As well over four thousand teens were making their way to Springfield, MO for this year’s Steubenville conference, over 130 volunteers gathered to pray for them and the success of the weekend. It is important that everything we do is rooted in prayer.
It can be easy to get lost in the craziness of this weekend when the music gets loud and sidewalks get crowded, but it is then that it becomes critical to remember the source of it all: Jesus Christ.
Gathering Together
Bishop Rice of the Springfield Diocese presided at Mass earlier today, and several other priests were concelebrating. It provided all of us volunteers a chance to cover all that we do in prayer as we prepare for everything that is to come. There was a focus on how every person, no matter their role, is called to serve together in order to lead teenagers to Christ. As Bishop Rice powerfully proclaimed, “…whatever your role might be…you’re on a mission trip.”
Becoming Vessels
In his homily, Bishop Rice challenged all of us volunteers to be vessels for the Holy Spirit, emptying ourselves so that we can filled up by Christ. After all, we are nothing without Him. The Eucharist is the fuel of this weekend, and as the bishop said, “We are called to bring emptiness to the Lord… in return we receive the Eucharist and the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Come, Holy Spirit
More than any planning or scheduling, the Holy Spirit is responsible for every good thing that comes of this weekend, and the homily challenged all of us to remember that no matter what our role is, the prayer is “Come, Holy Spirit.” That is not true for just this weekend. We all have an opportunity, every day to pray “Come, Holy Spirit.” When He comes and lives within us, we become vessels for His transforming love. And that is what will make the impact of this conference last far beyond this weekend.
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