From August 2 to 7, we held an “Experiencing God” retreat in Seville (Spain), attended by 22 people from various parts of Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. These were days of silence and prayer, and when the Lord made Himself present, it enabled some of them to “take away something very important: a new way of living life,” as one of the participants expressed- and to leave different than when they arrived.
The content of the talks, their pedagogy -that “journey from existential emptiness to contemplation”-, and the ultimate goal of following Jesus’ footsteps were presented by the Guides (and married couple) Cristina Navarro and Manolo Gestall in such a vibrant way that they undoubtedly contributed to that journey, which consists of “moving from spiritual atrophy to the Supper that renews and enchants,” one participant remarked.
In the silence, an atmosphere of quiet fellowship was created, which became evident on the final day when, as the silence was broken, participants shared stories of shared moments of prayer in chapels and gardens, and when one of the participants handed each person present a small heart-shaped leaf from the tree with which she had been praying.
These have been days of grace and conversion; days of deepening faith and hope for a better future.
Thank God for allowing these gatherings to bring together such diverse people with such different lives into a single communion.
