It was Friday and for some reason I struggled to remember
all week that we had retreat this coming weekend. Luckily I had my community to
remind me that I should pack for the weekend. For whatever reason, the Family
Service Retreat came by surprise even though it had been on my calendar all
year long. Friday night, families
started arriving as we put together the final pieces of the retreat.
The family service retreat was like no other retreat we have
had so far. Not only did we get the joy of hanging out with our CYFMers but we
got to enjoy their family too! Teens came, bringing their siblings and parents.
We all had one mission, to serve families in need as a CYFM family and with our
own families. We woke up early Saturday
morning to begin making bunk beds for local families who are in difficult
situations and struggling to provide for their children.
Preparing for the retreat, I reflected on the family
profiles of the families we were serving. I created points of reflection to
help retreatants feel more connected to the people they were serving. As I
created these profiles I prayed for the families and when it came time to make
the bunk beds on Saturday, I felt that I was doing more than just staining
pieces of wood, but something much greater. I knew that these pieces of wood
were going to become a part of a bed for someone in need. Throughout the
weekend, each family spiritually adopted a family in need and we all prayed for
them as we worked.
My favorite part of the retreat was serving with the families
who were on retreat with us. The family dynamics were something to enjoy.
Families seem to be freer to be silly around each other and they tend to make
others laugh by making fun of each other in a loving way. By the end of the
weekend, it was hard to tell who belonged to what family, we all felt like one
big family!
Being far away from my family, I really enjoyed feeling part
of a family. Families have a special kind of love and great a unique
atmosphere. This weekend I really felt like I was with family and felt even
more at home here at CYFM. It was so beautiful to see families being together,
serving together, eating together, and praying together.
Pope Francis has been reminding us the importance of
families. He has been emphasizing the Family as the miniature church and
reminding us that God came to us in a family. Jesus was born into a family and
through this he sanctifies our everyday life. We are all called to be saints,
and it is in the family where this call to sainthood is nurtured. At the family
service retreat I really saw our church alive through all the families that
came to be part of the beautiful weekend!
Until next time
-Sam
No comments:
Post a Comment