“Life is hunger, thirst, and passion for an ultimate object, which looms over the horizon, and yet always lies beyond it. When this is recognized, man becomes a tireless searcher.”
“And here is the alternative in which man risks himself, even if almost unconsciously: either you face reality wide open, loyally, with the bright eyes of a child, calling a spade a spade, embracing its entire presence, even its meaning; either this, or you place yourself in front of reality, defend yourself against it, almost with your arms flung in front of your eyes to ward off unwelcomed and unexpected blows.”
― Luigi Giussani, The Religious Sense
I love the way Italian priest and philosopher, Luigi Guissani, boils things down to the essential – always looking for the ‘real’ in a world full of temptations and counterfeits. One of the most difficult parts of growing up is learning to face reality, which is often tough and full of suffering, without becoming cynical. While suffering, hardship, and betrayal are a part of human experience, there is, Guissani maintains, hope. Infinite hope awaits those who create space in their hearts to hear and listen to the Christian claim. Jesus’ very existence and his good news have made an impact on the world, and the search for meaning innate in the human heart is entangled in Christ’s Mystery. It is up to us, brothers and sisters sharing in our common humanity, to contend with his claims, to wrestle for the truth in reality. To wrestle in order to find the truth, one must be humble, mature, and free.
How do we grow in this maturity and freedom? How can we face and contend with tough realities but hold our anchor firm to the fount of authentic hope?
Every person is on their own journey, their own unique walk towards God. Each of us must make our best attempt to still the noise of the world so we may enter into our own conversation with God, with the ideas he presents, and the demands he invites us to. The human heart, our individual consciences, is the only place this can occur. How do we grow in the maturity and freedom needed to go on this journey? Pope John Paul II, a man who worked against major resistance in his life to make way for the Gospel of Jesus in the world, would emphasize the need for silence, prayer, and seeking help from teachers and mentors:
“This evening I will give you the Gospel… The word which it contains is the word of Jesus. If you listen to it in silence, in prayer, seeking help in understanding what it means for your life… then you will meet Christ and you will follow him, spending your lives day by day for him!
It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.“ – St. John Paul II, World Youth Day, 2000
What is our prayer for our campers?
Is it that they become great outdoorswomen and men? Yes! Is it that they grow in confidence and social and self awareness? Yes! Is it that they see clearly their own heart and experience enlightening of their own desires, and thus a step closer to their personal calling in life, in a loving and challenging environment? Yes! All of these intentions are great, but the greatest hope is that our campers discover what it means to be really, truly happy in this life, which, ultimately, is anchored in openness to God, to personal friendship with Jesus.
We respect and reverence the journey of every child and staff member who blesses us with their presence at camp and it is certainly not the case here that everyone “finds their faith” at camp. Nonetheless, our prayer is that the face of God is easier to see, and thus God’s delight in us is easier to see here at camp. Everything else spills out of this encounter with our happy God, our God who is so loving and so happy to see us, so happy for us to be ourselves in the world and to let the desires of our heart grow into flourishing talents and a free will well directed. This is our hope and our prayer as our campers head home – may they know how seen, known, and loved they are!
It has been an INCREDIBLE session – we are so grateful to have the support and presence of so many wonderful camp families today at Parents’ Day!
