World Youth Day: The Road to Mission in Christ

Summary

In this moving sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing Jesus Christ's presence and compassion in our lives. He reflects on the story of the road to Emmaus, highlighting how Christ accompanies us, listens to our struggles, and ultimately reveals himself through the Eucharist. The speaker urges listeners to embrace their mission in life, find their purpose through Christ, and act with conviction, even in the face of challenges. He also challenges the notion of prioritizing safety over living out one's divine mission with passion and determination.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The speaker emphasizes the importance of Jesus' presence in the Eucharist and encourages the audience to consider Jesus looking at them with compassion.
• 🔄 The story of the road to Emmaus is highlighted as a powerful representation of the Eucharist and how Jesus accompanies and teaches his followers.
• 💓 Jesus' compassion and understanding of human suffering is a key theme, reminding the audience that Jesus meets them in their struggles.
• 📜 The speaker stresses the significance of understanding the Old Testament to fully grasp the identity and mission of Jesus Christ.
• 🔥 The speaker calls for a renewal of evangelization, urging Christians to share the true pattern and meaning of Jesus' life, not just the data about him.
• 🗣️ Jesus listens and accompanies, but he also speaks and teaches, challenging his followers to understand the deeper truths of faith.
• 🍞 The Eucharist is presented as the moment where the disciples fully recognize Jesus, symbolizing the deep connection between the sacrament and the understanding of Christ's mission.
• 🚶‍♂️ The speaker encourages the audience to find and follow their mission with urgency, drawing inspiration from the disciples' immediate return to Jerusalem after recognizing Jesus.
• 💪 The talk challenges the cultural focus on safety, instead advocating for a life driven by mission and the example of Christ, who sacrificed safety for the sake of love.
• 🔥 The speaker concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to let their hearts be set on fire by their mission and to bring Christ's love into the world.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's message?

The main theme of the speaker's message is the presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and the importance of recognizing His compassion and understanding toward each individual. The speaker emphasizes the need for personal reflection and the recognition of Christ's presence and guidance in our lives.

How does the speaker suggest we view the Eucharist during the event?

The speaker suggests that we view the Eucharist not just as us looking at Christ, but as Christ looking at us with compassion and understanding. He encourages the audience to think of the Lord looking at them and understanding their personal struggles, questions, and anxieties.

What biblical story does the speaker reference to illustrate the Eucharist's significance?

The speaker references the story of the Road to Emmaus from the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. He considers it the best story to understand the significance of the Eucharist, where Jesus is revealed to two disciples in the breaking of the bread.

What does the speaker say about the disciples on the Road to Emmaus?

The speaker notes that the disciples on the Road to Emmaus were going the wrong way, moving away from Jerusalem, which symbolizes moving away from the core of faith and Jesus' mission. He compares this to how we all, as sinners, tend to move away from God's path.

How does the speaker describe Pope Francis's teachings?

The speaker describes Pope Francis as the 'great Pope of the merciful Christ' who teaches about a God that accompanies sinners rather than judging them from a distance. He emphasizes the importance of compassion and understanding in the Church's mission.

What role does the speaker attribute to the Church in people's lives according to the Pope's teachings?

According to the Pope's teachings, as presented by the speaker, the Church's role is to listen with love, compassion, and attention to what is on people's minds and hearts. The Church should be a place where people feel heard and understood, not judged.

What is meant by 'secondary causes,' and how does the speaker use this concept?

'Secondary causes' refer to God's actions through other people or events rather than directly intervening. The speaker uses this concept to explain that Christ often accompanies us through the actions and support of other people, who serve as 'hidden forms' of Christ in our lives.

What is the 'new evangelization,' according to the speaker?

The 'new evangelization,' as described by the speaker, involves sharing the deeper pattern and meaning of Jesus Christ's life and mission, beyond just the basic facts. It's about helping people truly understand and embrace the essence of Christ, not just know about Him.

What does the speaker say about the importance of the Old Testament in understanding Jesus?

The speaker highlights that understanding the Old Testament—its promises, covenants, and prophecies—is crucial to fully comprehending who Jesus is and how He fulfills those promises. Without this understanding, one cannot fully grasp the significance of Jesus' mission and identity.

How does the speaker describe the impact of preaching 'the real Christ'?

The speaker describes that preaching 'the real Christ'—not a watered-down version—has a powerful impact, igniting a fire in people's hearts and inspiring them to want to learn more. It creates a desire for a deeper relationship with Jesus and compels them to live out their mission.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 Reflecting on Christ's Compassion

The speaker begins by praising Jesus and reflecting on the upcoming presence of the Lord in sacramental form. He urges the audience to reverse their perspective and consider Christ looking at them with compassion, much like He did before feeding the five thousand in Mark's gospel. The speaker emphasizes that everyone has something on their heart, and Christ understands their suffering and anxieties. He then introduces the story of the road to Emmaus from Luke's gospel as a profound narrative about the Eucharist, especially relevant during the National Eucharistic Revival.

05:02

🛤️ Walking the Wrong Way: The Journey of the Disciples

The speaker narrates how the disciples on the road to Emmaus were initially going the wrong way, moving away from Jerusalem, which symbolizes the tendency of all sinners to stray. He highlights Pope Francis's message of a merciful Christ who accompanies sinners, emphasizing that God doesn't stand at a distance but comes after us. The speaker reflects on the hidden presence of Christ in our lives, often manifesting through others who guide us when we are lost. He shares a personal anecdote about an older priest who mentored him, recognizing Christ's presence in such guidance.

10:02

🎙️ Christ's Message: From Accompaniment to Revelation

The speaker discusses the importance of listening and how the Church, like Christ, should listen with love and compassion. He critiques the superficial understanding of Jesus that many have, likening it to knowing the data but not getting the essence of who Christ is. The speaker stresses the need for a new evangelization, where the true pattern and meaning of Jesus are shared, not just the facts. He explains that after accompanying the disciples, Jesus reveals the deeper truths about Himself, urging the Church to speak and teach decisively, drawing on the wisdom of the Bible and the Old Testament.

15:03

🔥 The Real Christ: Lighting Hearts on Fire

The speaker reflects on the transformative power of preaching the true Christ, emphasizing that when the real message of Jesus is shared, it ignites a fire in people's hearts, leading them to seek more. He discusses the significance of the Eucharist, where the disciples truly recognize Christ in the breaking of the bread, symbolizing the sacrificial love of God. The speaker urges the audience to embrace their mission with urgency, much like the disciples who, after encountering Christ, immediately returned to Jerusalem despite the dangers. He concludes by challenging the contemporary emphasis on safety, advocating instead for a life devoted to fulfilling one's mission with passion and courage.

Keywords

💡Eucharist

The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is a sacrament in Christian tradition where believers partake in bread and wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Christ. In the video, the Eucharist is described as central to understanding Christ's sacrifice and divine love, particularly through the story of the road to Emmaus, where the disciples recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

💡Compassion

Compassion is the deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering, often accompanied by a desire to alleviate it. The speaker emphasizes that when the Lord looks at the congregation during the Eucharist, He does so with compassion, understanding their personal struggles and suffering. This concept is linked to Jesus' compassionate response to the crowd before the feeding of the five thousand.

💡Road to Emmaus

The Road to Emmaus is a story from the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, where two disciples encounter the risen Jesus on their way to Emmaus but do not recognize Him until He breaks bread with them. The speaker refers to this story as a 'Masterpiece within the Masterpiece,' illustrating the profound revelation of Christ's presence and the importance of the Eucharist.

💡Evangelization

Evangelization refers to the act of preaching the Gospel to spread the Christian faith. In the video, the speaker discusses the 'new evangelization,' a call for Christians to reintroduce Christ to those who know of Him but do not truly understand His message. This concept is crucial for revitalizing the faith in a modern context, as emphasized by Vatican II and recent popes.

💡Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a significant location in Christian theology, representing the city where Jesus' Last Supper, crucifixion, and resurrection took place. The speaker notes that in the Gospel of Mark, everything moves toward Jerusalem, symbolizing the direction toward the fulfillment of God's plan. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus are initially moving away from Jerusalem, representing their lost state.

💡Divine love

Divine love refers to the unconditional love that God has for humanity. The video emphasizes that the fullness of this love is demonstrated in Jesus Christ, who, through His sacrificial death, links humanity with divinity. The speaker stresses that the Eucharist is a sacramental representation of this divine love, particularly as seen in Jesus' willingness to endure suffering for the sake of humanity.

💡Pope Francis

Pope Francis is the current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, known for his emphasis on mercy, compassion, and accompaniment of sinners. The speaker highlights how Pope Francis advocates for a church that listens to and walks with people, echoing the compassionate approach of Christ on the road to Emmaus. Pope Francis is presented as continuing the legacy of evangelization in the modern era.

💡Accompaniment

Accompaniment in this context refers to the act of walking alongside someone, especially in their spiritual journey. The speaker draws from the story of the road to Emmaus to illustrate how Christ accompanies the disciples even when they are moving in the wrong direction. This concept is also linked to the church's mission to accompany individuals in their faith journey, listening to them and guiding them back to Christ.

💡Pattern

Pattern refers to the deeper understanding or structure underlying a concept or event. In the video, the speaker explains that while many people know the 'data' about Jesus, they fail to grasp the 'pattern,' which is the true meaning and significance of His life and message. Understanding this pattern is essential for true evangelization and for recognizing Jesus' role in salvation.

💡Mission

Mission in the video refers to the divine calling or purpose that each individual has, particularly in spreading the message of Christ. The speaker encourages the audience to find and fulfill their mission, as doing so will bring joy and contribute to the transformation of the world. This concept is tied to the idea of the church's mission to evangelize and carry Christ's love into the world.

Highlights

The speaker invites the audience to reflect on the idea that when the Lord is present in the Eucharist, He is looking at them with compassion, understanding their hearts and anxieties.

The story of the road to Emmaus is highlighted as the best narrative about the Eucharist, illustrating the journey from misunderstanding to recognition of Christ.

The speaker emphasizes that the disciples in the story were moving in the wrong direction, symbolizing how we all tend to stray, but Christ accompanies us regardless.

Pope Francis is mentioned as the 'great Pope of the merciful Christ,' who teaches that God does not judge from a distance but comes after us, no matter how far we have strayed.

The speaker discusses how Christ often works through others, citing personal experiences of being guided and accompanied by someone who reflected Christ's presence.

The importance of listening with love and compassion, as demonstrated by Christ, is stressed as a core message from Pope Francis.

The speaker points out that many people know the data about Jesus but don't truly understand Him, comparing it to hearing a joke but not finding it funny because the pattern isn't recognized.

The call to evangelize by sharing the true meaning of Christ, not just the facts, is emphasized as the task given by the Vatican II, Pope Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis.

Jesus teaches the disciples on the road to Emmaus by revealing the pattern of salvation history, showing how He fulfills the promises made to Israel.

The Eucharist is described as the moment when the disciples fully recognize Christ, as it represents the sacrificial death and Divine love of Jesus.

The speaker shares a quote from Pope Paul VI, emphasizing Jesus Christ as the beginning and the end, the key to human history, and the mediator between Heaven and Earth.

The speaker asserts that preaching the true Christ, not a watered-down version, has the power to light a fire in people, compelling them to seek more.

The mission of the Church is likened to Noah's Ark, preserving Christ's memory and power but also letting it out to transform the world through the mission of believers.

The urgency of finding one's mission and acting on it is highlighted as the path to true happiness and the transformation of the world.

The speaker concludes by challenging the modern emphasis on safety, suggesting that true joy and fulfillment come from embracing the mission of Christ, even if it involves risk.

Transcripts

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[Music]

[Applause]

praise be Jesus Christ

praise me Jesus Christ

we're here because of him aren't we

you know friends in a few moments the

Lord is going to come into our presence

in sacramental form

we will adore the Lord

and we think of that quite rightly as

all of ourselves looking at Christ

but I want to reverse that tonight

when the Lord comes in and he's placed

on the on the altar

I want you to think of him looking at

you

remember in Mark's gospel before the

feeding the five thousand

think of our crowd here as bigger than

that

the Lord looked at them with compassion

and then he taught them then he fed them

every one of us tonight everyone in this

in this space

is coming with something on his heart

something on her heart

some suffering

some question

some anxiety

realize tonight everybody when the Lord

is here

he's looking at you

with compassion he understands what's on

your heart

I want to reflect with you tonight on

that

Masterpiece within the Masterpiece in

the 24th chapter of Luke the story of

the road to Emmaus there's no better

story about the Eucharist

and as we're going as a National Church

through our Eucharistic Revival there's

no better place to look to understand

the importance of the Eucharist

here's the first thing to see

it begins with two people going the

wrong way

everything in Mark's gospel moves toward

Jerusalem

the Lord sets his face toward Jerusalem

it's the city of the Last Supper of the

crucifixion of the resurrection of the

sending of the spirit everything happens

in Jerusalem

and these two disciples are moving away

from there

in other words they're like everybody on

this platform and in this space we're

all Sinners here which means we tend to

move in the wrong direction

but what does our Pope tell us and I

think everybody when they read and study

Pope Francis in two or three hundred

years they'll remember this

that he was the great Pope

of the merciful Christ

who accompanies Sinners and thank God

for that thank God for that message

because

we're all lost to varying degrees but we

don't have a God who stands judgmentally

at a distance but rather a God who comes

after us no matter how far and how fast

we're walking away from him praise God

for that

[Applause]

how come they don't recognize him when

he when he falls in step with them there

are a lot of reasons we could give

what I think is this

St Thomas Aquinas said that God rejoices

in using secondary causes that means god

acts but he acts through us

how many times have we been accompanied

by somebody especially when we were lost

when we were walking the wrong way

and someone came

understood us listened to us spoke to us

encouraged us set us back on the right

path and can we say in retrospect

you know that was Christ

in Hidden form

there was Christ walking with me when I

was lost maybe let's all call to mind I

can think of someone right now an older

priest when I was newly ordained

Monsignor Bill Quinn he's 70 years old I

was 26 young rookie priests making a lot

of mistakes and Bill so beautifully

walked with me in those years

that was Christ

in Hidden form

thank God for those people in your life

through whom Christ worked with you and

walked with you

what does he say to them and again it's

a beautiful Pope Francis motif

well what are you talking about as you

go

he asked for the kind of false innocence

what are you talking about

God listens to us the church should

listen to you

what's on your mind what's on your heart

what's bothering you what's exciting you

what are you dreaming about what are you

hoping for and maybe there are a lot of

wrong things we're thinking about a lot

of wrong things you're dreaming about

who cares the church is there as the

pope keeps telling us

to listen

with love with compassion with attention

and see friends that's how the Lord

Jesus Christ

listens to us

trust him trust him speak your heart to

him speak your mind to him

now what do they say

well they're talking about about Jesus

and and he's a prophet Mighty indeed and

were before God how our chief priests

handed him over to be condemned to death

and crucified some women of our group

even said that they've seen a vision of

angels said he was alive

they're recounting the data of Jesus in

a way that I bet almost everybody in the

Western World could do if you asked

anybody I don't care how secular they

are hey tell me about Jesus Christ

they'd probably tell you some version of

that they'd have all the data

what's the problem

they got the data but they don't get him

it's like when someone tells you a joke

and you hear everything in the joke

you've heard you've heard all the words

but but you don't find it funny

because you don't get the pattern

when you get a joke it's you've not

heard something new you've seen a new

pattern

can I tell your friends that's what the

new evangelization is all about almost

everybody as I say in our Western world

knows the data about Jesus they can tell

you the basic story

but they don't get it

they haven't been preached Christ

they haven't heard what he's about what

he means

that's the task that Vatican II Paul VI

John Paul II Benedict XVI and Pope

Francis are giving us

evangelize our world Anew and you do it

Friends by sharing

the pattern because there are a lot of

people like these two disciples

wandering the wrong way knowing only the

data about Jesus

but not getting him

here's where Jesus now having walked

with them yes

having listened to patiently yes

now speaks

notice please everybody

accompaniment does not mean wandering

around with

listening is not all there is to the

picture yes he accompanies yes he

listens but then he

speaks

and the church has imitated its Lord up

and down the centuries the church

teaches the church

speaks and look how direct the Lord is

this is not Mr Rogers talking to them

listen

how foolish you are and how slow of hard

to believe all that the prophets

declared

he's now going to teach them in a

decisive way who he is he's listen going

to reveal the pattern to them

now how's he doing

think now Vatican II called us to revive

our sense of the Bible

to understand the Bible in every deeper

ways

Jesus discloses the pattern first by

Looking Back to the Old Testament

to the Patriarchs and the prophets

what did Saint Paul say

Jesus is the yes

to all the promises made to Israel

you know what that means everybody we

won't get him until we get Israel

until we understand the promises made to

Israel we won't understand how Jesus is

the yes to them

and I think this is it in short form

Israel

that means Covenant that means Torah

that means prophecy that means Temple

all the great institutions of Israel

whose purpose was look

to bring Divinity and Humanity together

to link Heaven and Earth

to bring our wills and our minds into

Accord with God's Will and God's mind

who is Jesus Christ everybody who is

Jesus Christ the Fulfillment of Temple

the Fulfillment of Prophecy the

Fulfillment of the Torah and the

Covenant because in his very person

he links Divinity and Humanity

that's why he's the savior

that's why he's the Savior that's why

he's the Savior that's why he's the

Alpha and the Omega that's why he's

everything and that's why in season and

out we Proclaim him that's the pattern

everyone that's what Jesus wanted them

to know about himself what he wants you

to know about himself

Amen to the Lord Jesus

can I read something to you real brief

this is from Pope Paul VI Saint Paul

Paul VI he was the pope of my childhood

so John Paul is elected in 78 I was 18.

so when I was coming of age you know

like 12 13 16. the Pope that I first

became aware of was Paul VI I've always

had a great affection for him I want to

share a few words just in light of what

I told you this is Paul VI in Manila in

1971.

the image I present to you is the image

of Jesus Christ

as Christians you share his name

he has already made most of you his own

so once again I repeat his name to you

Christians and I Proclaim to all people

Jesus Christ is the beginning and the

end the Alpha and the Omega lord of the

new universe the great hidden key to

human history and the part we play in it

he is the mediator between Heaven and

Earth above all he's the son of man more

perfect than any man being also the Son

of God

Eternal and infinite he's the son of

Mary our mother on Earth more blessed

than any woman

she's also our mother in the spiritual

communion of the mystical body

remember remember remember

it is Jesus Christ I preach day in and

day out his name I would see Echo and

re-echo for all time even to the ends of

the Earth

amen that's Saint Paul the sixth in

1971.

I'll happily make those words my own

that's the new evangelization that's the

pattern that's the message that's what

the Lord wants us to know about him so

that we get what he's about

so

he's speaking to them

their hearts are burning within them and

they press him to stay anyone that's

been involved in teaching the Lord or

preaching or evangelizing knows this

truth

when you preach the real Christ I don't

mean some watered down Christ

when you preach the real Jesus Christ

Son of God it lights a fire in people

and they want to know more don't they

see because when you when you preach

that name and you light that fire in

them they want you to stay tell me more

it's a it's a watered-down Christ that's

not compelling it's a watered-down

crisis not reaching anyone's Hearts but

the real Christ the one Paul VI was

talking about will light Hearts on Fire

still does still does so they stay with

him

they had they had begun to get him as he

opens up the scriptures to them

but when do they really get him

in the breaking of the bread

it's in the Eucharist that they see him

how come

because the Eucharist is the sacramental

representation

of the cross

of the sacrificial death of the Lord

what's the fullness of the pattern

listen everybody it's a Divine love

unto death

it's a god-willing to run all the way to

the limits of God forsaken this to find

us

it's a God the Father who sends his son

all the way to the limits of our sin so

that even as we run away from him we're

running into the arms of the Sun

there's no escaping this God there's no

escaping his love

that's what they see in the Eucharist

that's what we should see tonight in the

Eucharist that's why there most fully

we get him

lastly

they see him and immediately he

disappears

how come

I love what Hanser's van baltazar said

he said Jesus disappears into the

mission of the church

into us

up and down the ages

Jesus disappears into our mission

I know it's a bit of a cliche but it's

true that we become his feet and his

hands and his heart and his eyes as we

reach out to the world

think about the Old Testament the great

image of Noah's Ark

having preserved this microcosm of God's

good order

Noah lets the life out the minute he can

he opens the doors and windows of the

Ark and lets the life out

that's the church the church is Noah's

Ark yes preserving

the memory and the power of Christ but

the purpose is to open the windows and

doors let him out let him out to

transform the world through your mission

don't you love it

that night that same hour

these two disciples who began afraid and

walking the wrong way

now despite the lateness of the hour

despite the danger of the road despite

the the enemies they'll face in

Jerusalem they get up and that moment

raced their way back to Jerusalem

now they know what they're about

now they know who they are and what they

have to do

this is like Mary when she hears the

message of the Angel she goes in haste

right

we live in a Time everybody you know

this there's an awful lot of kind of

hand-wringing and vacillation and who am

I and I don't really know and I don't I

don't trust in any values I'm kind of

making things up as I go along

all of that is repugnant to the gospel

the gospel says when you hear about the

Lord Jesus Christ and he takes

possession of your heart you know who

you are and you go you move

you know how the world is telling us all

the time and you know this every movie

every song I mean all the popular

culture was telling us it's all about

money it's about pleasure it's about

power it's about honor I just need more

and more of these things and the reason

I'm unhappy is I don't have enough of

one of those four things

don't you believe it that's that's a lie

it's been alive from the beginning

what will make you happy is finding your

mission and doing it going in haste move

become in some way and look it's it's

different for every one of us because

the lord gave us distinctive gifts and a

distinctive experience and background

we're meant to carry his love into the

world in some distinctive way but when

you find that you found the treasure

buried in the field when you find that

you found the pearl of great price and

so do it sell everything else you got

and buy that

one last thing everybody

um do you know how our culture put such

a premium Now on safety doesn't it

safe spaces and keeping us safe and I'm

being threatened and that's that's

threatening my safety well look I mean I

get it we all want to be safe it's a

it's a value

but can I suggest to you that a religion

that puts before our eyes a man pinned

to a cross is not a religion putting a

high priority on safety

okay

the Saints don't strike me as people

that were really big on safety

rather find your mission

what Christ

come to life in you set your heart on

fire

and then you'll know who you are

do your mission you'll find joy and

you'll transfigure the world

God bless you all

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]