Jesus Explosion is here to stay

Jesus Explosion should be in the calendar of every Catholic and Protestant alike, God is no respecter of creed, race or denomination.  When He wants to visit his people with his glory, he does so without man’s permission. The Catholic Church is privileged at this point in history to be the focal point of one of the greatest outpourings of God’s Holy Spirit that this world has ever known. The hosting of Jesus Explosion Revival on Republic Day was strategic and significant.  Trinidad and Tobago is marked for renewal not because we are righteous but because we bear His Name.  In 1498, Christopher Columbus stood on the shores in Moruga and lifted up a white cross and renamed this island from “Iere” Land of the Humming Bird, to La Trinidad “Land of the Trinity”. God is restoring what we stood for as a nation from the time of our conception.

On Republic Day, the people streamed to the new Preysal High School auditorium in buses, in maxis, in cars from North, South, East and West. They came in pursuit of the Holy Trinity. Surprisingly, a large volume of the participants were youths, considering that this event was for young adults and adults. They came at 8 am and stayed until 8 pm drinking in what God was doing.  Jesus said “if you do not believe in me, believe in the miracles themselves that attest to my glory.”  All the doubters and skeptics were silenced by the effervescent enthusiasm of these young people, as it is a known fact, that the young run from the dead, they pulsate with life and are attracted to life, so they came to the Lord and Prince of life. This was a sign and wonder in itself.  God loves to pour out his glory and wonder into the hearts of our children so that He remains the focus of their attention, and source of their supernatural experience, not MTV, Carnival  and  the occult.

Some of the highlights of the Holy Convocation were the celebration of Mass in the morning, anointed teaching and instruction from Frs Taylor, Lewis and Theodore and powerful testimonies from lay people who themselves had been impacted by previous Jesus Explosions.  Aunty Babsie, the elder and pioneer of the charismatic renewal graced us with her presence. Droves of participants thronged to confession, convicted by the preaching and the pervasive presence and move of the Holy Spirit in that place. Frs Quintero and Gutierrez, our Opus Dei friends spent hours hearing confessions. They have faithfully done so, at all three ‘Explosion’ events.  The other participating priests also ministered to several penitents. Music plays a major role in such an event, and Couples for Christ with Steve Kuban, internationally acclaimed music minister and teacher, animated the crowd with anointed praise and worship, full of charismatic joy. 

At one point in the worship, the lights had to be taken off because of the heat as the crowd erupted into clamorous, excited praise with “It’s hot, it’s hot, it’s hot in here, it must be Jesus in the atmosphere.” Flags, scarves, handkerchiefs, all waived and jumped as the crowd worshipped with joy unspeakable and full of glory. But undoubtedly, the climax occurred when Jesus became present in a tangible way during the ‘explosion’s’ Eucharistic Adoration. The Lord descended in such glory that the sick were healed, the demon-possess delivered and the rebellious wept and turned around. This noticeably included several of the youth who had actually taken the young adult and adult event by storm.

Discipline had proved a major problem earlier in the day. But now, and after the talk on repentance, the awesome reality of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament just swept them off their feet bringing them to their knees in repentance and adoration. Our youths desperately and urgently need Jesus. Is anybody listening out there? It is evident that for those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the Jesus Explosion is here to stay. It is growing in number and power because it lifts up the name of Jesus, the one who is The Answer to all the questions of any sin-sick fallen nation.  It was clear to all present at the explosion that this fresh visitation of God to the world, through the Catholic Church is threefold in purpose.  Firstly, it is a supernatural refreshing for God’s people, secondly, it is an empowering of God’s people to live holy and Godly lives, worthy of the Lord Jesus. And thirdly it is a voice to call the lost prodigals home to their Father’s house. See you there next time.