A Month in Review

The fourth weekend of June was a time for prayer and reflection at the Amigos de Jesus youth group. The youth session began with the recitation of the Rosary on Friday, June 25 at 5:45 pm. Due to the extreme heat, the session began in the courtyard outside the Hope Room.

Following the Rosary, Br. Joseph instructed the youth on the importance of taking stock of their spiritual lives, where they are growing in their relationship with God, the areas that may need to be examined or changed, and the need for ongoing conversion. The spiritual life, Brother said, was like a river current, either one is moving forward into a deeper relationship with God or else the current is moving them backward. For that reason there is a need to examine our lives from time to time. That was the theme for the final session in June.

After writing down one blessing during the last month for which they were thankful to God, one area where they needed growth or change, and one person who was in need of prayers, the youth placed their papers into a basket and proceeded into the church.

Br. Joseph began the prayer service with a reading from the Gospel of St. Mark. In the reading, a young man asks Jesus what he must do to get to heaven. Jesus' reply is clear: follow the commandments. The Ten Commandments are foundational, they are the minimum required to be in a relationship with God. To knowingly and intentionally break a commandment is to sever one's relationship with God. In the Gospel, once the young man had assured Jesus that he had observed the commandments from his youth, Jesus looked on him with love and told him to go, sell his possession and follow Jesus. From these remarks it is clear that, after establishing the basic relationship with God through living the Ten Commandments - and only then - will God call us to our particular and unique vocation.

Brother then exposed the Blessed Sacrament and the youth spent about forty minutes in adoration before Jesus. During this time they prayed for the Church, their parish community, their family, their youth group, and the youth who had wandered away from God and were lost in darkness. Fr. Francisco joined the group and ended the time of adoration with Benediction.

Following, the youth adjourned to the parish office for popsicles and donuts. There was some discussion and review on the past month and on what in particular the youth found most helpful and beneficial. In addition, Kim invited all of the members of the youth group to her birthday party on Sunday at 5:00 pm.

The session ended with prayer at 8:00 pm. As a reminder, next week the group will meet for its regular Friday session. On the next day, Saturday June 3, the group will meet at the parish at 12:30 pm for soccer and a barbecue following. Below is a slide show presentation of images from the session.

May you all be filled with God's peace!
Br. Joseph