BE-LIV-IN?? in Christ

For some years, the Vocations Team of Europe has been organizing an Easter celebration in Roxos (Santiago de Compostela). This time, those invited were young people of 22 and over who were planning their life vocations within the Marist ambit. So from the afternoon of Holy Wednesday to the morning of Easter Sunday, 9 young people (5 from Ibérica, 2 from Mediterránea and 2 novices from Compostela) met with  6 brothers (2 from the novitiate, 2 from Mediterránea, 1 from Ibérica and Br. César Rojas, of the Bureau of Brothers Today). We represented  4 nations: Spain, Italy,Portugal and Colombia. Although three youth and a brother were going to come from Syria, in the end they could not take part because of the social upheaval in their country. We kept them in mind during our meeting.

We came with three clear objectives: to celebrate the mysteries of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, to continue discerning our call, and to share our own journey of seraching.

We organized the topics around the theme of the summer Marist Youth Encounter: BE-LIV-IN’. Centred on being, life and interiority. With this programme, the mornings were times of reflection and personal prayer with time for personal accompaniment, and the afternoons were occupied with group work.

Thus, the work of Holy Thursday (BE) revolved around love and the following of Jesus. In the afternoon, Br. César shared with us the witness of some persons and works of his Province of Norandina. In this way he illustrated in a living manner the theme reflected on in the morning. The Lord’s Supper and the prayer of Gethsemane served to celebrate what we had lived during the day.

Good Friday (LIV) introduced us to the theme of death-life of Jesus. The reflection oriented us towards discovering the role of the heart in our vocation and the discovery of our personal wounds. The afternoon was devoted to the testimony of the Cistercian monks of Tibhirine (Algeria) through the film “Of gods and men”. The Way of the Cross as well as the Death of the Lord helped us to light up our life through faith. We ended our day around the Cross.

Saturday (IN) was an invitation to interiority. For this, the morning was empty except for three moments around Mary. The afternoon’s reflections centred on the topic of the difficulties of our vocation. A time of sharing by provinces and of evaluation prepared us for living the paschal vigil in the parish church of Villastrexe, near our house in Roxos.

On Sunday morning, we met to celebrate the missioning which invited us to accept God’s plan for each of us and to discover the life budding around us.

These four days were certainly a Passover, that is to say, the passing of God through our lives. The personal richness of each one, the depth of sharing, the joyful and cordial personal relationships,… made us feel like a family and helped us recognize our own vocation as brothers and laity and gave us courage to continue living it with intensity. A moment providing energy for the return to Galilee to meet the Risen One.

Br. Juan Carlos Fuertes

This Vocations Easter has been a really enriching meeting for me. Before the doubts surging on my way, the power of the Gospel and seeing the concrete examples of Marist spirituality among those who have shared these days with us, made it easier for me to find answers to all these questions. David Herranz Limón (Madrid, Province of Ibérica)

It had been a long time since I had experienced an Easter with being a monitor of youngsters and I could not imagine this Easter was going to be very special. For me it has been an Easter of reflection, prayer, listening, but especially of love and life. I was able to think and reflect about what I am going to be and what I am today. Above all, it has been an Easter of hearts; not only did the prayers and meetings have life, but joy and service were present all the time, free times and so much laughter we were able to share. It has without a doubt been a Jesus Easter. Gabriel Hernández Flórez (Guadalajara, Province of Ibérica)

This Easter has revived the fire within me, has accentuated my love and admiration for Jesus. The witnesses of surrender presented during these days have moved me to the point of leaving me speechless.

Is there anything I can say before such deeds? A grateful silence and a heart moved to pity are my only words. Marta Calvé Gómez (Guadalajara, Province of Ibérica)

For me the Vocations Easter of Roxos has been a gift for strengthening me in my vocation as a Christian and a lay Marist in my daily life. It has been a marvelous opportunity for dedicating some quiet time to prayer and reflection. The fact of living and sharing Easter and a simple and family way of life with brothers, novices and lay people has been an attractive experience, because I think we have a way of journeying together although we are in different states of life.  If I had to sum up Easter in a couple of words they would be  PRESENCE AND FAMILY. Simply I can say Thanks! And may there be experiences like this more often.  Paloma Gutiérrez (Province of Ibérica)

The Easter at Roxos has been a beautiful experience for two reasons: for the beauty of the times of reflection and prayer and for the joy of coming to know new persons. The former have reinforced in a decisive way my relationship with God, guiding me along my vocational journey; for the other part, meeting and creating ties with persons with whom I can share the same ideals has been an experience that has satisfied me and given me courage, as well as friends with whom I can keep in contact. I have also with the brothers felt at home and I have been able to broaden my vision of the Marist world. Marco di Sarno (Giugliano, Province of Mediterranea)