An introduction to the spiritual exercises organized by the Cesar-stock movement, an expression of the Doctrinaries’ youth ministry, for about fifteen boys and girls from April 30th to May 3rd in Almese, near Turin; here are their stories.
«The exercises were an intense and surprisingly essential experience. We meditated for three days on the last chapter of the Gospel of John, discovering once again how inexhaustible the Scriptures are: every word holds a profound meaning, capable of opening up ever new reflections. Above all, I carry within me the revolutionary simplicity of silence. Amid the many voices that inhabit the mind, stopping and giving space to listen becomes a concrete way to recognize the voice of God. A discreet, yet profoundly alive experience».
«The exercises helped me get involved and experience a climate of prayer different from that experienced in daily life. It was really pleasant to wonder about my future, surrounded by kind and welcoming people who were always willing to lend a hand. I was able to focus on aspects of my life and my relationship with the Lord that I don’t usually experience; in this I was pleasantly and usefully helped by the moments of sharing with the other young people».
«The first time I participated in this program, I experienced how good it could feel at the end of prayer, how it could consist not so much in the repetition of something I’d been taught, but as something personal, mine. I’ve always found the advice, received in my early years of catechism, to speak with God as you would with a friend sitting across from you, meaningless and simplistic. I told myself, God is here with me, but I can’t see him, I can’t hear him, and at that table, in the end, there’s only me. Even later, in the parish group where I grew up, I learned to pray, and I discovered that there’s not just one way to do it: asking yourself questions and trying, in silence, to find an answer is a starting point. It helped me reflect, to reason, and reasoning doesn’t hurt, but it still wasn’t prayer. This time, however, what I took away was learning to free myself from the anxiety of praying perfectly, which was probably holding me back from truly trying. I’ve learned that dialogue with the Lord isn’t always constant, and that the important thing is not to become discouraged. I’ve learned that it’s a way of praying that makes room for difficulties and doesn’t leave us alone, but leads us toward Him».
«At the start, I wasn’t entirely convinced… but it definitely went better than I expected. Sure, I was a little scared at first of the prolonged moments of silence, but little by little it got better, and I was able to enjoy them. I think both the initial process that introduced us to the experience of prayer and the moments of discussion and sharing with other young people who had different experiences helped me».
«It didn’t seem so different from the Cesar-Stock camp experience: instead of testimonies, we were offered reflections on the Word of God, and instead of just one prayer period a day, we tried praying several times a day, for a longer period. This allowed me to discover a new way of relating to the Lord, and I can say that my prayer life has continued to grow».
«A word of advice to readers? Don’t be afraid to embrace this opportunity when you have the opportunity: thanks to the approach, the setting, and the proposed itinerary, this introduction to spiritual exercises is accessible to everyone. See you soon!».
Cesar-stock
