It is possible to reach the highest
Night at the Shrine: being in a long line to spend a minute with Him and with Her
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Noche del Santuario: Adoración del Santisimo Night of the Shrine: Adoration of the most holy Sacrament Nacht des Heiligtums: Anbetung des Allerheiligsten |
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Unos 400 jóvenes en torno del Santuario Original Some 400 youth by the Original Shrine Um die 400 Jugendliche vor dem Urheiligtum |
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La MTA sale desde el Santuario Original The MTA leaves from the Shrine Die MTA kommt vom Urheiligtum aus zu den Jugendlichen |
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Acercándose centímetro por centímetro, esperando para entrar ... Centimenter for centimeter, waiting to enter the shrine... Zentimeter um Zentimeter näher kommen, um ins Heiligtum einzutreten... |
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El Santuario Original nunca antes experimentó esto... This was a first-time experience for the Original Shrine So hat das Urheiligtum es noch nicht erlebt… |
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Encuentro con los héroes Meeting the heroes Begegnung mit den Helden |
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SCHOENSTATT, MKF. Schoenstatt is a Movement and as such it always offers new things, and usually they come from the hands of the Youth. In the latest and already traditional Night at the Shrine, just a few minutes after midnight, the bell of the Shrine tolled marking a moment: the renewal of the Covenant of Love for the youth of the world. It was then when a long line began to form and centimeter by centimeter, these "joyful sleepy faces" advanced toward the door of the Shrine. It was a slow advance, but a hopeful one since each step was one step closer to the Beloved MTA. "You invite me to the Shrine," was the song that they sang on their pilgrimage. It took the last ones in line more than an hour! The young faces were resplendent, and not just because of the lights of the Shrine…It was much more because the presence of the Blessed Mother was within their sight!
"To think that this is the first time that I am here, but I feel as if I had come ten times." What a joy the Original Shrine must feel on this night! "It is knowing that one is loved, like the Tuparenda Shrine on October 18th, when it welcomes thousands of pilgrims," said a girl who had been there. This is the place, the real place of the Covenant of Love. More than ten thousand kilometers away, in San Juan, Argentina, some youth returned home by car after participating in a meeting of the Schoenstatt Youth, when in a second, they narrowly avoided an accident that could have been truly devastating. Once at home, one of the girls turned on her PC and…she got goose bumps. At that exact moment, the youth in Schoenstatt were renewing the Covenant for her too, and they took her personal "Covenant letter" to the Original Shrine. Once during a moment of absolute silence, Father Kentenich asked a Sister, "Do you feel the good God?" On this night, in the Original Shrine, He was felt; in the songs, in the lights, on the faces. The good God, the Father was present; furthermore, he prevented a single drop of rain from falling during the entire event. What a blessing!
Ease, simplicity, blind faith, synonyms of Something Big: Youth.
Last weekend the third Night at the Shrine, gathered about 380 young people from all over Germany. They spent all night praying and sharing their experiences. Through the Night at the Shrine, the Schoenstatt youth want to relieve the vigil from World Youth Day. The focal point is the Original Shrine. Shortly after 10:00 p.m., they went to the Shrine. It was impressive to see the ease with which they carried it out: "they distributed candles, they began the walk towards the Shrine, they sang in an atmosphere where peace and contemplation reigned among the same youth who a few moments earlier had vividly gestured while singing Father Abraham," writes Natascha Hautle in the morning newspaper article, that had been edited during the night. "Streams of red candles crossed through the Schoenstatt darkness; they stopped at three places on the way to the Original Shrine; they prayed, sang, and reflected on the theme. Cold went through their clothes, and the only heat present was from the small candles that each one held in their hand… Although we know that the warmth that emanated from their hearts could melt a glacier!
At the three stations – the Shrine at House Marienau, in the chapel with the commemorative plaques, and the cross at the pilgrims’ square –they mentioned situations and experiences from daily life that were translated into prayers: these thing were truly and somewhat difficult, but full of hope. High, higher, highest: is a desire, a hope, a promise. The promise takes on the names and faces before the cross at the Pilgrims’ Square: the photos of people, who followed this road in the Covenant of Love, were placed in a semicircle in the square. They are the heroes of this youth: Joseph Engling, Sister Emilie, Father Franz Reinisch, Mario Hiriart, Barbara Kast, and Father Kentenich. The greatest thing is possible with the ease of complete Faith. What a decisive message!
"Christ, we call on you in the midst of the discouragement from our days, in the fear for the future, in the doubts of the night…"
Benches had been placed facing in the direction of the Shrine and they had built a structure in which to place the picture of the Blessed Mother and the Blessed Sacrament. Did the youth from the Diocese of Getafe, in Spain, who had held that impressive Vigil of Adoration here, before the World Youth Day of 2005…know that it would be transformed into a model for the Schoenstatt youth for the Night at the Shrine?
Long ribbons led to the Original Shrine. And from there the Blessed Mother approached the youth through a large picture and Jesus, really and truly, came to them in the Eucharist.
About 400 youth, priests, Sisters of Mary, and older people were united before the Original Shrine that was illuminated with several colors to adore Jesus: "Christ, we call on you in the midst of the discouragement of our times, in the fear for the future, in the doubts of the night…"
Everyone was invited to write a letter to Mary, a Covenant letter that was completely personal. "What do I commit to contribute?" "Here, something completely new began on that October 18, 1914. Here from the Shrine, a stream of graces flows to all the continents…" Then the bell of the Shrine rang, and the youth united with other youth from Poland to Puerto Rico, from Australia to Argentina, who were present through the direct transmission of Webcam, renewed the Covenant of Love for all the youth of the world.
Fire in the night
It took a long time for the last one in line to enter the Original Shrine. Meanwhile, those who had already passed were in front of the Joseph Engling pyre, which glowed more and more clearly. Everyone received a souvenir for this Night at the Shrine: It was a wooden plaque with one of Father Kentenich’s phrases written in manuscript: "High, higher, highest", J.K. N. of the S. 2008. The three girls from Croatia, who wanted to seal their Covenant of Love on this Night at the Shrine, had to wait a long time until all the line of youth had passed and the Shrine was free. But they did not care, since…This was the Night of the Shrine!
"Everything was wonderful: the workshops, the music, the celebration," said a 23 year old. "But the best thing for me was to be in the Original Shrine for that one minute in the middle of the night kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament and offering my contribution for a better world."
Schoenstatt is a Movement of young hearts, who holding the hand of Mary, burn in one Mission; they commit to carry it out, and they rejoice in their accomplishment. High, Higher, Highest!
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj
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High, higher, highest... High, higher, highest... High, higher, highest... |