Hearts on Fire: Now is the Time

The NUS Catholic Students Society's Youth Rally - "Hearts on Fire" - part of it's Catholic Awareness Week - was awesome. As Freddy says... in Singapore we say.. it's 'ok' but in the US they say 'awesome'. I'd say it was 'awesome'.

I remember really thanking the Lord simply because of the number of youths there.. 800+ youths just praising and worshipping the Lord. It's like watching your dreams come true. And this is just the beginning of what seems to be a start of a wonderful revival among the Catholic youths. Certainly much work needs to be done. But I am just encouraged and inspired.

This night.. I spend my birthday night with the Lord at the youth rally. There was the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament - where Jesus is present in the Eucharist and everyone kneels before Jesus in holy reverance. That moment, I was not thinking one bit on how long or tiring it was - i was just worshipping the Lord. I was simply in communion with Him... telling Him all my wishes, dreams and sorrows. I laid down before Him all my pride. I asked Him for Forgiveness. I prayed to know what His will is. I asked Him to heal my eyesight.. (though it didn't happen).. and I felt the Lord loving me and washing his Grace over me.

At the end... the youth group members at YAM prayed over me since it was my birthday too. I was even more touched. I felt love flowing from them to me... through their prayer, their words. I felt the peace of God and they affirmed me that the Lord is saying, "The Joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). How true this is.. for I've often been just sad and moody - for no reason. My weakness. But the Joy of the Lord is my strength. And if I have Jesus, I am strong indeed!

See the wonderful rally...

Seminarians praying over someone...

Fr. Simon Pereira giving the homily... telling us that we have the Holy Spirit in us, sharing with us stories about the situation in the world today

Awesome Praise & Worship at the end, when everyone's more visibly hyped up.