Receive the Power! pt. I

Matthew Harrison

June 21, 2007
WYD 2008 in Sydney!I clearly remember at the conclusion of Cologne's World Youth Day saying: "Bring on Sydney!" (which in hindsight is somewhat amusing, because I recall after Toronto in 2002 I said "Bring on Cologne!")
Two years have quickly passed since the excitement of Sydney first washed over me, and now we are just some 390 days away (according to the official website, click HERE for that!). To me though, I feel I am already at Randwick Raceway with a few hundred thousand young people. That's probably because I've been listening to the final mix of the World Youth Day 2008 theme song, "Receive the Power" on repeat!
It's a catchy, uplifting number, and I can easily imagine thousands of young people joining in on the "Alleluia, receive the power, be a light unto the world!" lines. As I recently told a co-worker, the repetition helps create an atmosphere of prayer. It's certainly not a song that makes you want to curl up and nap, but rather it helps stir the fire of the Spirit within the listener. Which, of course, is an appropriate result for a World Youth Day which has the scriptural theme: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1:8)
To hear a clip of the song, check out online the Thursday, June 21st edition of Zoom, or watch for it in wide release on July 1st.
For a listing of the lyrics and a theological reflection from World Youth Day 2008 co-ordinator, Bishop Anthony Fisher, O.P., please see the next blog entry!