, a friend and brother. Evidently one cannot love what one does not know, as St. Augustine said “Lord Jesus, let me know myself that I may know You”. Once we have taken a good look at ourselves and really understand who we are, and have had a beautiful encounter with Christ, we are then well equipped to go out into the world and actually behave as Christians. Following Christ is not just about praying or going to church, it is about how we lead our lives and how we interact with others. The third encounter, which is the one with others, begins during the three day weekend, but then extends to the rest of our lives.
W
e all think that we know who we are, but the reality is that most of us have not actually taken the time to understand who we really are, how others perceive us, often the reaction we obtain from others is down to how we ourselves act. How can we realistically go about life and have successful
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It is a way of life and anyone watching us live our lives from a distance should be able to determine that we follow Jesus Christ by our actions, it should not be necessary for us to tell them. As they say, “an action speaks louder than words” and our actions should leave anyone interacting with us or watching us from a distance with no doubt at all that we follow Jesus Christ. The Cursillo Movement recently held a Cursillo Weekend for men at the Retreat Centre. After the event, one of the participants said “I thought that I knew who I was, but as I started peeling the layers off and I got to see my inner self, I realized that I am someone very different to whom I thought I was. I have had a tough life and I now realise that many of the things that have happened to me are because I acted incorrectly.
I have always blamed others for the failings in my life and I now realize that it is all down to me. I have a lot of broken relationships to repair, but now that I understand my failings and with Christ on my side, I feel confident that from now on things will be different”. Another participant said “I didn’t really know why I was coming to this Cursillo, I have a good life, great family, good job, but I always felt that there was something missing and I didn’t know what that was. Having had a beautiful encounter with Christ over the last three days, I have started to feel a kind of happiness that I have never felt before and I have started to feel that the gap I previously felt in my life has now been filled”.
Why miss out on this opportunity to improve your life?
Join us at one of our Cursillo Weekends, you will not regret it. The next Cursillo Weekends will be held at the Retreat Centre from the 13th till the 16th October for women and from
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De Colores
the 10th till the 13th November for men. If you are interested in attending please contact us on 58008885 or send as an email on cursillogibraltar@
gmail.com and we shall send you an enrolment form, we look forward to seeing you there. God Bless Cursillo Team Leaders
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SEMINAR FEE REDU
Sarah Cumming writes
Christian Unity
Why Bother?
n The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:
“Christ always gives his Church the gift of unity, but the Church must always pray and work to maintain, reinforce and perfect the unity that Christ wills for her. This is why Jesus himself prayed at the hour of his Passion and does not cease praying to his Father, for the unity of his disciples: ‘That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us... so that the world may know that you have sent me.’ John 17:21. The desire to recover the unity of all Christians is a gift of Christ and a call of the Holy Spirit.” 1 So if it’s a call of the Holy Spirit
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and an ongoing gift from Christ for the Church, why do we show and allow apathy, or just simple disinterest, towards ecumenical endeavours or anything mentioning Christian Unity? Why do we not have the same yearning and heartbreak that Christ has? I have at times felt, that interdenominational relationships in Gibraltar are often at a stalemate, not only because of past hurts but, because we may not know how to communicate with each other. “If we are really to seek for Christian Unity, we must be prepared to pay the cost. For it must be based upon love, and love is always costly. It will never be attained until there is ‘far more humility, far more thought, far more self-sacrifice and far more prayer than there is at present.’ (B.H. Streeter)
n A unique
opportunity to say how you feel...
The Hand in Hand seminar being held in Gibraltar in
October, gives us a unique opportunity to open up and to communicate with one another, where otherwise we might just dismiss conversation or topics in order to keep the fragile peace. It gives us a safe environment to engage with one another, pray together and communicate with each other. The seminar will address many issues, which I know will benefit the Christian community of Gibraltar as a whole. There will be, without a doubt,
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UCED NOW ONLY £10 SEMINAR FEE REDUCED NOW ONLY £10 SEMINAR FEE RE contentious issues that will be brought up throughout the weekend, the aim is not to antagonize, but to facilitate an open dialogue in a secure setting as we are called to do so from a Christian perspective.
n Jesus says: Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another. (Jm 5:9) Together, we’ll see details that we may have missed before. We’ll see strengths as well as weaknesses. We’ll see acts of love, as well as actions that disturb us. It’s also the place where we can begin to detect how God is at work in us - always in love, encouragement, and joy. It’s the place where, rather than trying to change other people’s hearts and actions, we will find our hearts beginning to change. And so James tells us not to complain about each other. He knows that it’s not our role to judge - that belongs to God. Rather than being judges, we are called to become traveling companions who live to encourage one another. James
urges us to be patient with each other, just as God has been so patient with us.
n An invitation I really want to encourage you to attend this seminar, your horizons will be broadened, your thoughts challenged and your heart will engage with Christ’s prayer.
n Collaboration for Victory!
“May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so perfected in unity that the world will recognise that it was you who sent me and that you have loved them as you have loved me.” Jn 17:21-23 (NJB) Sarah Cumming is the Kerygma Representative for Gibraltar 1 CCC.§820
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Anne Mesilio writes
Not Just a
HELPLINE
I Childline Gibraltar came into being ten years ago and Dame Esther Rantzen came along to help launch what was to become a very successful Charity.
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t’s biggest achievement, according to new Chairperson Jo Abergel “is the impact that the Charity has had. It started with some negativity with people wondering if there really was a need for a helpline like this in Gibraltar and this perception has largely been dispelled as we have largely accepted that, even in Gibraltar, we are not immune to the same problems as elsewhere”. In fact Dame Esther Rantzen, who founded Childline UK twenty years ago, discovered on a visit last October that the main issues of concern in the UK are the same ones which concern us in Gibraltar. Well, that blew the lid on being insulated by a small, close knit community.
n Self Harm Alert
Childline Gibraltar’s core values state “children must be protected from all sorts of violence and exploitation”. This may actually mean protecting them from themselves as well. Calls to the local helpline began to ‘flag up’ incidents of self harm and it was realised that action was called for. A conference was arranged in March 2015 and the event attracted “an audience of one hundred and twenty, made up of local professionals, parents, and adults who had self harmed in the past, and all agreed that Gibraltar needs a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, or CAMHS. “How do you tackle self harm”, I asked Jo, I needed
to understand how this could happen. “Usually there is an underlying cause, negative feelings, loneliness, anger, low self esteem. Self harming might be easier to deal with than the emotional pain which triggers it”. I was staggered. I went on to learn that this is not a suicide attempt, but way to try and release overwhelming emotions, a misguided way of trying to cope, which can become dangerously addictive. Apparently self harming is now the fourth most common concern (in the UK) that children and young people contact Childline about. So, Childline Gibraltar is not just a Helpline, it takes the issues raised seriously, having realised that most of their contacts require an element of mental health support. I encourage the need for CAMHS and understand Childline is currently working with Government to establish this. In her snapshot of the past ten years Jo outlined how the Charity has grown. “We are still only open four hours a day, 5pm-9pm, but that might change. We have started preventative work with schools, raised awareness about child abuse, have put in place part time educational coordinators for schools and youth groups, Brownies, Guides, Scouts. We
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have run activities for young people, like cyber bullying and safer internet day.
n Adult Support Whilst the Helpline remains
Childline’s core service, this has now been extended to a 24/7 online service, an Appropriate Adult Service for juveniles detained by the police/customs and a preventative educational program. It’s a little known fact that approximately half the calls made to the Childline Helpline actually come from adults.
Mums and Dads usually, who are finding parenthood a challenge – maybe they have a baby who cries all night, or a teenager trying to rule the roost. “Blue Week provides us with an excellent opportunity to visit as many schools, youth/sports organisations and companies as we can to raise awareness about the important work we do in the community and show them the impact we are having”. We have expanded programs on sexual health, eating disorders...” she actually stopped to catch her breath! I gave her little time. “Anything new?” I asked.
n Online Chat “We are about to launch “LiveChat” another way for young people to get in touch via our website. They can chat live to our volunteers during 5pm-9pm. This is in response to the fact that young people are technologically aware and use this medium frequently for communication”. Will volunteers need extra training for this I wondered. The answer was yes, just one day to get up to date with ‘txt-speak’
and abbreviations. Remember telegrams, these were not full of unnecessary words, but still conveyed the sense of the message, which was charged on a per word rate. In the same way, text messages; Had a gr8 time tnx c u 2moro. Translation; I had a great time, thanks, see you tomorrow! Jo has been involved with the Charity since 2007 and a Trustee for four years. When she found herself with some unexpected free time “I offered to take over temporarily as Connie Atwood was retiring”. “What would you like to say to Connie”?
Without hesitation Jo’s praise for Connie was heartfelt. “She has been a formidable Chairperson, involved since the beginning she has made tremendous strides for the Charity. She has been the driving force and we are immensely grateful to her. Her knowledge is invaluable and we are delighted she has agreed to stay on as a Trustee and will keep responsibility for Helpline and adult services. We thank her for everything she has done for the Charity”. We would like to send Jo all good wishes as she embarks on her tenure as Chairperson.
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We invite applications for funding from anyone who wishes to launch an evangelistic initiative or who needs support for an existing Christian missionary activity. Please write to: The Chairman, Christian Mission Trust, 4 South Pavilion Road, Gibraltar.
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Sr. Giovanna Mariae, S.V. & Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P.
3 WAYS
WE MIGHT
Pope Francis said:
“We keep looking for God, but God is there before us, always looking for us, and he finds us first. Maybe one of you feels something weighing on your heart. You are thinking: I did this, I did that.... Do not be afraid! God is waiting for you! God is a Father and he is always waiting for us!”
T
he Sisters of Life have the great privilege of walking with women seeking perspective, peace, and reconciliation after an abortion experience. Some of the women attend special days of prayer offered by the sisters to support this
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journey. At the end of these days the women have the opportunity to place a rose in front of an image of Jesus, the Divine Mercy image. It is often a very powerful moment of grace, where they have a tangible way to entrust their child, and their own lives to He who is Mercy. One sister recalls in particular the witness of a young woman who came to one of these days. Sr. Giovanna recalls: “Lily” came to us suffering greatly after her abortion. She was trapped in selfcondemnation, and struggled with deep sadness, regret, and a sense of helplessness. I will never forget as she approached with her rose. She knelt before the image and began to weep – it was unlike any weeping I have ever heard… she was finally able to give the tears permission to fall, and with them the sorrow, pain, and grief she felt in the wake of her abortion. As I watched, my heart was deeply moved with what seemed paradoxical emotions – a certain bitter-sweetness. The bitterness was a rending compassion I felt at the great grief and loss she experienced and expressed. The sweetness I experienced told of the powerful action of mercy unfolding before me. My heart knew I was witnessing a fulfilment of God’s promise to us – His Divine Mercy. Through this act of faith, she gave God the Father an opportunity He eagerly waits for – that of embracing His beloved son or daughter with all their sins, pain, and wounds, making them all new through
the gift of His love and mercy. I realized the Lord had given me the grace to witness the purest and sweetest offering – the only sacrifice He asks for, as it says in Psalm 51:17, that of a “broken spirit…a broken contrite heart O God, thou will not despise…” His name is Mercy
Pope Francis’ recent Bull on the Jubilee of Mercy (Misericordiae Vultus) beautifully tells us that “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy,” and he exhorts us to be “merciful like the Father.” According to St. John Paul II’s encyclical on mercy – Dives et Misericordia, the definition of mercy is rooted in two Hebrew words. Hesed, meaning a steadfast, or covenant love, and rachamim, a tender, compassionate love. Indeed, we can be confident that we do not have a God who holds us at arm’s-length or stands afar off watching us with indifference as we face suffering in our lives. Rather, we have a God who looks after us with the attention, tenderness, and fidelity of a good Father. We have a God who, like water, seeks to descend into the darkest and most wounded parts of our hearts and souls; a God who works at every turn to renew and transform us into the image we were created in: the glorious Divine image of Himself. As Pope Francis says, “mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very
nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us,” (Misericordiae Vultus). Man was made for more
You see the cookie jar. It’s your favourite kind – ooey gooey chocolate chip. You eat one. And another. And then another. After the sixth, the delight and pleasure fades and something different starts settling in… “ARRGGH!” Deep frustration comes up from within. “Why did I do that? I didn’t need all those cookies, I didn’t even want them to begin with!” the disappointment flares. You start feeling sick, which only compounds the feelings of anger, shame, and humiliation at your weakness. Despite your resolve to eat a more balanced meal at breakfast - lunch found you overdoing it again... Living according to our dignity and the universal call to holiness is a challenge and struggle we can expect to face every day. Weakened by the effects of original sin, it is not a battle we can fight on our own. We need the strength that comes through prayer, and the grace that comes from God to avoid getting trapped in the snares of the evil one. His tactics never change – he tempts, and allures with lies – at which point we are faced with a choice. Sometimes we stand fast, other times we take the bait, and fall. What’s his next move? He fires arrows of accusation and condemnation, aimed to bind us in hopelessness and despair.
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T
T RESPOND
TO SIN He wants to deceive and provoke us to wrap our identity around our greatest weakness and darkest sin. He will do whatever he can to cloud the greatest truth and reality: the Father’s unconditional love for us. Furthermore, he wants to prevent us from cultivating the most important relationship in our lives: the covenant bond of love between us and God. Ultimately when man loses sight of God, he loses sight of the truth of himself, and will cease to strive for the beauty, goodness, and glory God has
created him for.
Getting back up again
At the outset, sin promises a lot, but while our sins might feel good in the moment, sin, great or small, will always leave us empty. There are many ways we respond to the event of sin in our lives. Most of them can find a home in the following three categories: Pride. We harden our hearts, convince ourselves it was no big deal, and deny the pangs our conscience
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feels. Often this leads to patterns of habitual sin, committing sins that are increasingly graver, and ultimately serves to drive us further and further away from God and those that love us most. Despair and Discouragement. We start believing in the lies of the evil one – those voices we can be sure will come to assail us after we have fallen. What does his voice sound like? “You are no good,” “you are hopeless,” “I can’t believe you did that, there’s no use trying to recover from that,” “God could never forgive you…” Where do they lead us? Places of despair, discouragement, hopelessness, and helplessness, and an identity based on shame, guilt, and condemnation. If these are the sentiments of our heart, and the voices bouncing around in our minds, we can be confident they do not come from God. Simply reject them and replace them with the truth and freedom found in the voice of Christ – “I am with you always (Mt 28:20),” “neither do I condemn you, now go and do not sin again (Jn 8:11),” “if anyone
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thirsts, let him come to me and drink (Jn 7:37),” “be not afraid (Lk 2:10).” We turn to He who is Mercy. After we fall, we stop and take a moment to understand what just happened. We humbly acknowledge the truth of our action before God, and then we do what Jesus told
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Rembrandt van Rijn
The Return of the Prodigal Son
Sr. Giovanna Mariae, S.V. & Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P. to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions (Ps 51:1)” the more deeply we experience His love and compassion, and become more fully rooted in this relationship that allows us to discover the fullness of our dignity in God’s eyes. It is by way of God’s mercy we can live as the Apostles after Pentecost full of peace, freedom and joy, secure in the love of the Father. True courage is being willing to listen to God’s voice – active in that sacred place He meets us in our conscience. It is in putting our wills behind His words of guidance, and His nudges towards repentance. Behold, I make all things new.
Returning to the experience of Lily, Sr. Giovanna continues: After the day of prayer I was able to speak with Lily. She was hardly the same woman that walked in at the beginning of the day. Her face and eyes were filled with light, the shame and sorrow that filled her countenance before was transformed into a new dignity and innocence. She St. Faustina to do whenever she sinned - immediately “rise again to glorify God’s mercy.” We dare to believe in who He is – a Father with open arms, waiting to embrace us in a mercy inexhaustible. This is where we find the grace and strength we need to begin again. And how can we be sure? Christ’s sacrifice couldn’t paint a clearer picture of how beloved and precious we are to the Father. He sent His only Son to suffer and die for us, so that we might be redeemed. We have only to claim this incredible gift
of our redemption, waiting to be expressed and poured into our lives by way of mercy. The gift of Mercy
We don’t deserve mercy. We don’t earn it. It is given to us freely and abundantly, because our good Father knows we need it. Cultivating a sense of this need in our lives is the key to holiness and true freedom. The more habitually we cry out to God after we have fallen, and with sincere hearts ask Him, “have mercy on me God, according to thy steadfast love; according
Some Spiritual Exercises…
r Number 1458 in the Catechism offers that “man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear ‘man’ this is what God has made; when you hear ‘sinner’ - this is what man himself has made …” The sacrament of confession gives us grace and strength to help us live the Christian life, heals us, and
had truly been made new. And while she knew there was still a long road ahead in healing and forgiveness, she had the peace, hope, and support to move forward in the journey to which God called her. After His resurrection, Christ began appearing to His disciples. Despite the witness of his fellow apostles, Thomas insisted, “unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25). And sure enough, the Lord appeared, stood among them, and said to Thomas “put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing” (Jn 20:27). May we also be believing, and with a full and bold faith, present ourselves whole and entire to Christ – allowing this mystery of Redemption to proclaim its victory over every place of weakness, darkness, and sin within us. reestablishes our relationship with God. Set aside a time this week to go to confession. r Before you go, look at this Guide to Confession -http:// w w w. o u r c a t h o l i c f a i t h . o rg / downloads/Guide%20To%20 Confession.pdf Take the time to let the Lord show you where He wants to bring His grace and make you new.
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Photo: Sebastian Porral
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A d r i a n a A m o r w r i te s
Continued from page 3 Once more, this metaphor manifested itself physically, during the walk towards the Vigil. We weren’t individual fishing-boats drifting through its path in the sea. On the contrary, we were one big family. We were all members of the immense family. We were all together as
Photos: Sebastian Porral
n We were all members of an immense family.
the crew of one of the largest ships. We were a team. We weren’t millions of individuals, but rather, all one and the same. There were no barriers with nationalities. Different languages would not stop us; even if our minds didn’t understand each other, our hearts could so easily unravel what seemed like an encrypted message to our brain. Each time one of us felt like giving up, we became each other’s pillar of support. The heat was so strong, many of us soon ran out of water, however, that didn’t mean they had slipped on a rock, if one of us had any water left, we all had water: we
held each other as we walked the rocky path. Similarly, when one of the members of our large family struggled to walk with their bags, we helped: as one carried their fear of falling, another held their hand to comfort them as they travelled their destined path, leaving the fear behind... We all became the timbers of our ship, we couldn’t let each other down. We couldn’t give up when there was still something we could do to support each other. We couldn’t give up easily when such an amazing event awaited us. It was worth it, we grew closer together, our ties became stronger, and only because we
persevered as a family. These are only small examples of what this mind-set can help you achieve, and that is why, as long as you don’t give up on yourself, you don’t give up on faith or hope, you will be able to walk your path with no need for fear, and will be rewarded once it concludes. You will be grateful once you see the ending to that chapter of your life, so don’t give up, okay? We hope to be able to publish more World Youth Day photographs and testimonies next month. If you have a story to tell or pictures to share, send them to angela@europeaxess.com
n Youth from many nations praying in the Capital of Mercy.
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