Living Differently

By Joe Sullivan, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

The first weekend of September, the Miles Jesu Men’s community conducted the seventh Challenge Youth Retreat. There were ten teen boys participating. 

Once again, the week before the retreat there were only three teens registered. That is when we once again implored St. Expeditus to send more youth to the retreat. God provided!

 The team conducting the retreat not only had Miles Jesu community members but also eight members of the Miles Jesu Challenge Youth Group. Some of them gave talks and others helped in leadership roles.  

One of the young men on our youth team gave a talk to the new retreatants. He is seventeen years old.  

The talk he gave was entitled “Living Differently”. This talk was intended to help young people stay in the grace of God in order to grow in virtue and deepen their spiritual life. He told them that we are called to be Christ’s intimate friend—to be another Jesus in all things. This is to truly be His friend.  

How can we do this? Merely do what friends do. Spend time together and talk, play, open up to each other, listen to each other, help each other. An act of religion should lead to love … but it doesn’t always. 

An act of love is simply love. The act is merely a representation of love. Jesus wants all that we do to be motivated by love. 

What if I don’t feel love? Love is in the will. It is the intention. Over time, Jesus will inflame our hearts – if we allow Him and if we work at it.  

Where is the best place for this to happen? With Him in the Eucharist. Here Jesus is present physically. We just need to be patient and faithful.