NCYC Reflection from Sr. Mary Ruth

God loves you, you are precious in his sight, He desires to be near you and notices everything you do!  While praying and mingling with 20,000 young people at NCYC, this message was proclaimed through various speakers, experienced through interactions with others, and reiterated/confirmed in prayer and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  
 
While prayer is a very personal thing, there really is something to be said for praying in a stadium with 20,000 others - profound encounters took place on a personal level, in small groups, and also in the large group setting from the opening session through the closing Mass.  I would have never thought of praying lectio divina in a group that large but it was a breathtaking experience.  The availability of Eucharistic adoration and the Sacrament of Reconciliation throughout the weekend was a treat, there were also many options for participating in the Holy Mass and we remained well-fed on a spiritual level. 
 
In addition to being an opportunity to step away from the ordinary concerns of daily responsibilities and spend time reflecting on and soaking in God's love, there was plenty of practical knowledge shared as well.  I was privileged to participate in three breakout workshop sessions.  These were about Youth Ministry practices/how to talk to teens about matters of faith, traditions and symbols of the Catholic Church and how they connect to what we believe, and best practices for nurturing vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life, and holy matrimony.  I also had the privilege of speaking and praying with many fellow NCYC participants individually as they stopped by our table to select rosaries and/or holy cards they might like to have, or simply to reminisce about their experience of Sisters years ago.  
 
It truly was a joy to bear witness to Jesus Christ by participating in NCYC along with Sr. Jean Louise, Sr. Christina Marie, 25 other members of our group from the Fargo and Crookston Dioceses, and 20,000 young people.  God is so good, and that goodness was evident at every turn of the weekend!
~ Sister Mary Ruth Huhn, OSF

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