Our Lenten journey reached its conclusion with our beautiful Holy Week celebrations. I still vividly remember the first time I participated in all the Holy Week services at Newman as a young college student (with a full head of hair!). I was so moved by the Holy Thursday call to service in the communities participation in the washing of the feet, the solemn, prayerful veneration of the Cross on Good Friday, and the movement from darkness to light at the Easter Vigil as we were beckoned to come to the water, singing Alleluia. Our Lord’s passion, death and Resurrection took on a whole new meaning back then, and I continue to be nourished by our community’s prayerful celebrations of His saving actions.
It is this Pascal Mystery – His living, dying and rising that nourishes me as I serve as a campus minister. And it is this graced power that animates the many students that are busy preparing for next weekend’s Aggie Awakening 8. It is quite fitting that this semester’s retreat will happen during the Easter Season. At the very heart of the retreat experience is the hope, and thus the focus of all the staff’s efforts, that retreatants may recognize a deeper desire for relationship with Christ, be drawn into an experience of Christ and be awakened to a new way of life, following and loving Christ more deeply.
As you bask in the glory of the Resurrection, please keep staff and retreatants for Aggie Awakening 8 in your prayers. If you are, or know of any student who is interested in the retreat, there are still a few spots available, shoot us an email to get more info, or to sign up: [email protected].
Peace.
Sal