In this first University Easter, we had the participation of 17 university students and 19 Piarists (one Piarist priest, seven religious with simple vows, four pre-novices and seven postulants). This rich experience took place in Samigaluh, a picturesque district of Kulon Progo, west of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, two hours from our community.
Our faith is a pilgrimage, a continuous call to encounter the Risen One in every corner of our existence. Immersed in the silence and simplicity of this rural environment, we had the opportunity to live an intense experience of life and faith, which allowed us to deepen our understanding of the mystery of Easter. This natural and spiritual context provided us with a favourable space to reflect and meditate on the meaning of Pilgrim with Hope towards the Risen One.
The invitation to ‘not stand on the balcony’ challenges us to commit ourselves fully to life. This approach requires not only fortunate daring, but also tenacious patience, virtues that are essential for walking the path of faith. As mentioned in Spes non Confundit, ‘this interweaving of hope and patience clearly shows how Christian life is a journey, which also needs moments of strength to nourish and strengthen hope, an irreplaceable companion that allows us to glimpse the goal: the encounter with the Lord Jesus’ (5). Only by living from the heart will we be able to respond to this invitation.
The moments of prayer, silence, visits to the elderly and sick, and the liturgical celebrations of the Easter Triduum have been profound experiences that have strengthened the hope of our young pilgrims. Each celebration, each song, each gesture has brought us one step closer to the essence of Christian life: the transforming encounter with the Lord of LIFE.
As we conclude this experience, we carry with us the certainty that the journey of faith is a shared journey, a journey that invites us to live intensely in the search for God. Our young people know this because they have seen it and lived it. During these days, they have been allowed to glimpse the sweetness of encountering the Lord in community. And for the Piarist brothers, all this has been an opportunity to grow in faith while growing in our Piarist identity.
We conclude this simple sharing with this quote from Isaiah: ‘See, something new is happening; it is already springtime, do you not notice it?’ (43:19). May this experience help us to be agents of encounter between God and young people. May we be a family, a home where life is kneaded and faith is nourished.
Gregory of Christ Crucified
