Pray!

So why would I use "Pray!" as the headline of this column? Well, of course the first reason is that I ask that over this next week you offer extra prayers for each of these young people gathered in Atlanta. Truly Christ will be present at NCYC, for "when two or three are gathered in my midst…." -- Mt. 18:20

Yes, Christ will be present, so we pray that each of these young people will encounter Christ in a new and special way. May their journey to a sacred place truly be a spiritual experience.

But the reason for this headline runs much deeper. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Pratt for one of Amanda’s, my youngest daughter’s, activities. It was senior night for Pratt’s volleyball team and Amanda is one of the managers. When I arrived in Pratt, one of the first people I saw was a cheerleader who will be attending NCYC. The first thing that she said was, "I can’t wait to go to Atlanta." This simple but powerful statement made me think.

As I look over the names of these 67 young people, I recognize names of volleyball players, football players and cheerleaders -- young people who are involved in band and many other school activities. And I ask myself, what was it that drew them to Atlanta? What is it that is allowing them to say "no" to each of these activities and "yes" to our risen Lord and this time together celebrating our faith in such a powerful way? Yes, they get out of school for two days; they get to fly to Atlanta, and they get to experience a major city and the Georgia World Congress Center, the location where the Atlanta Falcons play football. But I believe their desire to participate runs as deep as their Catholic Faith.

Christ has blessed the lives of these young people and he has gifted them in many special ways. He has touched their lives, and they long to attend another NCYC, to continue deepening this relationship with Christ, a relationship that began many years ago. For myself, this is one to the most powerful things that I witness in my ministry.

But wait! What about the young people who for some reason chose not to accept the invitation to NCYC? They, too, have a faith that runs deep and a relationship with our risen Lord. So I ask too, that this week you keep them in your prayers as well.

One thing that I long for with any of our young people, is that they learn how to find God’s presence in everything they do. My hope then, is as these young people travel to Atlanta, that they will find God’s presence in the fun, laughter, lack of sleep, and many activities that await them. But also for the young person who is not going to Atlanta, who instead is at home continuing with their many activities, that they too will find God’s presence in each of these moments.

This is why I headlined this column "Pray!" Pray for our youth, offering a simple prayer that they will find God’s presence in all they do. And I ask that we consider taking it one step further.

When my two girls were younger, I would bless them each night before they went to sleep. I would simply trace a cross on their forehead, and as I did, I would say, "God, be with my child as she sleeps and bring her safely to another day." Now that they are older and no longer living with me, I still say this prayer. Sometimes I know that they may not yet be in bed, so I have simply changed it. "Got be with my child wherever she may be and bring her safely to another day."

I wonder then, what would happen if every person would take this prayer and offer it for our young people. Imagine the power of prayer, if each of us every night would pray, "God, be with all youth, wherever they may be and in all they do, and bring them safely to another day.

"Pray!"