By Kelly Kao, September 2013
Each of us is called to be a disciple of Christ and Pope Francis directly called three million youth on Copacabana beach in July 2013. With the waves crashing along the shore and the sand beneath our toes, the Pope drew striking parallels between our summoning and the summoning of the first disciples. He helped us imagine Simon Peter and Andrew casting their nets into the sea, along with James and John in their boat mending their nets with their father, Zebedee. And with a single call, they left everything behind to follow Jesus. We too are called to be “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19) and to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19) – the commanding theme of World Youth Day (WYD) 2013.