The Annunciation by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Via Wikimedia Commons

Alive Does Mean Present!

"Why is it important for us to follow the Movement when it seems so inconvenient?" With four small children and "hectic schedules," a couple reflects on adhering to the life of the Fraternity.

During the Southwest Regional Spiritual Exercises in 2010, the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation was proposed to us by friends in the Movement. We accepted this proposal because of the companionship we had, a relationship that helps us to face reality together. Over the course of the next eight years, we accepted many more proposals of the Movement. Each “yes” has allowed us the opportunity to grow in our faith and judge the circumstances we face each day.

However, the “yes” to adhere to these gestures is not always easy. Within the drama of our daily life with four children under the age of six, our jobs, and our hectic schedules, we often question our decisions to commit to attending the events of the Movement, which are sometimes up to three hours away for a day trip. Why is it important for us to follow the Movement when it seems so inconvenient? What did we hope to achieve through this effort to attend the Midwest Beginning Day which brings us out of the comfort of our routine?

It can only be the hope to experience Christ through the proposal for us to be present with those who are hoping for the same. Alive does mean present! What was waiting for us there was God through the faces of our friends and the words of Father Giussani. At the end of the day we were not disappointed; rather, our hearts were filled with hope to search for Him in all the aspects of our life. Accepting this gesture made it possible to begin again with the courage to ask, “show your face to us today, Lord.”

Steve and Anna, Ohio, USA