As part of the Steubenville weekend, everyone is encouraged to lay down their life for Christ. Some are hearing a deeper call from Jesus. For some, this means being called to living a full life within the Church by being baptized. For others, they are hearing a deeper call from Jesus to possibly lay it all down by becoming a priest or a consecrated religious. Continue reading
Archbishop Robert Carlson’s homily at Mass on Sunday called each of us to be the face of Christ as we prepare to return home.
Examples of People Who Were the Face of Christ
As Jesus tells the scribe in the Gospel passage today, if you love God and your neighbor as yourself, you will live. In the parable of the Good Samaritan that immediately follows that encounter, we find a beautiful example of a person so in love with almighty God that it flowed out into care and concern for another. He acted – even though there was nothing in it for him.
As we drew closer to Mass, the speaking team led teens in prayer and worship to call upon the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
They first explored the Spirit’s true purpose and identity by explaining what the Spirit is NOT. It is not an emotion. It is not a feeling. It is a person. It is God’s living water in its simplest, purest, and most powerful form. While our own spirit may be weak, the Holy Spirit is stirring strongly inside each heart. The Holy Spirit is changing us into His instruments of peace and filling us with the power to conquer all fears, heal all hurts, and have victory over all spiritual deaths. Each member of the team took turns asking the Spirit to pour out their favorite life-giving gifts on all of us.
Our thirsting souls have been showered with the love and mercy of God. Joel Stepanek’s talk on Sunday morning implored all of us to not wait until tomorrow to live our faith and to do the work of evangelization that needs to be done today. What we have received to quench our thirsting souls must be brought beyond these doors to reach a culture that is parched.
Year after year we are unworthy. Year after year He comes to us. Year after year we are thirsty. Year after year He satisfies us. Year after year we long to draw near to Him. Year after year He touches our hearts as we adore Him.
The beauty of Adoration at SteubySTL is always powerful, and this year was no exception.
