The Fraternity Exercises haven't left me with great emotional revelations, but with a certainty and clarity in what has been given to me during these last few months of working on the School of Community. I am personally responsible for the hope Christ has instilled in me, and the means He chose to use; the Fraternity. Christ did not come to solve my weakness but to join me in it and as a friend allow me to rely more and more on Him, a Man who loves me and has chosen me.

There was an experience on the last day of the Exercises that opened me more to our companionship. I've long held a resentment against one of those who were in attendance with me at the Exercises because I judged their occupation to be a great source of injustice in society. Then, just before Mass, we were led in the Veras & Maniscalco song, Peter and Matthew, and in the first verse Peter discusses shunning Matthew for betraying his people for comfort, while in the second Matthew talks about seeing in Peter's eyes the judgement that would forever ostracize him from his people. In the refrain they share a meal together that was made possible by Christ who has chosen them both. I was able to forgive this person and let go of this resentment, because of the One who has chosen us both. Then, during Mass, I was seated in between this person I had resented and a fully vested Ruthenian deacon. The readings for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi were about the Covenant God had made with His people and Christ asking us to partake. I had an experience of the fact of our unity in Christ that we can grow in, whereas before I had reserved some uncertainty, thinking that unity was an ideal we should work towards in charity but might never reach.

Afterwards, something happened which I never thought was possible. The announcements were read, and I found them pertinent to my life. If the everyday struggles of this life are important, then maybe gestures like charitable work and the common fund are an important educational tool for my humanity, rather than something I need to have my stuff together in order to join in.

Michael, Kansas, US