Learn To Love – Again

When we were giving out flyers for the April 21 CRS Family Gathering Day, someone looked at the image shown and questioned, “Oh, it’s a day about babies?” Until we gathered at the Waltham Espousal Center’s Chapel Hall on the true Spring-like day, most of us had no idea of what kind of teaching we were to be provided, except for the title: Learning to Love - Again.

We gathered in God’s presence and invited openness to the Holy Spirit by praising and singing.

We prayed that the anointing of the Holy Spirit would fall on CRS Boston Director Vin Cerasuolo as he led us in the day’s teaching . . .

And that the Holy Spirit would fall on all gathered to help us receive the teaching.

Vin’s teaching then invited us to see how our experience, starting from infancy, paralleled the Genesis description of how man was created by God and loved and cared for. But, much like Adam and Eve’s decision to take control, we also seek to do it our way. Essentially, we walk away from our parents’ love and wisdom in the same way as God’s first humans walked away from him.

Coming back to God’s love requires acceptance of our situation and reconciliation.

We then probed approaches to forgiveness and ways to repair the results of this breakdown in the love relationship that was meant for us.

Perhaps the unplanned culmination of the message taught was the opportunity for fellowship as we spread out the picnic tables to enjoy a sunny brown-bag lunch.

All of this under the protective gaze of Mary’s grotto.

Our afternoon session began when a number of people shared their experiences of love, rejection, and reconciliation. We concluded with an hour of Eucharistic adoration and personal prayer stations.

This CRS family gathering day helped members of Boston area prayer groups to grow in understanding of God and to experience the wisdom and power of God’s Holy Spirit moving in his church.