hello all!
i had hoped to write before we had WYD Mass in cuatro vientos but i didn´t know that we´d need to be packed up and at the local parish at 11 am on saturday to get to the airport!
the overnight campout was a lot of fun but it was a LOT of waiting. in the heat. with very warm drinking water. and more heat... turned out great, so it wasn´t too bad. :)
fortunately, the heat died down some when clouds rolled in around 7 p.m. the sky just started looking gray and you could tell some number of miles down the way they must have been getting some rain. eventually, the rain did hit us around 9 p.m. while the Holy Father was addressing the crowd. while we all covered up in our rain ponchos and umbrellas, the Holy Father was on the wide open stage getting pelted with rain and wind. the cutest thing ever was hearing him giggle over the loudspeaker and say, ¨what a storm!¨ there was a small delay in the program but when the wind died down he came back on stage. best line was when he said that we were all in this adventure together! the crowd cheered and you could sense the unity among the faithful. it was amazing...
what was absolutely astonishing to me was when we had Eucharistic Adoration on saturday night. 1.5 million people fell silent and worshipped Christ present in the Eucharist. you could literally hear a pin drop! i have never witnessed anything like it before, you could feel a peace wash over the crowd. we were all kind of worked up, especially after such crazy weather earlier in the day. no one seemed to mind what it took to get us to that moment because Jesus was SO worth it.
shortly afterwards, the Holy Father left and promised he´d return to celebrate Mass with us in the morning, God willing. sure enough, he arrived and we had Mass in the warm morning sun. we learned right before Mass that the storms had knocked over some of the chapels where people would be able to go to and pray before the Sacrament throughout the night. so we were not able to receive communion at WYD. it was sad not to recieve there but at the same time, another opportunity to go to Mass at our local parish.
we all got home after an hour or so on the crammed subways and then passed out at our host family´s house. i´m off to get ready for Mass at 7 and then to dinner with some FOCUS people. wanted to give yall an update from madrid before i left. i will be home on the 23rd!
just wanted to let you all know that i have been praying for your intentions daily and took them with me to Mass with the Pope today.
pax et bonum,
crystal
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