Since the beginning of our Christian roots the Church has always been on the move. Never staying in one place. We remember the scene at the mount called Olivet, where our Lord had gathered his disciples, as he was taken up to heaven and they were looking up, two angels appeared, well scripture describes them as two men dressed in white, yet the message is the same: "Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” Acts 1, 11. This fact happened as the Lord had commission them to go into the world and proclaim the Good News to all to hear.
"This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jn 13, 35.
Our Lord Jesus had send the disciples into the world to be witnesses. Into the unknown. To preach his love, be examples of forgiveness, cure those suffering, and liberate the oppressed, Jesus' dream was that his friends will carry on his message and go to the ends of the world. Being a follower of Jesus meant that we were not to be in one place. Waiting for life to pass by, Pope Francis calls it in Spanish "ventaneando", but to be active participants in the building of the Kingdom, wherever we are. St. Paul reminds Timothy "for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice: 2 Tm 2, 1-8. Our hearts yearn to be noticed, to be included. Those around us have the same yearning and through our actions we can be present to them.
In his recent trip to Greece, Pope Francis participated in a meeting with young people, In this meeting Pope Francis urged young people to allow themselves to be amazed by God’s love, He urged the young people not to be paralyzed by fear but to dream big and dream together...nourish the courage of hope. Many of us are afraid to share our dreams out loud. We are afraid that people might find them awkward and laugh at us. Maybe we are afraid that if we say them out loud then we lose the chance of making them happen. Yet, God wishes us to be bold, to dream and not be afraid of the adventure.
"Allow yourself to be amazed by God's love" Pope Francis to young people.
The same is with faith. We need to dream of what God is dishing for us. Where is the Lord taking me? What is the Lord wanting from me. Faith is an adventure that starts with me saying yes to the impulse of the Holy Spirit and allowing myself to be taken aback. God will surprise you. It requires us to be courageous and to be open to change. This adventure requires us to fall in love with the person of Jesus. We need to allow ourselves to be embraced by him always and just gaze upon him. To know that I don't walk alone in the pursue of my dreams, but I walk with him who makes me better. The adventure of faith is tied to the dreams for our lives, they are not two separate things. God will surprise you as you walk and trust in Him and makes your dreams come true. Be ready to see.
I leave you with this song, one of my favorite songs from these past years. It makes me fall in love with my wife, with my kids, with my Lord every time I hear it. I pray your relationship with the Lord and with others is strengthen every day as well. Thinking Out Loud
Song by Ed Sheeran 2014.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You. Jesus, I trust in you. Litany of Trust
Meditato
Take a moment and meditate on your daily routine. Are you taking time to share your dreams with God in your daily prayer? Are you afraid that if you do, He might tell you that you are wrong?
Take a moment during the day and share your dreams in prayer with the Lord.
Ask Him to open your eyes and ears so you can see Him.
Tell Him that you are ready to live your Adventure of faith. Where does that lead you to? Where should you go?
Be ready to give witness of your love for the Lord as you share His love and presence by serving those around you.
If you belong to a young adult group, invite them to keep an open eye, ear and heart and share the following week on how God allowed to see their dreams. Also ask them to share how their adventure is going.
Let us Pray:
I invite you to put yourself in a spirit of Prayer. . Breathe and imagine that you are before the Lord. Ask him what he wants from you, where he wants you to go to witness his love. Ask him what are the miracles he wants to carry out through you. Offer yourself your fears and uncertainties and tell him with an open heart what troubles you. Tell him here I am Lord to do your will, here I am Lord to do your will. Listen to this song by Luke Spehar- All Is Gift
Here I am Lord to do your will
Join me in praying this prayer of Spiritual Communion: At Your feet, O my Jesus, I prostrate myself and I offer You repentance of my contrite heart, which is humbled in its nothingness and in Your holy presence. I adore You in the Sacrament of Your love, the ineffable Eucharist. I desire to receive You into the poor dwelling that my heart offers you. While waiting for the happiness of sacramental communion, I wish to possess You in spirit. Come to me, O Jesus, since I, for my part, am coming to You! May Your love embrace my whole being in life and in death. I believe in You, I hope in You, I love You. Amen.
You can pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary slowly breathing between sentences.
Finish by asking for the needs of your family, your friends. For the Holy Father and his intention for the month of September: so "we all will make courageous choices, the choices necessary for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, taking inspiration from our young people who are resolutely committed to this".:
Pray for Bishops, priests, men and women religious. So that the Lord will fill you with joy. We end by asking Our Lady, a model of charity, to cover us with her mantle and pray for us so that we may be generous; and through the intercession of our patron saints: Saint Gema Galgani, Saint Joselito, Blessed Chiara Badano and Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.