WYD Day 2: Wed 23 Jan - Catechesis & Fiat USA Hosted Festival

Wednesday 23 Jan - Catechesis & Fiat USA Hosted Festival

The local headlines capture it well: "Joyful pilgrims have taken the streets". Panama is awash with throngs of young people, draped in their flags, singing, high-fiving and bringing joy to all they meet. The tsunami of joy that we remember from WYD Sydney '08 has finally reached the Panamanian shores and the locals are loving it. The happy honking of car horns greets pilgrims wherever they are are trekking, with waves and many "Holas" to the people walking and passing by. I've been following my "Hola!" with a "G'day!" just to give it a bit of an Aussie twist!

The Broken Bay catechesis animation team started the morning leading Catechesis at Iglesia Santiago Apostolos (the Church of St James the Apostle) in a poor part of the city. It's a small Church, seating about 220 in a horseshoe around the raised sanctuary area, led by a local, Fr Ronaldo. Large open doors to let in the occasional breezes, along with the traffic sounds, and colourful panels of stained glass decorating the walls. A graphic print of the crucifixion, stands behind the altar, the welts and blood graphically portraying the suffering of Jesus.

Gerard Gallagher, leader of the youth from the Archdiocese of Dublin, has had his 30 Irish pilgrims staying in the parish for the last week doing a Mercy program - visiting the poor and the elderly. He told me that as well as its poverty, this area was known for its roughness and crime. His pilgrims have been spending time with local families, children and the elderly.

Simon Hyland, the Catechesis Animation Coordinator for this English speaking venue, warmed up the crowd with a fun singalong of Cold Play's "Viva La Vida" before leading them to worship with "How Great is Our God." Maddy, a drama teacher from St Augustine's College, was our dynamic MC, getting the pilgrims to form small groups of 6 with people from other countries. The first group to complete this task had pilgrims from Pakistan, the Philippines, the USA, Panama, Australia and Ireland - giving an indication of the truly international nature of this gathering. Two of our pilgrims, Chris and Maddy, shared about their own faith journeys that have led them here to WYD. Chris signed up due to his mum and sister who went to Krakow WYD in 2016. “This pilgrimage has already strengthened my relationship with God in ways that I’ve never expected,” Chris shared. “I have connected with friends, teachers and most importantly God. There are three things I hope to get out of WYD - a stronger relationship with God, with others and to learn how to be of service in my community for the rest of my life."


We then invited the groups of six to share their own stories with one another. Ian, my student from St Leo's Catholic College, in the northern suburbs of Sydney, reported, "I found the story of a small group member from Saudi Arabia very sad.  She was a Filipino working there They are not allowed to publicly practice their Christian faith. The country is under Sharia Law, and they are called infidels or unbelievers. They would be locked if they were found to be telling people about Jesus. Despite the persecution and the strict laws against Christianity it was inspiring how much Christ means to them and how he protects those who believe in him. I can’t even imagine how it would be being a Christian under those conditions." Following this time of sharing we sang the WYD Theme Song, "Here I Am, The Servant of the Lord," which led us into a time of prayer.

Speaking at our venue today was Bishop Mark E. Brennan, auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore. He started off saying that he's been told that "G'Day" is Australian for "The Lord be with you." "Broken Bay pilgrims have shared why they have come to WYD," Bishop Mark told us. "There are many examples through history of young people who accepted God’s invitation. Young Samuel was in the Temple and heard the Lord calling his name. Samuel thought it was the priest Eli, who told him if he heard that call again to say “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” He became the greatest of all Israelite prophets. Young Isaiah was called by God to be a prophet - he did it for 50 years. Young Esther saved her people from extermination. Young Ruth left her people and went with her mother-in-law after her husband had died. She married again and became the grandmother of King David. In the New Testament a 15 year old Mary said: "Yes!" The angel said, “Guess what, you’re going to have a baby.” Mary replied, “Fiat – let it be done.” Young Saul was zealous for living his Jewish faith and persecuting the Christians. The Lord appeared to him and turned him around to use that energy to spread the faith to the world." (The rest of my notes on Bishop Mark's talk are at the bottom of this blog.)

"I liked the images the bishop used in his talk," said Jaeden. "He also mentioned how there are people against immigrants but they forget that their parents or grandparents were immigrants too. I was also struck by his quote: 'To make God laugh, tell him your plans.' That made me think not to worry about not knowing what I want to do in the future but to put it into God’s hands."

The energetic Korean-Australian pilgrim, Ellen, a street dance teacher, finished the animation session getting the pilgrims up and dancing to the song "Come Alive" from the movie "The Greatest Showman". We then had a 20 minute break before Mass, where many of the pilgrims continued their conversations from before.

Nine priests, chaplains from the various groups, concelebrated Mass with Bishop Mark. His homily focused on the mysterious priest Melchizedek from the Old Testament: "In Hebrews, there are two things significant about Melchizedek – his name means 'righteous or just king' and he was the King of Salem. Salem is the Hebrew word for 'Shalom' or 'Peace'. There was a massacre of Jewish people in Pensylania recently, I went to the synagogue to offer prayer for them on a Friday. Their greeting was "Shabbat Shalom" - "Sabbath Peace". Thus Melchizedek is also the King of Peace. Hebrews tells us that Jesus is like Melchizedek whose story has no beginning and no end. We don't know Melchizedek's background or what happened to him after he encountered Abraham. But Jesus also like him as a righteous king and king of peace."

"Jesus on the Sabbath in the synagogue restores the man with the withered hand. In the Bible peace doesn’t just mean a cessation of hostilities. It is much deeper and broader than that – it means blessings. We pray that one day we will experience the fullness of God’s peace, God’s blessings, in heaven. What Jesus does in curing in that man is give him a greater share in the blessings of this earthly life. He can now use his hands to work – as a carpenter or fisherman or to help his wife prepare dinner. Jesus is thus the King of peace, giving blessing to this man."

We left Catechesis with big smiles on our faces for a job well done. We were proud of our efforts as an animation team - Broken Bay is the only Australian Diocese to be leading a Catechesis venue in Panama for this WYD. Many of our small pilgrim groups went to Omar Park for the vocations expo, but my small group and those from St Augustines decided to go to the big gathering hosted by the USA in the evening. So we caught Ubers back to the Hotel and had a relaxing afternoon. Simon and I headed up to our room and slept for two hours, showing how exhausted we both were.

I told my pilgrims that this was an American gathering, like the Australian one we had the other day. So they had to not wear any Australian clothes and had to put on American accents so we could sneak in. I had them practicing their American accents - needless to say, some were better than others. A couple of them had already swopped gifts for American flags, and put them on. Ian, who loves the USA but has never actually been there, was wearing a Stars and Stripes headband along with Skye and they really looked the part! We Ubered to Figali Convention Centre. Because of the extensive road closures the drivers didn't think they could get us there - they would drop us as close as possible but we would still have an hours walk. As we drove we saw people lining the streets, waiting to greet the Pope as he arrived. Our clever drivers managed to find their way through the blockages and drop us at the venue. We saw some other Australians there and putting on our best American accents convinced them we were from the USA. "We love you're accents," I told the Aussies, doing my best to over pronounce my "r"! I'm pretty sure we had them fooled. Actually, the event was being hosted by the US but was open to all, and I finally admitted as much once we got through the metal detectors and made it inside. It was half an hour line up to buy food, the food provided by our meal tickets had run out and they didn't know when more was coming.

This event was named "Fiat" and started at 7pm. Sr Bethany Madonna sv explained the theme: "What were God’s first words in the Book of Genesis? 'Let there be light - Fiat lux!' What did Mary reply to the Angel Gabriel? 'Let to be done unto me – Fiat mihi!' What did Jesus say to his Father in the Garden of Gethsemene? 'Not my will but your will but your will be done - Fiat voluntas tua!' Our moment of fiat is: 'Yes, let it be done!'" Says Jaeden: "I really liked the Sr Bethany's talk about sex and love. She said that sex is not commitment, it is the expression of a commitment. It is not meant to be shameful. It is meant to be joyfilling and life-giving for spouses. Your love is a treasure and your love is a gift for another. She also said that your age is the last time you went to Confession, as you were reborn in God’s grace and you start again. So I’m currently three days old!"

Look below for my notes from talks by Chris Martin (not the singer, but the founder of Focus, a ministry of evangelisation), Bishop Arturo Ceturo (who spoke in a mixture of Spanish and English), Sister Bethany Madonna sv (from the Sisters for Life) and Bishop Robert Baron. Unfortunately, none of the students had taken my advice to rest in the afternoon and by 8pm a couple were sleeping in their chairs! Maddy, the teacher from St Augustine's was tired too and took 4 of them back with her, leaving me with Ian, Jaeden and Joe.

Just after the others left was a Eucharistic Procession with Cardinal Sean O’Malley bearing the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament as the band sang "What a Beautiful Name". He processed the Blessed Sacrament through the reverent and kneeling crowd. It was a powerful and intense time of prayer, with literally thousands of pilgrims throughout the crowd being moved to tears. "It was inspiring to experience adoration with youth all over the world," shared Jaeden. "Engaging in songs in different languages was really meaningful. The song I was most touched by was 'What A Beautiful Name it is'. I felt connected to the words of that song. As we kept repeating the words it made me praise God more and helped me to reflect deeper." American youth minister and musician, Steve Angrisano, who presented at ACYF 2017 and who I organised to present at our Year 11 Retreat last year (which was attended by Jaeden and Ian), sang the beautiful hymn Reckless Love which really captured the feeling of the moment:

"Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me."

Following the procession was Exposition, during which Bishop Robert Baron, the great American Catholic communicator, also reflected on the theme of "Fiat" in light of Luke 5: "Jesus got into Peter’s boat uninvited and begins to command. How would you feel if someone got into your car and told you what to do? This is an invasion of grace. Everybody in this room has been chosen by Christ. Once he is in that boat he commands Peter. We call Jesus the Lord, that term can be spiritualised. I like the Latin word for Lord'– 'Dominus.' It sounds like 'dominate.' Jesus wants to command every aspect of our lives. Jesus wants to command every room of the house. We want to invite Jesus into the front parlor of our houses and get him to stay there. Dominus Jesus wants to enter every room of the hosue: where we eat and drink, where we seek entertainment, where married people celebrate the most intimate moments of their life. Once he is in he will begin commanding you.

'When Jesus had finished speaking he said to Simon, put out into the deep water and put our your nets for a catch.' Duc in altum. A phrase beloved of Pope Saint John Paul II. 'Go out into the deep.' When Jesus Christ the Lord gets into your boat, your life, and begins giving commands he will draw you into the deep waters. More deeply into self sacrifice, more deeply into compassion, more deeply into a life of love."

"I was really tired and when Bishop Baron went on I was struggling," reported Ian. "But I heard him say how Jesus commanded Peter to come with him and be a fisher of men. That was the part that stuck with me. You do whatever Jesus tells you to do. Chris Martin said that Peter could have chosen to lead a simple fishers life but he would be forgotten by the time his last grandchild died. But he chose to be a fisher of men and became the first pope and will be remembered forever."

Steve Angrisano and his band next led the crowd in singing the popular Matt Maher hymn "Lord I need you." "As soon as 'Lord I Need You' came on I was reenergised," said Ian. "That song means the most to me. The words are so true: 'Lord I need you, O I need you, every hour I need you.' If he's not there for one second everything changes. He truly is 'my one defence and my righteousness', Jesus guides me in every way. 'He is the way, he is the truth, he is the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.'"

Then Cardinal O'Malley led the Divine Praises and Benediction and the Tantum ergo was sung in Latin before the Blessed Sacrament was reposed. At this point the Parramatta group left, and we raced down the front to fill their spots. As the praise and worship started we found ourselves just a meter back from the front barrier. Steve and the band led us in some of my favourite worship songs including "Your Grace is Enough." As the band finished up I go Ian and Joe to help me start the chant: "One more song!" Within moments thousands of voices joined ours. The band, who were on their way off, conferred briefly and came back to play one of my all-time favourite worship hymns, "Wake" by Hillsong. It was kind of nice that they finished with an Australian hymn. Most of the crowd didn't know this one, I seemed to be the only one singing, in my area at least, but that didn't stop them from clapping, dancing and jumping along to this high-energy worship song. A great end to a day full of blessings. 

The praise at the end brought back memories of ACYF – I’ve been longing for it for over a year," said Ian. "It reminded me of the joy of Christ and how he wants us to live with joy and in communion with him."' I've done my best, but as Jaeden said: "Word's can't describe tonight! It was worth the staying back even though I was so tired. The worship at the end brought back memories of ACYF, I was hoping something like that would happen at WYD. It is something we will take back to the rest of the group." 

Bishop Mark E. Brennan - Catechesis Day 1 (my notes, not an exact transcript)

I've been told that "G’day" is Australian for "The Lord be with you."

Broken Bay pilgrims shared why they came. There are many examples through history of young people who accepted God’s invitation. Young Samuel was in the Temple and heard the Lord calling his name. Samuel thought it was the priest Eli, who told him if he heard that call again to say “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” He became the greatest of all Israelite kings. Isaiah was called to be a prophet for 50 years. Esther saved her people from extermination. Ruth who left her people but went with her mother-in-law and married again and became the mother of King David.

In the New Testament Mary said "yes". The angel said “Guess what, you’re going to have a baby.” Mary said “Fiat – let it be done.” Saul was a young man zealous for living his Jewish faith and persecuting the people. The Lord appeared to him and turned him around to use that energy to spread the faith.

I went to College then went to seminary. When it came to prepare for my diaconate I did a retreat, I realised that I didn’t feel very holy. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do this. At the retreat I asked God what he wanted me to do. At prayer I had an overwhelming sense of God’s love for me. Despite my human weakness and sins I should respond to the call and go forward with ordination. I went on to become a deacon and a priest. That sense of God’s love for me has never left me. In 1 John: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he has loved us and sent his son for the expiation of our sins.” “We love because God loved us first” God has already shown us his love and goodness. In Mark’s gospel a young man goes to Jesus and asks what he must do to inherit everlasting life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments. The young man says he has done all that since he was a boy. “Jesus then looked at him and loved him.” That’s a striking phrase. He invites him to go futher. “Sell what you have and come follow me.” The young man didn’t. Maybe he did later, we don’t know. 

But I hope that each one of you has that realisation – Jesus looks at you and loves you. He loves you as you are. That is something to hold onto. Theres an analogy that parents who love their children, even when children’s disobey. In my parish some years ago we went on the March for Life in Washington DC protesting against abortion in our country. At the end of that march you go up a hill and look back at all these people behind you – young people from high school and college. A couple from my parish was on that march with me. They didn’t have children of their own so they adopted children. They had showed love to two children who had really strayed away. Their daughter had lots of psychological problems. Their son decided that he’s gay, that’s not a sin. But he rejected his church. Both these children had difficulties but their parents still loved them. God loves us inspite of all the sins we do, because we are his children.

An archbishop taught me before my ordination. He said “Mark, there will be days when everything goes wrong, you will make mistakes and fail. You will have a zero to the left. I’ve had days like that. But he said to me: “But remember that the Lord called you and he will uphold you.” I’ve found that to be true. The Lord does not abandon his own. I hope you understand that God loves you. 

Another aspect of God’s love is that it comes to us through other people. He uses them as vehicles for his love. Who taught me to pray – my earliest memories are my mother and father kneeling down with me and my brother and teaching us how to pray the Our Father. People have been vehicles of God’s love in my life, helping me open myself up to God in prayer. Many times it is family or friends or ecclesial movements who help you to God.

On the plane coming down from Baltimore to Miami, I was sitting next to a man whose father was a minister from another religion. He produces movies, he’s got movies on Netflix. He was saying that some of his friends were Catholic. He said from their example he was moving to going to Church. These are people who are agents of God’s love in our lives. But we can also be agents of God’s love in their lives. Each of you is unique. Dogs and cats – look at the faces of the same species. They are not distinguishable by their faces. But we are. We are unique. What really matters to me? That God is good and knows what I should be doing. He gives us signs of what we should do.

Do any of you visit cemeteries? There’s a church in Rome where there is a man buried in the floor of a church. On his grave is a butterfly. You are a caterpillar, go into a cocoon then come out a butterfly. That was this man’s way of telling people of his belief in the resurrection.

A woman died in my parish, a wonderful woman who did a lot of work for the parish, she died for a heart attack. Her husband wanted a reading about what his wife was like. In the Book of Proverbs there are a lot of one liners. In the last chapter there is an extended sextion on the good wife. It describes her – she makes d and sells it, she takes care and feeds and clothes her family, she helps the needy. Her husband said, lets use that. A perfect testimony to a good woman. The kind of person you want to end up being. I urge you this WYD to open yourself to God. I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me …

Isaiah in the Temple God says “Who do I send” Isiah said “Here I Am, send me”. I urge you to pray, talk to others, think about your lives, and have the courage to say, Lord here I am send me.

Q&A with Bishop Mark

The simplest description of Jesus in the New Testament is Peter talking to the centurian Cornelia.. Peter said he went about doing good and freeing those in the grip of the devil. He looked at people with love. He gave sight to blind people, he cured the withered hand, he cured sinners.

Let the gospel take root in you. Pope Paul VI, now a saint, was the Pope when I was studying in Rome. I used to see him carrying the cross on Good Friday. I would see him carrying the cross. He was attached from the right and the left and he suffered. He deserves to be in heaven! He wrote a letter on evangelisation and said that people have to live the gospel ourselves and then speak about Jesus. Our life gives credibility to our words. All of you know Catholics who have fallen away from their faith or no faith or all. Start praying for them. Make a list! Pray for the grace of God will touch them. Fast! Jesus said that when the bridegroom was removed from them then his disciples was taken away from them. Fast once a week – at least skip a meal. Skip playing video games for one day. Offer that to God as the prayer of your body, the prayer of your life to God that those people will be touched by God. And any suffering that you experience offer to God for them. If you have been living the faith you are able to express why your faith in Jesus Christ matters to you. You don’t need a theology degree to talk about your own life. Who can contradict your witness to that. It comes from within you. 

There are some genuine differences with other Christians but there is more that unites us than divides us. In my work as a priest I sometimes have services together. We celebrate Thanksgiving services together in different churches. In my last parish we had a soup kitchen in the basement of my church. A lot of people came to serve from different churches. On Christmas Days the Jews came to serve to all us to be with our families. 

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. 

I like seeing so many young people around their world so enthusiastic about their faith. My faith in God matters to me. My connection to the Catholic Churhc matters to me. That’s important as in many of our countries many of our young people have left the faith. In the US many young people think that the Catholic church is anti women, anti gay and anti science. These are caracatures of the Church out in the street and classroom. It is not true, there is so much more than that. When I was in the seminary there was physicist, an astronomer, and the chief oncologist of a hospital – they are all now ordained priests who serve faithful. Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who discovered the basis of DNA. The Big Bang thery was developed by Fr George Le Maitre in Belgium. The strata of the earth – the different colours and materials – Nicholas Steno from Denmark, brought up as a Lutheran, went to Italy eventually became a Catholic, then a priest, then a bishop. JPII beatified him. He was the one who discovered what the stratification of the earth means. They call him the grandfather of geology. Our faith and science, there is no conflict. Science has its proper place and religion has its proper place in the search for the truth.

Churchill used to say if you want a half hour talk I need at least two weeks to prepare it, if you want a week I’ll give it right now.

How do we do we show God’s love to those who have suffered.

When I was a seminarian in Rome I used to visit a childrens hospital – pie? Jesu.

I remember one night walking outside with a man whose second daughter had just died from encephalitis. He said to us that he tried to be faithful to God he worked or the Church, why is this happening to me. I had no idea what to say. The thought came to me that it was a father who looked down on a hill outside Jerusalem and saw his son die unjustly at a young age. That’s the key that our God is one that actually knows suffering from within. The son of God will always know in his humanity what suffering is like from within.

Karen Armstrong a british woman and author who was a nun who left the faith. She wrote the History of God. She said that Christianity deals better with heart break and suffering than any other religion. God chose to enter the human condition and accepted the worst we could give. He was a young man who died within 3 hours. Normally crucifixion took days. He was so brutalised already that it didn’t take much for him to die. Pilot was surprised that he died so quick “What, he shoudn’t be dead by now.” People who are suffering should identify with the Lord himself. Don’t turn away from him but turn to him. ON the cross Jesus said “My God why have you abandoned me?” he didn’t use Abba, his familiar term. He felt abandoned. 

Mass homily - Bishop Mark E Brennan (my notes, not an exact transcript)

-      Mysterious Melchisedek – a priest king, Abraham gives him a tithe a 10^thof his booty. We never hear about Melchisedek again. There is no beginning or end to his story. 

-      In Santa Fe New Mexico used to belong to New Spain then became part of Mexico. 1840s the US took it away in a dirty little war. There is a chapel there built for religious sisters for a school to teach girls. There is a choir loft. But the builders forgot to put stairs up to the choir loft. A fellow shows up and says he’s a carpenter and made them a double spiral staircase up to the choir loft. It is an enginerring marvel, there are no supports, it is perfectly balanced. Jose just showed up. When they went to pay him he had disappeared like the mysterious Mechisedek. The sisters say that it was St Joseph the carpenter.

-      In Hebrews, there are two things significant about Melchisedek – his name means “righteous or just king” and he is a King of Salem, the Hebrew word for Shalom. There was a massacre of Jewish people in Pensylania recently, I went to the synagogue to offer prayer for them on a Friday. The greeating was Shabat Shalom – Sabbath Peace. Melchisedek is also the King of Peace. Jesus is like Melchisedek, no beginning and no end. But is is also like him as a righteous king and king of peace.

-      Jesus on the Sabbath in the synagogue restores the man with the withered hand. In the Bible peace doesn’t just mean a ceseastion of hostilities. It is much deeper and broader than that – it means blessings. We pray that one day we will experience the fullness of God’s peace, God’s blessings, in heaven. What Jesus does in curing in that man is give him a greater share in the blessings of this earthly life. He can now use his hands to work – as a carpenter or fisherman or to help his wife prepare dinner. Jesus is thus the King of peace, giving blessing to this man.

-      I went to confession a few days ago in Baltimore. Doesn’t Jesus restore us as he restored that man’s withered hand. He also enables us to use our hands, to use what we have through nature and through grace, to help others. I know a man who was an alcoholic for many years. He went to AA, he has deal with his alcoholic problem, recovering from that drug through the higher power of God. He has helped many others overcome their addiction to alcohol. A man who is wounded can now help the people. Jesus’ blessing does that for us.

-      What about righteous king? He cures the man. You think people would be happy, right? But there were those who were not happy. The synagogue leader said that there are six days to do work – cure on those days but not on the Sabbath. This was an overly strict interpretation of the Sabbath rest. Not all Jews at that time accepted it. If your ox fell into a ditch on the Sabbath you could pull your ox out. Jesus said, “I can do that for an ox but not a human being?” Jesus said I am doing to do good on the Sabbath, he follows a higher law than faulty human interpretations.

-      Last Friday was the March for Life in Washington DC. We want a culture of life, not a culture of death. We are standing up against many powerful people who benefit from the abortion regime. Two blocks from my office is an abortion clinic. Two volunteers are always outside praying, sometimes saving lives. Many immigrants in the US forget that they are the grandchildren or greatgrandchildren of immigrants. We are called on to act like Jesus also, the king of justice and righteousness. He tells us to carry on his work by his power. We are able to bring peace and justice in our countries. We will make enemies, but we are not going to stop. The power of Christ lives through you to do good.

American Gathering 23/1/19 7pm 

Chris Martin, Founder of Focus

-      When Jesus asked Peter to follow him Peter was at the top of his game. Peter had just caught the best catch of his life. But Jesus said “I will make you a fisher of men.” And Peter said yes. If Peter had stayed on he could have had a very successful life as a fisherman. But with the death of his last grandchild he would have been forgotten. But because he said yes, 2,000 years later we still remember him, he is our first Pope, and his successor is arriving here in Panama today!

-      I wanted to give my life to Christ. I tried to be on my best behaviour for a couple of weeks, I kept trying to be good enough to give my life to Christ. My friend told me that I’ll never be good enough for Christ, but to give my life to Christ and he would make me good enough.

-      I’m kind of afraid, but I’ll do it anyway because I can’t imagine life without you.

-      God wants to help us write our own autobiography. Let this week be a time to rededicate yourself to God, to recognise this call from God is a powerful invitation.

-      One day I found myself on my knees and I said, I’ve made an absolute mess of my life, I’ve ruined my relationship with my family, friends and myself. Like the Prodigal Son I want to come home. You gave me everything, I want to give you everything. 

-      Mary’s yes was exactly the same. The only change I can make is a total gift of myself back to you.

Danny Leger, Hope of the Poor

-      "If you become who you are meant to be you will set the world on fire." St Catherine of Sienna.

Bishop Arturo Ceturo

-      We have a great opportunity to share our faith with joy.

-      Today we proclaim Panama to be the capital of the youth.

-      5 points we learn to from Mary

-      1) we need to take a first step – you are making me nervous, you are making us nervous. We want you our youth to make us nervous. You have a great opportunity to change our Church our world.

2) We engage with our people, as you engage with your brothers and sisters you take the first step, we accompany them. We accompany each other by sharing our stories and the story of Jesus. We are fruit, with joy. Our Pope has a very practical wisdom. The most effective to proclaim the gospel, of being a missionary and spreading the good news, is with a smile. And that is what we are called to be – people of joy, the joy of knowing the Lord, that he is with us, he is walking with us. It is with this joy we can transform this world. When you retruen to your home we can bring a big smile and life experience. People are going to ask you what happened to you, are you ok? You must respond with joy about how this experience has transformed you. 

3) We are called to celebrate our faith with joy that inspires others. Be missionaries of the Lord so that we can transform the world, to be a sign of what God has done for us. A smile is what the church needs, what the world needs. Mary has taught us how to say yes to God. We can do the same thing. She has taught us to share the life of Jesus. She is going to show us her fruit. We celebrate so that the world can know that you the youth are the future of the Church. You have in your own hands the gospel so it can transform lives.If you smile the whole world… 

Sister Bethany Madonna sv (Sisters of Life)

-      Tonight we are speaking of our fiat

-      What were God’s first words in the Book og Genesis? Let there be light. Fiat lux

-      Angel Gabriel : Let to be done unto me – Fiat mihi

-      Jesus in the Garden: Not my will but your will but your will be done: fiat voluntas tua

-      Our moment of fiat is “Yes, let it be done!”

-      You were conceived in the heart of God before your parents ever thought of you.

-      My favourite psalm: you have been so, so good to me, you breath your life in me, you have been so, so kind to me.

-      After the first sin, trust dies in our hearts. But Jesus came to give us new hearts.

-      Sin keeps us from being free, generous, selfless.

-      Sex is not commitment, it is the expression of a commitment. To have sex without commitment is telling a lie with your body. Sex is meant to be total, faithful and fruitful. It is not meant to be shameful. It is meant to be joyfilling and life-giving for spouses. Your love is a treasure and your love is a gift for another. 

-      Your life is good and we are fighting for it. Jesus is fighting this battle with you. He is drawing you out of darkness into the light.

-      GK Chesterton used to tell people his age by when he last went to Confession.

-      We need holy and commited husbands, holy wives and mothers who will nutrue the lives entrusted to them. We need holy priests, good shepherd. Holy religious sisters, who will say that I am all yours. Mary’s fiat changed the world forever. Open your hearts tonight and say yes to Jesus.

-      Three things that keep us from God – fear, distrust, sin. Perfect love exists.

Bishop Robert Barron

-      Jesus got into Peter’s boat uninvited and begins to command.

-      How would you feel if someone got into your car and told you what to do.

-      This is an invasion of grace.

-      Everybody in this room has been chosen by Christ.

-      Once he is in that boat he commands. We call Jesus the Lord, that term can be spiritualised. I like the Latin word – Dominus. It sounds like dominate. Jesus wants tocommand ever aspect of our lives. Jesus wants to command every room of the house. We want to invite Jesus into the front parlor of my house and stay there. Dominus Jesus wants to enter every room of the hosue. We we eat and drink. Where we seek entertainment. Where married people celebrate the most intimate moments of their life.

-      Once he is in he will begin commanding you.

-      When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, put out into the deep water and put our your nets for a catch. Duc in altum. A phrase beloved of JPII. Go out into the deep. When Jesus Christ the Lrod gets into your boat, your life and begin giving commands he will draw you into the deep waters. More deeply into self sacrifice, more deeply into comassion, more deeply into a life of love.

-      Most of us spend most of our lives fooling around in the shallows. We take little kids out into the shallows. But when they come of age, they want to leave the safety of the seashore and go out to the depths. So it is in the spiritual order.

-      Most of us live our lives in the shallows. We can be bbig deal in the eyes of the world. Money, fame etc. But so what.

-      Dominus Jesus calls us to adenture. JPII senses this. Do not listen to the voice of the world that will lure you in 1000 ways to stay close to the shore. Duc in altum! Let Jesus into your boat, that;s where he will command you.

-      “Master, we’ve worked all night long but have caught nothing, but if you say so we will let down the nets.” This is the spiritual condition of most of us. I’ve been trying on my own, with my own powers, my own projects and plans. I’ve been all my life long and have caught nothing. Relying on ourself we will never go out into the depths and catch the life that God wants us to have. Simon then makes the best move of his life. Mary’s last words in the gospel: do what ever he tells you. Simon obeys the Lord and lowers his nets for a catch. Obey his command and what’s going to happen? They caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. They got their partners to come and help them. They filled both boats until they both began to sink.

-      The minute I trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and follow him into the depths I am going to find life so abundant that it overwhelms me and draws to me others who want to share in that life.

-      Think of St Anthony of the desert, that great patristic figure, he goes out to the wilderness and finds so much life that many come to join him in the desert. Duc in Altum.  The great monastic traditions of the Western world grew from this.

-      St Francis, called to follow Christ in poverty and complete obedience. Duc in Altum. Practically overnight people come by the dozens, then the hundres then the thousands in his own lifetime. 

-      Mother Teresa, teaching in an upper class girls school in Calcutta. She hears the voice of the Jesus calling her to serve the poor. She went out to the poorest slum in India. They came in their hundreds and thousands to follow her.

-      It is not you’ve chosen me, I’ve chosen you.

-      The second move in the spiritual life. Peter says “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” The spiritual life does not begin with an awareness of sin. Christian spiriatul life begins with the invasion of grace, grace comes first, then in its light we understand that we are sinners.

-      When I was a young man in the 1970s there was a book called I’m Ok and your OK. Christina Aguliera – you are beautiful in every single day and words can’t get me down. People who say such things are moving away from the light.

-      The light reveals to us our imperfections. In the light of grace Peter says lord leave me Im a sinful man. 

-      What is sin? Sin is a kind of attachment. I get attached to some worldly good and I make it ultimate. I take my infinite hunger for God and I hook it onto something less than God.

-      St Thomas says there are four subsitiutes for God: wealth, power, pleasure and honor. These four things can make us stuck. They are not bad in themselves. Nothing wrong with any of them. But when we turn any of those four into the ultimate value of our life, trouble follows as night follows day. What should be a harmony in us becomes a cacophony.

-      Heres’ a good spiritual exercise. Christ has gotten into your boat and has begun to command your life. Now in his light, see the smudges on the window pane of the soul. What role does wealth play in your life? The world tells you all the time some version of this: you are unhappy but you’ll be happy if you just get enough wealth, power, pleasure and honour. If I just fill up these things in my soul I’ll be happy. How’s that’s working out to you.

-      Don Johnson, back in the 1980s, he was the coolest guy on the planet – top TV show, clothes he wore set the tone for the fashion industry, everyone wanted to be with him. He’s now in his late 60s. At the hight of his fame and fortune. There were 3 yachts in his private bay with all the glitterati. He looked out and said to himself that all my dreams have come true – wealth power pleasure honour. Then why am I so bland, unhappy. What a wonderful spiritual moment. The light shining and revealing the smudges. The soul is firmly wired to God. It is not a matter of filling it up, it is a matter of emptying it out.

-      What are the attachments that the devil gives you.?

-      The third move in the spiritual life. Peter acknowledges his sin. Jesus doesn’t leave him squirming on the hook of divine judgement. “Come, from now on you’ll be catching people!” He doesn’t deny the sin of Peter, but he purifies him and gives him a mission. The Lord wants us to acknowledge our divine sin, but to bring us illumination, purification and mission.

-      I’ve been sent to California as a bishop where they have been debating euthanasia. I saw a billboard: “My life, my death, my choice.” What does the NT say. Romans: “We do not live for ourselves, we do not die for ourselves, if we live we live for the Lord, if we die we die for the Lord…” It’s not your life. Your life isn’t about you, it is about God’s purpose for you. We belong to somebody else. Ephesians – “there is a power already at work in you that can do infinitely more than you can imagine.” It is called the Holy Spirit and it is already at work in you. Trust in the power for the Holy Spirit who can do more than you could ever imagine.

-      Von Balthazar – said most of us live our lives in terms of the ego drama, I direct, produce and star in this drama. What is really interesting is not the ego drama, but the theo-drama. God is directing and producing it and he’s got a role for me and you. You find what God wants you to do and you’ll find life and life to the full. So much life that it’s going to sink your boat. Stop messing about in the shallows of the ego drama and set out into the depths of the theodrama.

-      In the Bible people don’t know who they are until they find God. Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel when he wrestst with God. Simon – Peter. Saul – Paul. Identity and mission are co-implicative. When we discover how Christ wants to move us and send us, then we know who we are.

-      What are the sins, attachments you see in the light of his grace. Expose and illuminate them. Finally, what is your mission, your role in the theo-drama. Grace, grace, grace. And then our beautiful cooperation with grace. That’s what the lord wants. Life and life to the full. The glory of God is a human fully alive. That is what happens when from the bottom of our souls we say “Fiat, let it be done to me.”