CHANGE 2013 ? Make the difference!
First of all, I thank God for granting me this great blessing, the opportunity of participating to the International Meeting of Marist Youth, “CHANGE, make the difference!” and the World Youth Day Rio 2013: “Go and make disciples in all nations!”. It is undoubtedly among the best experiences in my life which I will always remember; and I thank the Marist Brothers for being a fundamental part of my life in my education and personal growth thanks to the dream that Marcellin Champagnat had one day. And now we are part of it. It was a great experience to be able to share with the young, the lay and Marist Brothers from the five continents. Coexisting with so many people animates me a great deal along my spiritual path as I know that we are not alone in working to achieve Champagnat’s dream; and moreover, helping to build the Kingdom through our apostolate wherever we are engaged in our activity, “making the difference” based on our realities, starting with ourselves. I was also deeply touched by my attendance to the meeting of the four Marist branches, with the Brothers, missionary sisters, priests and Marist sisters, as well as the Marist Brothers of the General Council. The opportunity of having a close encounter with some of them, knowing various significant places in the city of Rio de Janeiro such as the Christ the Redeemer is an experience I will never forget. Let us be Champagnat today in the life of all the people with whom we cohabitate and share our lives.
Christ invites us: come my friends; Christ sends us, be missionaries! At the WYD, to be present among thousands of people, sharing, feeling proud of being Catholic, listening to the words of His Holiness Pope Francis, a living example of His Gospel and especially of His humility, His charism; a person with the heart of a child with a capability of making us understand what God wants to tell us through the Gospel; the opportunity of being near Him was a great blessing, not just for me but also for my family and those around us. Christ tells us: “Go without fear, to serve”, “by following these three words you will experience that those who evangelize are evangelized, those who transmit the joy of faith, receive greater joy”. Christ sends us to be missionaries, but He always accompanies us, He never leaves us alone in this mission: “The life of Jesus is a life for the others, a life of service.”
Gabriela Cubas
El Salvador