Four years ago, I spent an evening in Madrid at a Papal mass with over a million people. I kneeled in the crowd with my youth group family and worshipped along with Pope Benedict. Something happened that night though, during the mass a great storm broke out. There was intense thunder and down-pour during a hot August night and the mass was halted. I remember kneeling in the field with my closest friends and praying for God's protection and will. After a few decades of the rosary, the storm ended almost as abruptly as it began, and the mass began again.
Today, I joined Pope Francis in the heart of Vatican City at Saint Peter's Basilica for Easter Sunday mass. Call it irony or call it symbolism, after countless days of beautiful Roman sunshine, a storm broke lose today. Standing in the square; surrounded by families, teens, religious orders, and even a few puppies; another storm broke out. After the first roll of the thunder, I was immediately taken back to Spain 2011 and the moments I shared in that World Youth Day mass.
As a person who firmly believes in symbolism and signs, I spent much of Easter Sunday mass reflecting on the journey. Between 2011 and today, I can now see the constant presence of faith. Regardless of where life takes us, faith travels with us. It is one of the most consoling and hopeful moments to honestly acknowledge that we are never truly alone. Along with my love for psychology: life is about perspective. The way we approach life is a matter of how we perceive it. In reliving these great moments of faith aside two popes and the universal church, I understand life to be a collaboration of moments of immense faith. The storm today reminded me that: Faith bears all things. Faith endures when the world is pitted against it. Faith carries us and faith protects us. And with faith, life is brought into a greater dimension. Each moment, each experience, each feeling carries more meaning because faith will outweigh every fear and raise us up.
Needless to say, I am once again joyfully tearful at how blessed I am to have had such incredible encounters at just 21 years old. Standing in the center of Saint Peter's, at the foot of the cross, just feet away from Pope Francis I am reminded of how loved we are and how great He is.
It's safe to say that today was a very BUONA Pasqua.
To me this is your best blog yet Brittany Costa because since I was there with you in Spain I can totally relate to the Emotional feelings of Faith that you are experiencing , and yes this brought a couple of tears. But I just want to Thank you for allowing us to walk with you through your journey of Faith , keep the blogs coming. Happy Easter and God Bless.
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