WORLD YOUTH DAY - CROSS PURPOSES 125
World Youth Day
Hi Guys,
Fred here…cynical old Fred. Thought I’d tell you a couple of things from my experience of World Youth Day (WYD).
1. The city is not snagged up – it’s beautiful and quiet – and a joy to walk among groups of youngsters from 170 or so nations, all singing and dancing about their faith in Jesus Christ. Hyde Park across the road is the focus of a lot of activity.
2. Before WYD one of our kids found a backpack full of clothing, obviously stolen, in our back lane. I rang the owner (ID in pack) and he came to collect it – wearing a WYD volunteer cap. Got talking. He’s from Brisbane and helping out. Said all he wanted to do for the rest of his life was proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord! We celebrated! And he gave me his volunteer cap.
3. Walked past a couple of guys yesterday. As I passed, one of them said “Hi Sydney”. Stopped to talk with them. From Poland. One says to me, “I from Poland, World Youth Day, to honour Lord Jesus Christ”. My spirit rejoiced again. Told them I was a Pastor of the Lutheran Church – which they rejoiced about. They invited me to the Papal Mass.
Thing is, this emphasis on Jesus Christ, and his commission and empowering, dominates this event. Yes there’s stuff I struggle with but I’m praying that there’s lots of proclaimers of Jesus Christ and his Gospel coming out of this.
One other thing – met only one person I’ve known in my life up to now among all those pilgrims – and that’s Archbishop Francis Carroll, whose altar boy I was for many years in Wagga. He’s a lover of Jesus’ Christ too.
Be Blessed
Fred
Hi Guys,
Fred here…cynical old Fred. Thought I’d tell you a couple of things from my experience of World Youth Day (WYD).
1. The city is not snagged up – it’s beautiful and quiet – and a joy to walk among groups of youngsters from 170 or so nations, all singing and dancing about their faith in Jesus Christ. Hyde Park across the road is the focus of a lot of activity.
2. Before WYD one of our kids found a backpack full of clothing, obviously stolen, in our back lane. I rang the owner (ID in pack) and he came to collect it – wearing a WYD volunteer cap. Got talking. He’s from Brisbane and helping out. Said all he wanted to do for the rest of his life was proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord! We celebrated! And he gave me his volunteer cap.
3. Walked past a couple of guys yesterday. As I passed, one of them said “Hi Sydney”. Stopped to talk with them. From Poland. One says to me, “I from Poland, World Youth Day, to honour Lord Jesus Christ”. My spirit rejoiced again. Told them I was a Pastor of the Lutheran Church – which they rejoiced about. They invited me to the Papal Mass.
Thing is, this emphasis on Jesus Christ, and his commission and empowering, dominates this event. Yes there’s stuff I struggle with but I’m praying that there’s lots of proclaimers of Jesus Christ and his Gospel coming out of this.
One other thing – met only one person I’ve known in my life up to now among all those pilgrims – and that’s Archbishop Francis Carroll, whose altar boy I was for many years in Wagga. He’s a lover of Jesus’ Christ too.
Be Blessed
Fred
posted by PastorFredVeerhuis at 1:19 PM
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