The Glance Of Jesus

The glance of Jesus is penetrating to the point of making the heart vibrate, and challenges one to take a stand, when it meets the eyes of a person: accepting or refusing his invitation to follow him. The heart, in fact, could find itself in different states namely that of willingness or indifference or of search or hardness…

This ‘common thread’ was the line that guided the monthly meetings this year, of the young people who partook in the path of formation to charity. Then this itinerary was compared with that of St Bartolomea as a help to understand that ‘gifting oneself’ to God and to the brothers and sisters can give fullness of meaning to life, whatever it is. The group, in fact, was formed by students, workers and young couples.

Around 20 of them, coming from diverse situations where our communities serve, gathered together with our sisters for the concluding meeting in the community of Bucharest. It was a unique and intense event (at the end one regrets that time has thus passed so quickly!), because they all involved themselves in the moments of prayer, listening, personal reflection, sharing and in giving testimonies. Helped by the symbolic-signs suitably proposed during various sessions, they lived the day in the joy of being together, of getting to know each other better and, with much seriousness, they wished to express how much they appreciate and consider these meetings useful for their life.

The record of some of the testimonies.

We are very happy regarding the journey done with the group of charity and the friendship that is established among us. We have potentialities, and hope to make them grow and put them into action. However, we have to recognize the level to which we have arrived and must admit that we cannot revolutionize or change the world; nevertheless, it is important that the little we do reach those who are in need. An important aspect is that we keep before us the commitment, and this supposes the involvement on the part of every member of the group: ‘to look’ with the heart and ‘to think’ about the puzzle of which we form a part: the unity in God, our Creator and our Father.

                                                                                                  Andreea e Adrian

 

A sincere thanks to you, animators, because during the journey of formation, you have made each of us feel special and you have helped us to become conscious that we bear Jesus in our hearts, that we are always aware of this Presence! In these days we have said ‘stop’ to noise, chaos, telephone and to our daily preoccupations, that leave no space for ourselves… and you have succeeded, in some way, and you have helped us to give space to ourselves, our heart… to Jesus.

 

   Raluca

 

«Blessed are the pure in heart because they will see God…». I think that the most beautiful commandment that Jesus has given to us is love. If charity is the center and operating principle for each one of us, truly we can see Jesus in the neighbour. The excuses are always perfectly the easy ways to withdraw ourselves from this commitment, to ‘hurt’ the pure heart, which is full of love that Jesus has placed in every one of us.

I went from this meeting with the decision to give more attention to my neighbour, because my heart grows in love and in grace only if I allow myself to be helped by those who are around us. St Bartolomea is an example to be followed. The letters addressed to her friends, in which she requests them to pray for her, show that, alone we cannot succeed to be an active part of the project of God nor be living branches of the Vine.

Bogdan

 

The meeting of the final weekend was a summary of all the topics treated during the journey of the year, with the theme ‘the heart’. For me it was a reconfirmation of the importance of listening to one’s own heart in life. If we respond to the desire of seeking the Lord, that he himself has placed in our heart, and we make our heart to work, having as model that of the Lord, we can become workers in his vineyard, branches that bear much fruit. Working with the heart is a constant practice to maintain it pure, faithful, just, simple, and capable of forgiveness and love, through availability and total openness towards the neighbour. I remained with the idea inspired by the life of St Bartolomea, that we need not do great things, but we must tend constantly towards helping others in our daily life with our heart: this is what the Lord desires from us. If it is an authentic gesture, it will fill us with spirit and life.

Mădălina

 

For us, sisters, the meeting with the young people in Bucharest was a great gift of the Lord. We could contemplate him at work in the hearts of the young people and in ours, in a particular way at the conclusion of the itinerary that has helped us to commit ourselves to the listening of the Word and in the service of charity to the least: abandoned children and those with severe disabilities. Above all it has challenged us to let our heart and life be moulded according to the traits of the heart of Jesus; a challenge that has involved all to take one’s own step in daily life, so that our whole life becomes charity, and the Lord, at the moment of the final encounter, may tell us: Come, blessed of my Father!

We returned to our communities with a great sense of gratitude and with the joy of walking together, learning from one another, listening to each other, because Jesus is present in the other and speaks through the other. In the journey begun, we have accomplished a new step, but already we are called to think of the next one.

The équipe PGV of Romania

 

 

 

 

Riassunto

 

Bucharest

 

The glance of Jesus is penetrating to the point of making the heart vibrate, and challenges one to take a stand, when it meets the eyes of a person: accepting or refusing his invitation to follow him.