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Autumn rhythm on the hill Throughout the autumn groups from Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland as well as from other European countries continue to take part in the meetings for a week or for a few days. A new brother, from France, entered the community, receiving the white prayer robe during the prayer one evening during September. And for several weeks an Orthodox monk from Belarus is staying with us in Taizé. At the same time the work teams led by the young volunteers repair and put away all the things from the summer: the family quarter "Olinda" has been closed for the winter and a lot of the tents have been taken down. Making the most of the calmer period, the young volunteers staying for year to help with the welcome spent some time reflecting together on the theme of hospitality as a reflection of universal solidarity. During the month of September Christian communities throughout the world pray for creation, at the invitation of the Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople who Brother Alois will visit, along with 100 young people in January. In Taizé, among the regular intentions we also pray "for those who devote their strength to the protection of creation". And in the romanesque village church in Taizé the stained glass window of Francis of Assisi reminds us of his pioneering role with his call to simplify our way of life. The Church, One Family Gabriel (The Philippines) During a meeting between volunteers and leaders of the Protestant Church of Germany, including the Chairman Nikolaus Schneider, we first talked about our common life, understanding between different people and links created with thousands of people around the world. So our stay here is based on the Gospel and is an experience of learning a life where God is at the centre. One of us asked the guests how they would define a Church with is alive, and they mentioned the importance for the Church to be a place where all consider themselves as members of the same family. Similarly, in Taizé, Christians come together as one body in the Church of Reconciliation and the pastor’s conclusion was, "You are my hope for the unity of the Christian Churches." Understanding and Acceptance Theodora (Greece) This was my first visit to Taizé and I was very happy to stay as a volunteer for a month and a half. At first, some things were new to me but it wasn’t difficult to adapt to the life of the community. The first thing that struck me was the large number of young people who come here, but also the fact that they remain silent for the entire prayer. Of all the work I was given to do, I particularly liked the work in the church. What I will remember from my time here is that we all come from very different political, cultural and religious backgrounds, but it is the Christian spirit in all of us that unites us. As an Orthodox Christian, I will continue to carry with me the understanding and acceptance that I found in the other Christians that I met and with whom I lived and shared during my stay. "You have helped me so much, thank you!" Franz (Germany) After coming to Taizé for Holy Week, I decided to return to spend the whole summer here since I was free from university. For two and a half months I had a great time as a volunteer, which made a real mark on my life. At the end of the summer, someone I did not recognize came up to me and said, "You’re the one I spoke to when I arrived after a long journey, you helped me so much, thank you." As I didn’t remember the incident, it showed me that one of the most important things during my stay was just doing what God asks: to love your neighbour even to the point that you don’t even remember when we did. Televised Eucharist On 9 September, the Sunday Eucharist was broadcast live from Taizé on the TV channel France 2 as part of the programme “Le jour du Seigneur”, with the community of brothers and the thousand young people present this week. The programme included four short reports presenting the community and the welcome of the young as well as a live interview with Brother Alois. During the celebration, a meditation was given by Brother Alois. September: At the end of the summer, the meetings continue The busy summer weeks are now over. With smaller numbers of young participants, the international meetings still continue from week to week. Weather problems made life a bit more complicated in late August, mainly due to a storm and a strong hailstorm, which fortunately did not cause any accidents. Several church leaders recently visited Taizé, including the Catholic bishops of Bamberg in Germany, Archbishop Ludwig Schick, and Soissons in France, Hervé Giraud. From Germany, the community also welcomed the president of the Protestant Church in Germany, Präses Nikolaus Schneider, as well as the Lutheran bishops Markus Dröge from Berlin, visiting for a few hours, and Jochen Bohl, who came from Dresden with a large group of young people. From Britain, bishops from the Anglican dioceses of Coventry, Hereford, Manchester, Southwark and Winchester came to visit. Another important visit was that of Bishop Servilien Nzakamwita, Catholic Bishop of Byumba in Rwanda, in charge of youth ministry in his country. He stayed in Taizé for several days, a few weeks before the international meeting of young adults to be held in Kigali from 14-18 November. During his stay, he met with the brothers, the volunteers, and the young people from Africa who were in Taizé this summer. As stated by Brother Alois in one of the meetings that took place every Thursday evening in the Church of Reconciliation, “In Taizé we have, week after week throughout the year, the experience that Christ can bring us together beyond all borders. This communion is a miracle that never ceases to amaze us. It is by living such a miracle that the reconciled Church could become the nucleus of a universal communion.” Workshops with young people from Ukraine ↑ and Korea ↓ Towards a new solidarity: some workshops at Taizé Initiated in Berlin by Brother Alois, the journey “towards a new solidarity” was marked this summer in Taizé by several workshops dealing with the topic. Some brought together young visitors and volunteers, others were animated by outsiders who spoke about their commitment in the European Parliament or the Global Fund to fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. In the most recent one, Jérôme Vignon, chairman of the “Semaines Sociales de France,” raised especially these two questions: “Must generosity come to save solidarity?” and also “How can young Europeans give new life to solidarity among nations?” August: The Feast of the Transfiguration celebrated at the height of summer Throughout the summer, the meeting have brought together between 3000 and 4500 people each week. Earlier this week, the icon of the Transfiguration was placed in the choir of the church to mark this feast, celebrated on the 6th August. As every year, it’s in early August that the number of participants in the weekly meetings reaches its peak. The Church of Reconciliation and its extensions were too small for the 4000 visitors, and a second place of worship was opened in a tent nearby. This week the young participants come from 75 different countries. There are of course many Europeans each week, but there are also groups coming from the United States, Israel, Korea. In the last few days visitors from Haiti and China were given an especially warm welcomed. Bishop Rivière, the Bishop of Autun, the diocese where Taizé is located, came to visit the community. The Secretary General of the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria led several meetings around the theme of global solidarity, springing from the theme of Brother Alois’ letter for 2012. On the same path which leads to God Marta (Ukraine) "Young adults and children, we could all could spend a few day in prayer, singing, sharing and silence that we sometimes need very much. It was a sharing of experience and invaluable advice, but also funny stories - here, we share everything, what unites people from different countries and continents. Common life here in Taizé is built by each and every one. And we are all on the same path which leads to God." With God and with each other Joseph (Myanmar) A Christian cannot be Christian if he is alone, and here I found a strong emphasis on the importance of community life, sharing and prayer together to communicate with God and with each other. It encourages me to live simply, and build trust and peace with others. Do not be afraid to meet others! Lucie (Czech Republic) For me, it’s a little mystery, but in Taizé it’s sometimes so easy to have a very interesting conversation with someone from another country or even another continent. Among those I met during my stay was a boy from Korea. When we were talking and when he asked me some questions, I felt he really knew me from the inside. I think at Taizé, we can not only meet God during prayers at the church but also through the people. Do not be afraid to meet others! July: Summer in full swing Since the beginning of July, each week sees the number of visitors to Taizé growing. At the same time the diversity of the participants also becomes greater and greater. Among the groups from especially far away were young people from Thailand, China, Israel, and also visitors from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. There are a lot of volunteers from Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, as well as from Europe, staying in Taizé for several weeks or months. We have also had several Church leaders visiting the community: Pastor Setri Nyomi from Ghana, General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches; Archbishop Minnerath of Dijon and several Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops from England, Italy and Porto Rico; an Orthodox professor from Thessaloniki; Father Quicke from the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, among others. Among the special events highlighting the diverse backgrounds of the participants, some were led by American musicians, young people from Denmark and a youth choir from Belarus. Several new themed workshops have been launched recently: "The mystery of the face, seen by ten photographers", "Theatre Workshop: discover a biblical passage differently", "The life of faith: a call for creativity and intelligence". Among many others, the workshops on "Solidarity with all creation: our responsibility to tomorrow’s world" continue to bring together young people week after week. June: Pentecost The celebrations of Ascension and Pentecost were spent together with several thousand young people. Besides those from all over Europe, some had a long journey from the U.S.A. or Korea, Hong Kong or Rwanda. During these international meetings, our prayers were particularly united with the sufferings of the Syrian people, with those of the victims of the earthquake in northern Italy and with the children of refugee camps in Darfur. If we listen to God with trust, anything is possible Artur (Poland) This was my first visit to Taizé, and I had been waiting for this moment. From the beginning I was touched by the simplicity. It allows us, the young participants, to discover what is most important in our lives - in this simplicity I could feel the full freedom of human beings. I came here to celebrate Pentecost with people from around the world. We were from different cultural backgrounds, we had all had different experiences in life, but despite this we discovered that we had the same goal: finding the source deep within our soul. We spoke about fundamental questions of our faith. And all the answers are summarized in one word: trust. If we listen to God with confidence, anything is possible! During my stay, I spent two days in silence. It was a great experience: now I know I should be more responsible for the words I use. Even more, I could open myself to God’s presence in silence. It was the best preparation for the feast of Pentecost. I know that the week in Taizé was a new beginning in my own pilgrimage of trust. With the new experiences I had here, I want to share the joy that was given to me. May: The international meetings continue all through the spring Since Easter, the meetings in Taizé continue , bringing together each week between 1000 and 1500 young people, mostly from Germany, France, Netherlands and Sweden. At the beginning of May, a group came from Moscow. They were accompanied by an Orthodox priest who, at the end of one of the prayers, blessed two new icons: the hospitality of Abraham (representing the Trinity) and Christ the Saviour, painted by one of the brothers. During the meeting in Berlin, Brother Alois invited the young people to reflect together on possible ways “towards a new solidarity”. During these last weeks in Taizé, a workshop has brought together volunteers and young visitors to reflect on one accent of this theme: “Solidarity with the whole of creation – our responsibility for the world of tomorrow”. Also, the young people are invited to share a mid day meal in small groups on the question: “Solidarity brings joy: have I already experienced this?” Thinking back to the pilgrimage to Moscow last year Gijs (Netherlands) During my week in Taizé, we had some time to watch the movie that was done during our Easter pilgrimage to Moscow one year ago. After the film we shared some of our experiences in Moscow with the others. The pilgrimage created some lasting connections for many of us, and a sense of closeness and communion with the Russian Orthodox part of the Church, as the Body of Christ. This is made tangible in the prayers of this Easter week, too: every midday prayer we sing “XpиcToc Bockpece” (Christ is risen), the song used in the Orthodox liturgy to celebrate the joy of the resurrection. I hope this can be a small first step in making this communion concrete and visible. Difference but not indifference Saw Htoo (Myanmar) It’s amazing to see many people gather in unity and seek the will of God together. People of different ages volunteer themselves to serve. This spirit of service teaches us not to be indifferent. We may be different in many ways, but we can’t afford to be indifferent in any way. Being different is a sign of diversity while being indifferent is a sign of passivity. We need to create more space for other people in our hearts. April: Easter : “Let us welcome the joy of the Resurrection!” On Easter morning, the procession of the pascal candle in the Church of Reconciliation You can experience two of the high points of the Holy Week celebrations: see images taken at 3pm on Friday listen to the podcast from the Easter Sunday morning Eucharist. http://www.taize.fr/IMG/mp3/taize_podcast_2012_04_12_easter.mp3. Maunday Thursday As Easter approaches, pilgrims from all over Europe and from other countries in the world, arrive in Taizé for the weekend. Many have come for the first time; others are already familiar with life on the hill. Everyone has come to share their common faith. On Maunday Thursday, during the evening Eucharist, Brother Alois washed the feet of the brothers, of some children and of some young people from different continents, in memory of the last supper of the Lord. Like each evening of the week, a prayer intention was said for those who are suffering: Syria. Good Friday On Good Friday Christians remember the death of Jesus. Today, Brother Alois went to Paris where he was invited to lead a Way of the Cross on the Champs Elysées, with young people from four continents and hundreds of Parisians. Meanwhile, at 15 hours, a bell rang out in Taizé – a reminder of the hour given by the Gospel for the moment when Jesus breathed his last. All those who were walking, speaking, singing, working… stopped for several minutes of silence. Many of the young people were very touched by this moment of communion, lived out in silence with the thousands of pilgrims present. During the evening prayer, the icon of the Cross was carried throughout the Church of Reconciliation by several brothers; then it was laid on the floor, and throughout the night, brothers and young people prayer around it. Holy Saturday Several of the theme workshops helped people enter into the celebrations of the Easter Triduum, like the Easter readings from the Gospels and listening to the Saint Matthew’s Passion During mid day prayer, the icon of the Resurrection was presented in the church; showing Christ’s descent into hell, from where he draws Adam and Eve. In the evening, a brother from the Netherlands made his lifelong commitment in the community. Afterwards, Brother Alois gave an Easter meditation which concluded with special greetings for young adults from Myanmar who were spending the week in Taizé. Easter Sunday Under a grey sky, some of the young people started preparing for departure early in the morning, taking down their tents and closing up their bags. But once everyone was gathered in the church for the Easter Morning Eucharist, sadness soon turned to joy. From the first sounds of “Lumen Christi”, then the Alleluia” sung for the first time since Ash Wednesday, everyone expressed their joy at the good news of the resurrection of Christ. After the reading of the Gospel and the celebration of the Eucharist, Brother Alois launched the Easter greeting: “Christ is risen” in several dozen languages; to which everyone replied in their own language “He is truly arisen!” At the end of the prayer, with the sun shining brightly and the bells ringing out, the young people could say their goodbyes in joy. Monday Quite exceptionally, at Easter the day for welcoming new arrivals is Monday and not Sunday. Nearly 4000 young people left and among the 4000 new arrivals during the day, the great majority were German. During the times of prayer together at Easter, the Bible readings tell of the meetings of the Risen Christ with his disciples and the songs remind everyone of the joy of Easter. On the way towards Easter Spring has arrived on the hill! Although the crowds have not arrived yet, the coming Easter celebrations make themselves felt more and more. Among the groups who have visited Taizé over the last few days, there was a number of children from the region taking part in the "awakening to faith"; there were young Germans with disabilities, happy to take part in the practical jobs and to meet the others. One young parson said it was like a reflection of the joy of God. Preparations for the coming big weeks are well under way. With the help of young visitors, over 50 large tents have gone up in the camping area; the big kitchen has started up again after the winter; the volunteers are getting ready to coordinate the welcome and the practical jobs. March: Lent, in the joy of turning towards God Through the month of March, the community and the meetings follow the rhythm of Lent. During these weeks, the prayers take on a special hue, with the sung introductions and appropriate responses. For several days, among the visitors it was young adults from the United States who were most numerous on the hill. A group of pastors from Indonesia also came for a short stay. Lunch distribution The first evening of Lent, called “Ash Wednesday”, the brothers placed a little ashes on the foreheads of the young people present, with the words, addressed to each one personally, “Trust in the Gospel”, which echoes the words of Jesus in Mark 1,15: “The Kingdom of God is close at hand. Turn towards God and trust in the Gospel.” Brother Alois prayed that evening: God of goodness, today we hear your call: “Come to me with all your heart.” We recognise before you how often we lack charity. But you know our trials and our poverty, and we turn towards you without fear, for you are tenderness and compassion. And the joy of forgiveness becomes our life. A visit to the World Council of Churches in Geneva At the beginning of March, Brother Alois, with other brothers and some young adults from many countries, went to Geneva for a time of exchange with the Secretary General of [the World Council of Churches, Olav Fykse Tveit, and the leaders of the World Lutheran Federation and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Martin Junge and Christine Greenaway. Prayer together in the chapel of the ecumenical centre Following their visit, some of the volunteers wrote down some of their impressions. Clémence (France). “Right after being welcomed, we gathered for a prayer in the style of Taizé, full of a great sense of communion with our hosts. Next, we were taken on a visit to the principle places of the World Council, like the chapel which is so special and full of meaning by its architecture open to the world: for example, in the place of walls, immense wooden panels with squares to let in the light. Our guide also took us to see the vast conference hall which has a tapestry representing symbolically, on a background of green pastures, the different churches of the world.” Ola (Poland). “The meeting in the big group started off with a very helpful overview of how ecumenism is experienced and lived out in our respective communities, at Taizé, in Geneva and in Bossey. Then small group discussion made it possible for everyone to take part and to be very open in expressing their opinions. Finally, we all came together again to share the different challenges which confront us in the contemporary world and the means that we as Christians can call upon to respond to these challenges.” Jessica (New Zealand). “It was very interesting for me to hear about the work they are doing which involves discussing issues with various churches and church leaders to help build understanding between these different churches. Their experience of working towards ecumenism through dialogues with different churches is quite different to my experience of trying to live ecumenically while volunteering here in Taizé. However we could all identify with the challenges but also the great beauty of living, praying and working with people from different countries, cultures and churches.” Sinjo (India). “The most important thing for me was the energy these church leaders dispense in view of a greater unity between Christians, enabling a better understanding of different cultures across the world.” A vision of life shared by others Tania (Ukraine) Living for seven months at Taizé was for me the sign that I belong to a real Christian family. Now I have so many brothers and sisters around the world. I discovered that to be surrounded by believers in everyday life is a great gift. Sometimes it can be quite challenging to live out your faith in society. But when you know that your vision of life is shared by others it’s easier to be yourself. Thus, I saw that it is more than blood or language that makes people relatives, it is faith. One of the other great gifts for me personally was prayer in silence. Not too long, but not too short either, just enough for a sincere dialogue with God. By praying regularly I discovered even more how through the Bible God can support and guide us every day. Youth team putting up tents February: in the chill of winter As in most parts of Europe, the winter chill has settled on the hill of Taizé. Although far from large cities, the prayers of the brothers and the young people remembers those who are suffering from the difficult climatic conditions, especially those who in our developed societies are without housing. A group of orphans from Poland, from the region of Lublin, followed after a large number of Czechs who were here at the beginning of February. With the start of the high school vacations, it is now high school students from the South of France who are the most numerous. Visiting the Community, Pastor Sophie Schlumberger spent a day sharing with the brothers on Bible reflection and the themes being prepared for the meetings over the coming months. Her husband, Pastor Laurent Schlumberger, President of the National Council of the Reformed Church of France, had a meeting with the youth volunteers. Trust between human beings Lorenz (Allemagne) During our reflection week at the beginning of February, we considered the theme of “trust between human beings”. After several days of sharing on the value and the difficulties of trust in relationships and putting trust into practise, we met with Pastor Laurent Schlumberger, President of the National Council of the Reformed Church of France, who was making a short visit to Taizé. Reflecting on the theme of trust, he helped us become aware of the unconditional love of God for each human being, independently of all his or her acts and decisions. In a clear and insistent manner, he developed the conviction: it is God who gives to each person a meaning to life; he assigns a place to each one” But how do we understand, concretely, the place that God prepares for us? His reply was surprising: “I do not know… and I am not worried about it”. For the fact that God takes care of us goes together with the trust he places in each one of us. A trust that enables us to recognise ourselves as children of God, and to trust in one another and to love one another. Questions followed: how can I be sure of the trust of God, or what is the relation between trust and egoism and the mistrust that seem so natural to human beings? We reflected together on possible replies, until time ran out and obliged us to bring to an end this interesting afternoon. January: The Meetings Resume After the meeting in Berlin, brothers, sisters and volunteers have returned to Taizé. The welcome began again, and the young adult meetings have now begun again in earnest, for example with thirty young people from the United States, mostly Presbyterians. On Epiphany Sunday, after the celebration of the Eucharist, the brothers and all those present came out in front of the Church of Reconciliation to sing one last time near the Christmas crib. On January 12, two years after the earthquake in Haiti, prayer became more intense in communion with that people. God of goodness, grant us to welcome your mercy and allow it to overflow from our lives to those we meet. Today we entrust to you especially the people of Haiti, those working to rebuild the country. And we thank you for the faith and perseverance to keeps this beloved people on their feet. Mikaël (France, Toulouse) At the Berlin meeting, Brother Alois spoke of the silent retreats offered at Taizé. I experienced this during the month of January in the house for boys, called "le Puits (the Well)". During those few days I made many discoveries about my life, my personality and the Bible. Meditating on the announcement of the death and resurrection of Christ in different parts of the Bible made me realize the importance of the person of Jesus in the history of the world, but especially in my life. Thanks to the attention of two volunteers who took care of our meals during the week, and regular meetings with a Taizé brother, we managed in a few days to reach a relative inner silence—a face-to-face encounter with ourselves—which reveals a lot about us. I was able to discover in my personality a lot of very positive things, but this solitude also revealed the less glorious features of my character, about which I now know I must be careful. I also took long afternoon walks around the countryside of Taizé and meditated in churches in nearby villages. I found in this contact with nature a more peaceful life and a more human pace that I will try to maintain even in a different environment. It was a very rewarding experience, but on the last day after the Eucharist, I was overjoyed to finally be able to talk and laugh again with my friends!
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Rujan: Odjeci radne skupine »Nova solidarnost« Tijekom ljeta, svim zainteresiranim mladima bila je predložena poludnevna radna skupina koja se bavila temom »Pisma 2012.-2015.« brata Aloisa. Cilj ove skupine bilo je živjeti tjedan dana intenzivnog traganja i dijeljenja, ali i pripremiti radionicu na kraju tjedna, otvorenu za sve na kojoj su predstavili svoje plodove i otkrića. Skupina je također primila brojne posjetitelje koji su se zaustavili na nekoliko dana u Taizéu. Među tim osobama bila je sr. Cécile Renouard, stručnjakinja u pitanjima etike u gospodarstvu, koja je govorila o svom istraživanju i iskustvima u raznim zemljama na jugu. Isusovac Henri Madelin govorio je o prihvaćanju izbjeglica i migranata. Jonathan Miles, porijeklom iz Amerike, govorio je o radu organizacije »Shevet Achim« koja palestinskoj, iračkoj i sirijskoj djeci omogućuje operacije srca u izraelskim bolnicama. Dva volontera koji su živjeli mjesec dana u južnošpanjolskom gradu Huelva također su podijelili svoja iskustva, zajedno s tamošnjim župnikom. MEP Philippe Lamberts vodio je raspravu o odgovornosti kršćana u traženju općega dobra. Konačno, posljednji govornik na početku rujna, bio je biskup alžirske biskupije Oran, Dominikanac Jean-Paul Vesco, koji je s mladima razmatrao mogućnosti dijaloga između vjernika različitih religija. Lipanj: Na brežuljku sve je spremno! Ovih dana počinju tjedni s najvećim brojem mladih u godini. U lipnju, volonteri koji dulje žive u Taizéu pripremaju se za ovo ljeto. U posljednjih nekoliko tjedana, mladi Šveđani bili su najbrojniji. Počevši s Afrikancima, volonteri s različitih kontinenata sada svake subote vode radionice na kojima predstavljaju svoju zemlju. Skupina iz Bjelorusije došla je s dvojicom pravoslavnih svećenika, a uz pjesme iz svoje zemlje govorili su o svojem životu. Taizé je posjetio i odbor Protestantske federacije Francuske sa svojim predsjednikom, pastorom Claudeom Batyjem. Između ostalog, sastali su se s prisutnim pastorima iz drugih zemalja: iz Švedske, Njemačke, Engleske, ali također i iz Koreje, Tajvana, SAD-a... Katolički biskup iz Burundija došao je na nekoliko dana u Taizé. Posjet ukrajinskog pravoslavnog biskupa Taizéu Ovoga lipnja, biskup Hilarion iz biskupije Makaryiv Ukrajinske pravoslavne crkve, posjetio je Taizé, zajedno s dvojicom svećenika. S obzirom da su u istom sastavu već nedavno sudjelovali na Europskom susretu u Rimu, možemo se radovati da prijateljstvo raste. Program boravka uključivao je i susret s mladim volonterima iz različitih zemalja. Jedna od njih, Karolina iz Poljske, dijeli svoje dojmove: Iako sam očekivala govor o složenosti liturgije ili o trenutnoj situaciji Pravoslavne crkve, biskup Hilarion je govorio o onome što svi kao kršćani dijelimo. Jednostavno, ali vrlo dirljivo govorio je o potrebi da prihvaćamo ljude onakvima kakvi jesu, da ih ljubimo bez predrasuda ili stereotipa. _ Također nas je pitao što mi mladi volimo u Taizéu, a posebno zašto smo odlučili ostati ovdje duže. Kako je biskup jasno naglasio da ne želi „naučene“ odgovore, to mi je stvarno pomoglo da razmišljam o tome što me je privuklo ovdje. Uživala sam u sažetku koji je na kraju dao: Razumio je da doći u Taizé znači priliku učiti kako živjeti kao kršćanin, tako da, po povratku kući, budemo sposobni nastaviti živjeti s Bogom. Svibanj: Odjeci raznih susreta Mikaël (Francuska) Tijekom svog tjedna u Taizéu, bio sam vrlo ugodno iznenađen kvalitetom razgovora koje smo imali u mojoj maloj skupini nakon biblijskog uvoda. Zahvaljujući slušanju ostalih članova grupe, mogao sam na vrlo dubok način govoriti o događaju u svom životu koji je za mene bio težak, a svatko od nas imao je osobnu priču koja se odnosila na biblijski tekst. Činjenica da smo morali razgovarati na engleskom, našem jedinom zajedničkom jeziku, nije bila problem, naprotiv; to nas je poticalo da jasno izrazimo svoje ideje kako bi ih ostali dobro razumjeli. Esther (Španjolska) Po prvi put, provela sam tjedan dana u tišini. Bilo je teško! No, shvatila sam jednu od najvažnijih stvarnosti svoga života, Bog je uvijek sa mnom. I ne samo da je sa mnom i da ostaje uz mene, nego me on voli. Čitala sam Bibliju više nego inače i shvatila sam da je Isus to često govorio svojim učenicima, pogotovo Petru. Kao i ja, i on je napravio mnogo grešaka, kao i ja, i on se ponekad bojao, ali uvijek mu je Isus oprostio, on ga je volio. I meni također on oprašta i on me voli. Tako sam shvatila da je Bog sa mnom, u meni, ne samo kada ga osjećam, nego i kada nemam osjećaja da sam dobra kršćanka, kada se osjećam jako daleko od njega. A sada je On središte mog života, moj razlog da nastavljam svoje volontiranje na brežuljku. Elinor (Švedska) Razdoblje mog života u kojem se trenutno nalazim poziva me naučiti više o sebi, o svijetu, o Bogu te o njegovim planovima za mene. Došla sam u Taizé i otkrila sam puno dobrote u Bogu, u drugima... te u meni! Među ljudima u Taizéu, osjećaj međusobnog povjerenja čini da želiš pomoći drugima i to stvara osjećaj sigurnosti. Iskustvo te dobrote, osjećaja povjerenja i zajedništva bio je važan korak u mojoj potrazi za Bogom. Elena (Njemačka) Tijekom svog boravka u Taizéu, moje prvo veliko iskustvo dogodilo se dok sam stajala u redu za hranu. Jedna mi se djevojka, koju prije nisam poznavala, vrlo prijateljski obratila. Ugodan je osjećaj razgovarati s ljudima na taj način i stvarati nova prijateljstva; za mene je to najljepša stvar koja mi se dogodila u Taizéu: upoznaješ toliko ljudi s kojima uvijek imaš nešto zajedničko. Travanj: od Uskrsa do Duhova Oko Uzašašća i Duhova, susreti mladih dostigli su drugi vrhunac ove godine, s velikom većinom mladih Nijemaca. Također su došli mladi s drugih kontinenata koji će u Taizéu ostati sve do kraja ljeta, između ostalog iz Indije, zapadnoafričkog Benina, Madagaskara i Kolumbije. Tjedan dana nakon Uskrsa po julijanskom kalendaru, došla je skupina iz dvije moskovske župe; na kraju svoga boravka animirala je radionicu na temu: »Biti kršćanin u današnjoj Rusiji«. Braća Zajednice ovih su se tjedana morala oprostiti od najstarijeg od svoje braće, brata Jean-Pierrea, švicarskog podrijetla, koji je umro u dobi od 94 godine. Dobra vijest stigla je iz Afrike: mladi Tanzanijac, koji živi s braćom u Keniji, stupio je u Zajednicu. Brat Alois je ovom povodom bio u Nairobiju kako bi ga obukao u bijelu haljinu braće. Ožujka: Veliki tjedan i Uskrs Na uskrsno jutro, brat Alois je izrekao sljedeću molitvu: Isuse Kriste, ti si živ; smrt te nije mogla zadržati u svojoj vlasti! Potreseni smo ovom nevjerojatnom viješću. Ti otvaraš prolaz ondje gdje se sve činilo i zatvorenim. Dah tvojega Duha dopire do naših očajavanja i ogorčenja. Ti rušiš zidove razdvajanja među ljudima i vraćaš dostojanstvo najsiromašnijima. Ti nas šalješ da svijetu donosimo nadu novoga života. Ova molitva na mnogim jezicima: Veliki tjedan 2013. u Taizéu Sergio iz Portugala proveo je deset dana oko Uskrsa u Taizéu. On je vodio dnevnik i pitao je mlade da pismeno doprinesu. Evo njegovog teksta: Četvrtak, 28. ožujka - pranje nogu Dan je započeo na hladnoći, dok su ljudi ulazili u crkvu na jutarnju molitvu. Nakon doručka, mladi ljudi su se pridružili biblijskim uvodima koje vode braća. Tijekom podnevne molitve, jedan je mladić iz Čada ušao u Zajednicu, brat Alois mu je odjenuo bijelu haljinu koju braća nose na zajedničkim molitvama. Istoga je dana stiglo još više od tisuću ljudi iz različitih zemalja, povisivši broj prisutnih na 3300 ljudi koji su u Taizéu živjeli Uskrsni vikend. Tijekom večernje molitve, nakon čitanja Evanđelja u kojem je Isus podijelio svoju zadnju večeru sa svojim učenicima, pranje nogu bilo je dojmljiv trenutak. Ove godine po prvi put, braća su prala noge svim prisutnim mladima. To je ostavilo jak dojam na mnoge ljude koje sam naišao: »Unatoč činjenici da sam unaprijed znao da će braća tijekom molitve svima oprati noge, doživjeti to za mene je bilo veliki simbol poniznosti i služenja.« (Marta iz Portugala) »Već sam bio u Taizéu nekoliko puta za Veliki tjedan. Ove godine, ono što me najviše dirnulo bila je molitva na Veliki četvrtak, tijekom koje brat Alois obično pere noge braći. Ovaj put, braća su se proširila diljem crkve i prala noge svima. Bilo je to veliko iznenađenje i doživljaj!«(Nadia iz Italije) »Ja sam bio ovdje nekoliko puta u Taizéu, ali ovaj put je pranje nogu bilo vrlo dirljivo. Svi oni koji su bili prisutni sudjelovali su u tome. A Zajednica nije samo primila mlade ljude, ona im je raspolaganju. To je način da se Uskrs živi u jednostavnosti i radosti.« (Marko iz Portugala) Zatim, večer molitve nastavila se euharistijskim slavljem. Foto: Pedro (Portugal) Petak, 29. ožujka – Veliki petak U jutarnjim satima, mnogi su osjećali bol Velikog petka. Činilo se također da je vrijeme pridonijelo tugovanju. Nakon jutarnje molitve i doručka, hodočasnici na brdu su se pridružili biblijskim uvodima ili radnim skupinama. Toga se dana komentirao tekst iz Evanđelja po Mateju (26,36-46). Tijekom poslijepodneva, u 15 sati, zvono je zvonilo nekoliko minuta. Svi du tada zastali na trenutak promišljanja i molitve, u tišini, uz zvuk zvona. To je bio dojmljiv trenutak, koji je svima omogućio da se prisjete Isusove muke, točno na sat njegove smrti prema Evanđelju. U večernjim satima, molitva je započela s procesijom križa koji su nosila braća kroz veliku Crkvu pomirenja. Nakon molitve, braća su kleknula oko križa kao i svaki petak, a svi oni koji su željeli također su se približili. Te je večeri bar Oyak ostao zatvoren i molitveno se bdijenje nastavilo do ranog jutra. Tobias iz Njemačke mi je rekao: »Ovo je moj šesti posjet Taizéu, a opet je sasvim drugačiji od prijašnjih posjeta. Doista, vrlo je posebno biti ovdje za Veliki tjedan. Osjećam da je Duh Sveti na djelu u tišini, u pjevanju, na poslu, u razmjeni mišljenja.« I Dina iz Portugala dodaje: »Tijekom ovog prvog boravka u Taizéu, našla sam tišinu. Tišinu koja nije prazna, nego ispunjena ljubavlju. Upoznala sam samu sebe, upoznala sam druge, a upoznala sam i Onoga koji sve podržava. Dnevne molitve vrlo su značajan korak u tom susretu s Bogom.« Skupina iz Švedske Subota, 30. ožujka - čekanje Kao i jučer, nije bilo Euharistije. Ikona silaska u pakao prenesena je u procesiji kroz crkvu - kao poziv da se sjetimo da je Isus čak i u smrti na poslu. Danas su se mladi ljudi vratili svojem bratu na biblijski uvod posljednji put ovoga tjedna. Razmatrali su susret uskrslog Krista s učenicima na putu do Emausa (Luka 24,13-35). Mene je to podsjetilo kako je ponekad nemoguće prepoznati Božju prisutnost u mom životu, čak i kada korača uz nas. U popodnevnim satima, radni timovi ili male skupine za razgovor nastavili su se. A onda, tijekom večernje molitve, jedan brat iz Baskije položio je doživotne zavjete. Radost braće i mladih bila je opipljiva. Brat Alois se obratio mladima nakon molitve. Fotografija koju je poslao Ye-Weon (Koreja) »Nakon dolaska ovdje, ove godine mi je bilo prilično teško da se molim i da budem u tišini. Toliko stvari se komešalo u mojoj glavi! Ali razgovarao sam o tome s bratom koji mi je rekao da u Božjoj prisutnosti već molimo.«(Lotti iz Njemačke) »Nisam imao pojma što bih mogao pronaći u Taizéu. A moj boravak je počeo kao avantura i završio je s velikom iskustvom. Vrijeme tišine, snažne molitve, dijeljenje naših osjećaja i sumnji s ljudima iz cijelog svijeta... to je ojačalo moju vjeru, a sada očekujem da ću tako živjeti još intenzivnije.«(Camino iz Španjolske) Nedjelja, 31. ožujka - Radost uskrsnuća Uskrs je napokon ovdje! Od početka proslave, svjetlo sada sjaji i prvo "Aleluja" eksplodira s radošću. Lijep trenutak. Pri kraju, brat Alois je izrekao uskrsnu čestitku uz pomoć druge braće, na više od 25 jezika: - Krist je uskrsnuo. – Doista je uskrsnuo! Poslijepodne su se neke skupine uputile natrag kući, a druga su se to spremale učiniti. Među njima, Nadine iz Njemačke piše: »Krist je uskrsnuo – Zaista je uskrsnuo. Atmosfera u crkvi bila je nevjerojatna sretna dok su te riječi bile izgovorene na svim jezicima. Nikada nisam imala srca to izreći. Od pranja nogu u četvrtak i molitve oko križa u petak, Uskrs sam čekala iznutra. I pjevati ’Aleluja’, to je kao novi početak. Sunce je napokon izašlo danas - nadam se da će ono donijeti svjetlost u moj život i davati drugima radost Uskrsa.« Ponedjeljak, 1. travnja - Novi tjedan susreta mladih na brežuljku Više od 3.000 mladih ljudi stiglo je na brežuljak toga dana, najbrojniji su bili iz Njemačke. Sunce je sjelo cijeli dan, a navečer su crkvom odzvanjale radosne pjesme u slavu uskrsnuće. Posljednje svjedočanstvo dao je Miguel iz Portugala: »Jedno od najdirljivijih iskustava za mene je podijeliti svoju vjeru i osobna iskustva s ljudima diljem svijeta. U tim susretima, nakon biblijskih braće, ljudi koji se naoko najviše razlikuju mogu koračati zajedno prema Bogu i sami otkrivati. Nakon odlaska, molitva nam pomaže da otkrijemo Boga u sebi.« Radionica »Prema novoj solidarnosti« - Fotografija: Natalie iz Njemačke Veljače: ritam korizme Nekoliko stotina mladih Portugalaca bilo je u Taizéu na početku korizme. U srijedu navečer, u znak početka tog razdoblja na putu prema Uskrsu, svaka je prisutna osoba primila na čelo znak križa pepelom te je pozvana na «povjerenje u Evanđelje». Oltar je odjeven u ljubičasto tijekom korizmenog vremena i ne pjeva se «Aleluja» za vrijeme molitve, tako da će na Uskrs odzvanjati još jače. Posebni himni za ovo doba godine također pomažu ulasku u duh očekivanja. Ovo vrijeme pripreme nije samo duhovno: volonteri i mladi posjetitelji postavili su velike šatore spremne za doček tisuća posjetitelja koji se očekuju za Veliki tjedan. Ona također smatra da se priroda budi postupno, a Taizé je imao svoje prve sunčane dane nakon snijega sredinom veljače. Posljednjih nekoliko tjedana na brdu obilježeno je boravkom nekoliko skupina mladih iz raznih krajeva Francuske, koji su na školskim praznicima. Najveće skupine došle su iz Toursa, Lyona i nekoliko gradova regije Seine-Saint-Denis. Nekima od tih grupa su se prije nekoliko dana pridružili njihovi biskupi. Plodonosan tjedan u tišini Shiela (Filipini) Tijekom mog volontiranja u Taizéu, tjedan koji sam proveo u tišini doista je blagoslov. Pomogao mi je da uđem u duboko otkrivanje sebe. Vođen dnevnim biblijskim uvodom, osobito evanđeoskom pričom o izgubljenom sinu i Isusovom hodu po vodi s Petrom, bio sam svaki dan sve više inspiriran. Naučio sam da šutnja nije samo odsutnost riječi ili rasprave. Šutnja je također uživanje u svemu oko nas, a prije svega susret s Bogom i slušanje kako govori u tišini naših srca. Siječanj: susreti se nastavljaju u zimskoj hladnoći U prvim tjednima 2013., nastavljeni su međunarodni susreti. Najbrojniji mladi u siječnju su oni iz Belgije, a drugi dolaze iz udaljenih krajeva: Koreje, Burundija, Bocvane, Sjedinjenih Američkih Država, Kanade... Većinom su studenti ili radnička mladež, koji u Taizéu provode početak godine. Neki su se morali odgoditi svoj dolazak... zbog snijega. Tijekom ovih tjedana, molitva braće pratila je svjetske događaje: sukob u Maliju, obnovu Haitija tri godine nakon potresa, i proslavu francusko-njemačke pomirbe. Blagdan Bogojavljenja slavili smo u posebnom zajedništvu s kršćanima Istoka, uključujući i one koji slave Božić u to vrijeme. Od 18. do 25. siječnja, u mnogim je zemljama održan Tjedan molitve za jedinstvo kršćana, tema koju su ovdje pripremili indijski studenti. U tom kontekstu, u Taizéu je, u Crkvi pomirenja, održano molitveno bdijenje, u prisutnosti biskupa Autuna, protestantskih pastora i pravoslavnog svećenika iz regije. Brat koji živi već trideset godina u Bangladešu također je animirao susret o svjedočenju kršćana u Aziji. Dati najbolje drugima Bishoy (Egipat) Na početku svog boravka kao volonter, bojao sam se da ću imati poteškoća u odnosu s ljudima, da ću teško steći prijatelje. Brzo sam shvatio da je to vrlo lako i ljudi su bili vrlo susretljivi. Puno sam naučio ovdje: od zajedničke organizacije do svakodnevnog rada, no također i pojmove na različitim jezicima. Vrhunac moga posjeta je vidjeti pravu ljubav među ljudima i želju dati najbolje od sebe drugima. Impresionirala me spremnost mladih dragovoljno ponuditi svoju pomoć. Drago mi je da se vraćam u Egipat sa svim tim novim iskustvima na umu. Želja za molitvom Velimir (Hrvatska) Ponekad, ljudi upadaju u "rutinu vjere" - molitva i odlazak u crkvu postaju puka tradicija, činimo to jer «to je tako». Boravak u Taizéu čini molitvu obaveznom, ne u smislu prisile, već želje. Usredotočeni smo na dijalog i naš vlastiti odnos s Bogom. Ali nije samo molitva ta koja ovdje gradi duhovnost: to je također i povjerenje. Svoje poglede na svijet dijelimo s mladima koje smo susreli; povjeravamo se drugima i Bogu.