The Commission on Formation of the General Curia had organized a formative program from August 12-24, 2021, for all the juniors in Europe as part of the on-going formation for Perpetual vows. The 2-week program was attended by the 3 juniors from Provincia Luis Amigo ( Jorge Ivàn Cervera Serrano, Pablo Blasco y David Fuentes Malagon), 3 juniors from Delegaciòn General Martires Amigonianos (Listher Maraganas, Jhon Bhie Neduaza y Helbert Antong) and with the accompaniment of 3 Religious Brothers ( Jose Vicente, Jens-Anno Muller y Jaime Rey OFMCap.) On 11th of August, we all arrived in General Curia and we prepared everything that we need for El Camino de Asis. In the afternoon of August 12, 2021 we travelled to our first destination, in Poppi, for a 3-day encounter by knowing each other, sharing of thoughts and feelings, praying together, reflections and some group dynamics. On August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, we started our journey from La Verna to Assisi. It was a 7-day walk with 7 phases or tracks for about 200 km until we arrived in Assisi on August 21. Fray Jaime Rey OFMCap. was the facilitator of the camino de Asis who introduced us to many important places, icons, history and persons. He also elaborated many things and gave emphasis on the importance of Franciscan way of life; on its development and relevance of today in our own religious life. Then, on the 24th of August we all returned to Rome.
Reflection:
The acivity was succesful not only because we made it, but because it was fruitful and meaningful along the way. The human expereinces emerge along the way by sharing each one our individuality and to realize how God works in our lives. With this, let me share my personal reflections:
Encounter;
All of us are pilgrims of this world. We walk through life, living in the present and envision the future until we achieve the destined line. And in this walk we are not alone, we cannot be alone. El Camino de Asis testifies it. Walking along with your brothers is a great testimony that religious life is beautiful and worth living for. In our journey we never start alone. We have God walking with us and even gives us brothers not to walk with us, but we walk TOGETHER. By walking together we encounter people, surprises, difficulties and strenghts, silence, nature, happiness, and the like which deeply directing us to encounter God. Francis himself was obsessed to be with God always and his itinerant way of life was a living proof of continously encountering God. In our own reality, it is with our brothers, our community, and our mission that we encounter God. We are not alone, we are not always alone because God is walking with us in the faces of our brothers and communities, in the spirit of communion and fraternity. Asì, el nuestro camino como religiosos es un encuentro con Dios.
Clarity:
Where do I start? When can I start? To whom I will start? Technically in every pilgrimage or journey we always have a start and a finish line. We should know first where are we going so that everything comes into place, so that, we could start properly and finish accordingly. However, some would say that it is not about how you start but how you finish. Yes, indeed but in our religious life clarity, constancy, and consistency drive us to accomplish what we have started. Our vocation is to live according to the standards of the One who calls us, to God who grants us the ticket to arrive at our destination. It should be clear in our life who is the reason and the purpose why we take this path. We always have a good start and a good reason to finish. In Christ we start everything and we finish it with Him. And along in our journey there will be challenges, difficulties, or even changes but also along the way the reason or the purpose becomes clearer that God is walking with us from the start until the finish. We start with God, we finish it with God.
Seguimos caminando para agradar a Dios y seguir la huellas de Jesus.
Fr. Helbert Laurente ANTONG