PRIMARY ADMA – SPIRITUAL EXERCISES “MORE PRECIOUS GIFT THAN LIFE”
Over 450 people between July and August participated in spiritual exercises led by Fr. Alejandro Guevara Rodriguez and Fr.Roberto Carelli.
It was an all-round family experience: parents had time and space for liturgical and silent prayer, following a meditation path that this year had as its theme “Your grace is worth more than life” (Ps 63:4), inspired by three themes:
1. New Thoughts: rediscovering the Word and Prayer; 2. New Life: relaunching the growth of the virtues, particularly Humility and Charity; 3. New Relationships: the “two pillars” dreamt of by Don Bosco, the persons of Jesus and Mary, the two Risen Ones; the concreteness of the Eucharist and the Rosary, the Sacraments of Communion and Confession; Advice and inspiration found in some passages from the Philothea of St. Francis de Sales.
While the parents lived the experience of the spiritual exercises, under the guidance of the animators, the children and young people of these same families spent days with distinct and well-prepared paths of play, prayer and formation. It was the fruit of careful preparation carried out during the year and practicing the precept of St. Francis de Sales, ‘do everything out of love, nothing by force’.
Following are some testimonies of the participants:
God’s love goes before me and is greater than all my sins, fears, misery, distance. I am loved, I am desired, I am awaited, I am sought by the Father who wants to give me the greatest gift: Jesus.
I “only” have to open my heart and accept this gift, to allow myself to be loved by God and reciprocate this love: love God and love others.
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I really needed to stop, to empty myself of all anxieties and worries in order to be ‘filled’ with God’s Grace. How many gifts we receive each day and how many gifts I received during the retreat, through prayer, adoration, sharing and common moments. They all lead us to Jesus!!!
What I took home: ‘Charity is Love’.
Through it we are able to love Jesus above all else and it is that which makes it possible to love our neighbour as ourselves out of love for Jesus.
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From these exercises, I returned home with the desire to grow in the life of Grace and to watch out for everything that is an obstacle to deep humility, the only condition for allowing ourselves to be filled with God.
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It is an experience that celebrates the primacy of God in our lives, creating the conditions necessary to dedicate time and heart to prayer and meditation; the mountain-setting inspires the heart with its beauty that speaks of God; meetings with other families open the heart to sharing. For us, it was an experience enjoyed and rejoiced by everyone, parents and children, and their experience of playing and sharing with other children and with the animators also brought great happiness. It has been a regular stop for us for years now and we thank the Providence for this annual spiritual and formative refreshment.
