For the Sake of 10 Righteous Men the Lord Would Have Spared Sodom

Young Pilgrims at World Youth Day 2013
AP Photo/ Felipe Dana

How Much Mercy has been called down upon our tired world by the prayers of Our Holy Father and 3 million young people at World Youth Day?  The answer is known to the Lord alone but if we look at the mercy Our Lord would show for the sake of 10 righteous men in Sodom then one can surmise that the mercy called down by so much prayer this week at World Youth Day is beyond our comprehension.

In the first reading today Abraham speaks before the Lord and asks the Lord to spare Sodom if ten righteous men can be found within the city.  The Lord responds, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." (Genesis 18:32)

Last night the scene on the Copacabana beach before the arrival of Pope Francis for an evening vigil was full of song and praise for Our Lord.  Many would remain on the beach overnight singing and in prayer in cold temperatures to be present for the Pope's Final Mass of World Youth Day.  To see the Holy Spirit alive in these young people is an image of hope.  How happy must Our Lady and her Son be to look down and see such a sight.  

Thank you Pope John Paul II for your efforts while here on earth to begin such a wonderful event for our young people.  Thank you to Pope Benedict and now Pope Francis for continuing such a beautiful tradition.  As a person who attended World Youth Day in the US with Pope John Paul II in 1993 I feel the fruits of such intense communal prayer are still bearing fruit.

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Words by Pope Francis at World Youth Day 2013

Pope Francis at Mass at the Cathedral of St. Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro
on July 27th 2013

In Pope Francis’ homily from Mass at the Cathedral of St. Sebastian on July 27th the Holy Father speaks beautifully about our call to help our young people.

“Let us help our young people to realize that the call to be missionary disciples flows from our baptism and is an essential part of what it means to be a Christian. We must also help them to realize that we are called first to evangelize in our own homes and our places of study and work, to evangelize our family and friends.

Let us spare no effort in the formation of our young people! Saint Paul uses a beautiful expression that he embodied in his own life, when he addressed the Christian community: “My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19). Let us embody this also in our own ministry! Let us help our young people to discover the courage and joy of faith, the joy of being loved personally by God, who gave his Son Jesus for our salvation. "

The Holy father concludes his homily by once again pointing out Our Blessed Mother Mary as the Star to lead our efforts to reach her Son.

“May the Virgin Mary be our exemplar. In her life she was “a model of that motherly love with which all who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of humanity should be animated” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 65). May she be the Star that surely guides our steps to meet the Lord. Amen.”

Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul’s birthday was May 18th and I began to reflect on some of his writings.  I began to think back to World Youth Day 1993.  I was 17 years old and had traveled from Boston to Denver to join young people from around the world.

As many years have passed since this trip I wanted to again hear the words of Pope John Paul II to us on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.  I re-read the homily he gave that day and a phrase took hold of me “Woe to you if you do not succeed in defending life”. John Paul goes on to say, “The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm, your youthful ideals, in order to make the Gospel of life penetrate the fabric of society, transforming people's hearts and the structures of society in order to create a civilization of true justice and love. Now more than ever, in a world that is often without light and without the courage of noble ideals, people need the fresh, vital spirituality of the Gospel”.

JPII rosaries in hand landing at World Youth Day 1993

“Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel, (cf. Rom 1: 16). It is the time to preach it from the rooftops (cf. Mt 10:27). Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modem "metropolis". It is you who must "go out into the byroads" (Mt 22:9) and invite everyone you meet to the banquet which God has prepared for his people. The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its fight and give praise to our heavenly Father” (cf. Mt 5:15-16).

In many ways I have felt the intercession of Bl. John Paul II in the work of the children’s rosary.  I have called upon his help reminding him I was one of the young people he commissioned.  As a legacy of his papacy I want to draw attention to his call to young people.  Pope John Paul repeats the words of the great Apostle Paul, "Woe to me if I do not evangelize" (1 Cor 9:16).  It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will take hold of each one of us and in a special way all the members of the Children’s Rosary and give us the courage and strength to evangelize.  Let it be the Spirit of Truth which speaks through us.   By bringing back prayer to our families may we  truly hear to the core of our being the Words, "I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10) As the Vicar of Christ on earth Pope John Paul speaks strong words “Woe to you if you do not succeed in defending life”.  Through the children’s rosary Our Lady comes to us as a mother who cares for all of her children and she does not want to see any of us lost.  With her gentle hand on our shoulder may we heed the words of Bl John Paul and assume our role as protector of life and evangelist of the Gospel. Amen.

Prayer of Pope John Paul II

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