The June retreat began with a question and culminated in a surprising answer that sheds light on life: “Where can we truly find Jesus?”
This was the question that served as the central theme for the spiritual retreat of the Associate Servants of Suffering who, together with the Sympathisers, gathered from 5 to 7 June, as is customary, at the Padre Pio Spirituality Centre in San Giovanni Rotondo. The two-day event was characterised by a succession of intense moments of prayer, reflection and fellowship, lived out in the light of the Word of God.
The meditations were led by Fr Carmelo Pellegrino and Fr Giuseppe Tavolacci, whilst the presence of our moderator, Fr Giuseppe Carrieri, further enriched these days of grace and fraternal communion.
Right from the first meditation, Father Carmelo invited the participants to reflect on a desire that dwells in the heart of every person: to be able to see, hear and touch Jesus. A desire that permeates not only the lives of believers, but also those who, whilst not yet knowing Christ, are searching for happiness and a full meaning to their existence.
This quest often comes up against the disappointments and limitations of earthly realities. Yet, as was emphasised during the retreat, Jesus continues to make himself present even today. We can hear him in his Word, which continues to speak to the human heart, and encounter him in the sacraments, in which the Lord truly allows himself to be touched. The question that gave the retreat its title did not go unanswered: Christ does not belong solely to the past, but continues to walk alongside us in our daily lives.
In the afternoon, the reflection focused on the figure of St Francis of Assisi. This is a particularly significant reference for the Servants of Suffering who, as spiritual sons of Padre Pio, have their roots in Franciscan spirituality.
Father Carmelo guided those present in discovering the heart of the Franciscan experience, going beyond the often reductive image of a Francis who was simply in love with nature.
Thought the story of the life of the Saint of Assisi, the Christian meaning of ‘letting go’ emerged powerfully. Francis was able to renounce security, privileges and personal plans, not to pursue suffering for its own sake, but to fully embrace God’s will. A testimony that continues to speak to us today, shedding light on the tribulations and trials that each of us is called to face on our own journey.
Suffering, when entrusted to Christ, does not remain fruitless. Instead, it becomes a place of transformation, a journey of faith and a prelude to the Resurrection. Just as Easter passes through the Cross, so every experience lived in communion with the Lord can open the way to hope and new life.
In his last meditation, Fr Carmelo turned his attention to the concrete vocation of the Servant of Suffering, focusing in particular on the theme of fraternity. Through a simple yet powerful image, he reminded us that we truly love when the other person becomes ‘unbearable’. It is precisely at that moment that Christian love reveals its authenticity, transcending the logic of personal sympathies and preferences.
Fraternity, in fact, is not the same as friendship. Whilst friendship arises spontaneously from shared affinities and interests, a community founded solely on friendship risks splitting into small groups or ‘factions’. Evangelical fraternity, on the other hand, invites us to recognise in the other a brother or sister to be welcomed and served, regardless of our personal preferences.
Living out fraternity therefore means not limiting ourselves to those closest to us or whom we find most likeable, but allowing ourselves to be guided by the needs of others. This is the way of life proposed by the Gospel, and one which the Servants of Suffering are called to bear witness to daily within their communities and in their relationships with one another.
The retreat took place in an atmosphere of deep contemplation, fostering moments of personal prayer, fraternal sharing, listening to the Word, and encountering Christ through the sacraments of Confession and Communion. It was a precious time that enabled the participants to renew their relationship with the Lord and to rediscover the beauty of the charism of the Servants of Suffering.
The initial question continues to guide each person’s journey: “Where can we truly find Jesus?” The meditations pointed to a clear path. We find him in his Word, in the sacraments, in the Church and in the events of our daily lives. We also find him in the brothers and sisters whom the Lord places beside us and in the concrete love with which we are called to serve them every day.