PARAGUAY/COSTA RICA, Sandra L. Lezcano. It is almost time to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of that first covenant of love that has conquered so many hearts for the Blessed Mother, and it has generated several generations of allies with strong mission awareness. To live Schoenstatt fully implies much more than joining the Movement and having a life group, to live Schoenstatt is to know, love and radiate the charism that our Founder and Father left us as an inheritance. It is to make a difference in the world, allowing the love of God and the Mother Thrice Admirable to mold our entire life. Many may say that it sounds beautiful, but it is not real; I thought it was not applicable to my life, until I had the opportunity to participate in CIEES (Ibero-American Congress of Schoenstatt Businessmen and Executives) last month.
Family spirit
The experience of many of us who participated in this congress was that we felt at home when we arrived in Costa Rica. Previously at the airport, we had received a warm welcome by the Costa Ricans, where as we waited for transportation to the hotel, we began to get acquainted and the serious faces were transformed into smiles, and this is how that bonding with Schoenstatters from other countries and different branches began in a warm atmosphere with laughter and conversations.
Arriving at the hotel felt like going to one of those large family reunions where the re-encounters give joy to the soul and fill one with happiness. I felt myself in my Schoenstatt Family!
I not only felt welcome; but loved
All the love and effort of the family from Costa Rica was visible in the organization of this event. They were attentive to every detail and always with a smile and friendliness that characterizes them. A very touching moment for me was during one of the lunches where Paula and Mauricio approached me; they gave me three little cards with their names and that of Carolina. They told me that during the preparation for the congress their capital of grace was to pray for the people who were going to attend and for the businesses that we represented. The previous night at the beginning of the congress, the family from Costa Rica met and they released balloons to heaven with the names of each one of the businesses, as a symbol of offering them to God, so that he will make them rise to the top. I cannot explain the feeling I had when I heard this; I felt loved and very blessed, it was impossible to hold back the tears. I embraced them and heartily expressed my appreciation. Now I pray for them and ask the Blessed Mother to grant them grace of having a Shrine very soon.
The covenant culture experienced in the business
Every presentation, every testimony was enriching, the work groups also helped us to learn about other realities, many experiences were lived with the Blessed Mother, and a before and after of sealing the covenant of love was noticeable.
Personally, it has helped me very much to attend this congress, to experience myself as the Blessed Mother’s instrument and to nourish the desire of being a leader capable of generating positive changes in my own surroundings and improving the living conditions of the collaborators and their families, thus helping the community and my country.
I was surprised by everything that Father Kentenich left us as a legacy, there is so much to read, to study, to share about his person. I cannot be satisfied with what I know when there is still so much to learn within Schoenstatt.
I learned that there is no better negotiation than the covenant of love in the measure of our commitment with the Blessed Mother. She takes our work into her hands and leads it to success, and she molds the hearts that want to be educated by her.
She strengthens the practical faith in divine providence day by day. She prepares us in the small things to be strong at the time of greater tests. There will always be temptations and obstacles; therefore, it is very important to hold fast to God.
I learned a lot during those days, and I can say that every second was worthwhile.
Get ready!
We need to inspire participation in these congresses even more, above all with the young people, Schoenstatt offers us a world of opportunities, let’s take advantage of them. The size of your business does not matter, but rather, how big do you want it to be. We learn from the people who have accomplished extraordinary changes. They have not only grown as a business, but they also have grown as people in this very exciting business world.
We already have the key to success: to live the covenant culture. Now everything depends on how seriously we take the Blessed Mother’s things including the economic success of our businesses. She will take perfect care.
Spanish/English translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, Texas, USA
