Pope Francis, during World Youth Day in Brazil, said to the young adults gathered there words that are very compelling for me as a person discerning, and especially for us as a community of aspirants discerning the foundation of a congregation of Sisters serving the Church through an apostolate and charism as Agents of the New Evangelization. This is what he said...
"Seeing you all present here today, I think of the story of Saint Francis of Assisi. In front of the crucifix he heard the voice of Jesus saying to him: "Francis, go, rebuild my house". The young Francis responded readily and generously to the Lord's call to rebuild his house. But which house? Slowly but surely, Francis came to realize that it was not a question of repairing a stone building, but about doing his part for the life of the Church. It was a matter of being at the service of the Church, loving her and working to make the countenance of Christ shine ever more brightly in her.
"Today too, as always, the Lord needs you, young people, for his Church. My friends, the Lord needs you! Today too, he is calling each of you to follow him in his Church and to be missionaries. The Lord is calling you today! Not the masses, but you, and you, and you, each one of you. Listen to what he is saying to you in your heart." (Prayer Vigil With the Young People, Address of Pope Francis)
These words of Pope Francis pounded in my heart when I read them.
In every age there has been a need for the lay faithful, priests, religious, bishops, and even the Pope of that age to rebuild the Church. Every age has had a particular struggle or weakness that distracted people from their faith or drew people away from it. In today's age there are so many ways the devil influences and tries to rip people away from Christ and His Church - secularism, atheism, greed, the culture of death, the culture of self-gratification and self-centeredness, the boom of pop culture and of social media. All of these things Satan is using to tear down the living stones of the Church. Here at World Youth Day and in the days, months, and years to come we hear our wonderful Pope calling us to rebuild the Church, calling us to listen to what God is saying in our hearts, so that we may serve the Lord as He wills it. These words of Pope Francis provide for us all a profound moment of joy, hope, and of deep responsibility to answer the call of Christ.
Lately in my personal prayer I am reminded often of Luke 11:9, "knock and it will be opened to you", as well as the antiphon in the Liturgy of the Hours, "my heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready". The image I keep getting in my prayer is this image of myself at the door of my vocation, knocking persistently on the door, crying out, "my heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready!"
Sometimes when I think of this image I feel like a little kid having a temper tantrum because they have to finish their broccoli before dessert. It's not like the child isn't going to get the dessert; all they have to do is listen to their parents, be obedient and finish their broccoli. Sometimes I feel like this process of discernment, of paying off my student loans to be no longer impeded to enter religious life, of waiting, and of being patient is like that little kid's broccoli. Ironically, I quite like broccoli, hence the paradox of this analogy all together, because really, kid, the broccoli is good for you, tastes yummy, and will only take a couple of seconds to down.
On the flip side, this image I find myself in fits perfectly into what Pope Francis is calling us to, calling all the young people of the world to. When he says that we are are being called today to rebuild the Church as missionaries and to listen to God's call in our hearts, this is the meat and potatoes of the New Evangelization. It begins with ourselves being evangelized and then going forth to evangelize. When we hear God's call we not only have to say yes but also but also be ready for what it means. Are you ready for what God is calling you to?
So maybe I am the baby not eating my broccoli or maybe I really am ready and just being asked to be the patient persistent friend in Luke 11:5, waiting for the door to be opened. Sometimes I am sure it is both. Either way I am joining the anthem of the over 3 million young people who have returned to their homes from Brazil who cried aloud in one voice with our Holy Father Francis, "I want to go out and build up the Church of Christ!"
Who's with me?!!
Written by Nicolette
