It was when I was approximately 19 or 20 years old that I attended my first Kairos camp. Activities in nature become life lessons from a faith perspective. Revealing, challenging, and experiences of deep wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some time after my camp, I joined a team that organized them, and I learned even more. The activities are so varied that it’s practically impossible to include them all in a single camp. Having the opportunity to be part of a team taught me many of the activities that I didn’t experience at my own camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One activity that was different in nature and consistent across every camp, was about receiving a promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“A promise?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honestly, I didn’t know what it was about. I had no idea. And although I was curious, it didn’t seem to catch my attention enough… Anyway…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before being exposed to this activity, what I heard about promises was that they were something serious and required a lot of commitment. It felt like something even burdensome to fulfill. A phrase I remember hearing repeatedly was:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t promise anything you can’t keep.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your case, how do you perceive promises? Do they “weigh” on you? Do they excite you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since my predisposition toward promises wasn’t necessarily \u201cpositive,\u201d I wasn’t “happy” to know that there was something within the camp related to promises either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking back, I’d heard many broken promises, with their corresponding disappointment. I had had romantic relationships in my youth, where there were lovely moments, only to discover that he was a fake person dating two people at the same time. There were no promises up until that point, but I didn’t feel like checking whether or not he would keep any potential promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In your experience, have you ever had promises broken? What was that like for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within the camp, there were some friends who were familiar with the activity, and they were quite excited about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As camp was almost over, it was time for the promises. Each of us ended up with a small piece of paper in our hands. That piece of paper had a Bible verse, different for everyone. And it was on that piece of paper that the promise was found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After each of us received our promise, we had time to receive it and meditate on it. Nature was the perfect space to support each of us in this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sharing our promise with someone else was completely voluntary. Some loved doing it, and a few others liked to keep it to themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something I found fascinating was that some people received the same promise at different camps, and they took it with great joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was until this point that I personally began to have a more loving perception of what a promise could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And at another point, someone shared with us that God doesn’t forget His promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever perceived any promises from God to you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Scripture, Jesus tells the apostles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Wait here until my Father’s promise is fulfilled.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This place was Jerusalem. And the promise was fulfilled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also, Jesus tells us that he will be with us until the end of the age. And this Bible verse was one of those given as promises at the camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever felt alone? Could you receive this Bible verse not as a promise, but as a reminder that God has always been with you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a way that may not be easy to understand, God holds eternity in the palm of his hand, and what seems to be past and future is always present for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could it be that this is why His message is eternal?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paul reminds us that Jesus, who made promises to us, is faithful to his word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What for us at one moment is a promise, in the future, eventually becomes a reminder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Could you see God’s promises as reminders in your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Spirit leads you, share with Jesus the carpenter the promises you have received from him. And perhaps you will discover that some are not promises, but reminders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marisol<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S. We can hear about what Jesus promises us in the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year\/Cycle C, on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was when I was approximately 19 or 20 years old that I attended my first Kairos camp. Activities in nature become life lessons from a faith perspective. Revealing, challenging, and experiences of deep wisdom. Some time after my camp, I joined a team that organized them, and I learned even more. The activities are […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-2-2"],"yoast_head":"\n