Holy Week in Mennaisian Family in Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
“The Brothers of Santo Domingo Community welcomed us as a Family, Brothers and Lay People, to Celebrate the Passover of Jesus together. As in other years, an Invitation came to us: “Much more than we could DREAM,” and we wanted to discover God’s Dream through the Passover of Jesus.”
“On Good Friday, we enter the Way of the Cross through the Language of the Young People of the last World Youth Day. In the Presence of Pope Francis, the young people represented 14 Stations where today’s World showed its Hardest and most Wounding Side, but also opened itself to Hope, Tenderness, and Reconciliation.”
“A New Community welcomed us, the Community of the Town of Ojacastro. We joined them and they welcomed us into their Parish, a Small, Modest Community, reflecting our Presence.”
“I don’t forget the Children, THEY HAD A GREAT TIME, and I wrote that in Capital Letters, taking care of the Hens and their Chicks. Brother Alberto taught them how to feed them, protect them from the Rain, pick them up without fear, know that chicks needed Warmth and Softness, collect Eggs carefully, not try to collect more Eggs than necessary… and in the Afternoon ‘OJAPARK’: Running, Competing, Jumping and Playing Together.”
“We ended the Day in Prayer with the Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross, words difficult to pronounce, but profound and revealing of the Message of Jesus, God’s Dream for all Humanity.”
“On Saturday we spent the Morning reliving that first Day of the Disciples without Jesus, Helpless, Discouraged, Lost, and Alone… with a Few Key Words, to know how to look for Him, where to wait for Him, where to discover Him: WATER-PEACE, SKY-FREEDOM, FLOWER-BEAUTY, MOUNTAIN-STRENGTH… His Presence revealed itself, spoke to us and revealed itself in Our Own History if we knew how to let ourselves be reached…”
And Mary arrived.
“On Saturday Afternoon, another Witness, Mary, the Mother and the often Silent Disciple: “Mary kept all that in her heart”; sometimes she raised her voice: “Do whatever He tells you.” Mary condensed in a Single Word – “So be it” – the Story of God, the Story of Jesus, beginning with – “Let it be done to me according to Your Word” – ending with “Your Will be done, not mine.”
nnaisian College of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
“Then, Silently, Timidly, Slowly, Unhurriedly but in Company, we set off on the Road to Emmaus, walking to the City of Santo Domingo. In Pairs, in Groups, Picking Flowers, or Napping, Playing, or Remembering Moments of Shared Life, Projecting Ourselves into near Futures… a Warm Feeling was Felt – “were not our hearts burning?”
 Time of Blessing |
 Time of sharing, of laughing… |
“At the end of the Day, we returned to Ojacastro, that time with the feeling that we knew each other better. We awaited the Celebration of Easter in Community, the Joy of the Light that flooded Life, the Joy of the Risen Jesus. The End of the Day was Simple, with a Dinner shared with the Community of Santo Domingo and a Table set on another Table full of Laughter, Confidences and Friendly Glances, of friends gathered in His Name.”
Photo of the group
“And finally, a New Message: “Return to Galilee, there you would find Him.” We packed Our Bags, said Goodbye with a “See you Soon,” and began a New Journey to our places (Bilbao, Santo Domingo, Portugalete, Burgos, Valladolid, Madrid, Zamora, Nanclares, etc.), our Realities (School, Work, Family, Community, etc.), Our Backpacks (Loneliness, Illness, Discouragement, Fatigue, Routine, etc.), but a Fragile Hope accompanied us, like a Breath of Wind, a Whisper more than a Roar: “He lives.”
Testimony of María Hernando