On November 5 and 6, members of the XLT band and crew attended a retreat held at Kellenberg Memorial High School. During the retreat, members were lead in adoration by Anthony Muhs with a homily by Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M. The students also participated in workshop training in the afternoon, during which they discussed ways to improve the overall XLT experience for the hundreds of students who regularly attend XLT Worship Prayer Services at Kellenberg.
What follows is a reflection written by junior Justin Bell, drummer for the XLT band:
XLT retreat was an amazing social and spiritual experience for me. I not only got closer to my friends but also got closer to God. I learned so much and realized many things that I had never thought about before. One thing that really struck me which I never bothered to think about before was the fact that in our school we are literally in the same building that Christ is and every time we pass the chapel we are within feet of Christ our savior. There are so many things that we do everyday ,automatically, without understanding what it is we are actually doing. One such example is performing the sign of the cross. How many of us actually realize that we are renewing our baptismal vows in performing this action?
I also learned a lot about what XLT really is and while being a lot of fun XLT is a huge responsibility for its members. We act as ministers to the people who attend XLT which means we must be in the right state if mind before, during, and after XLT. I also learned that XLT isn’t so much of a performance as it is a service for worshiping God. It is not about us or our friends but about Jesus and we must allow Jesus to work through us in order to successfully carry out his message. While we do get the attendants I XLT excited about their faith and show them that it is not just some boring or solemn thing to practice your faith, it is ultimately about Jesus. This retreat was a great social and learning experience and made me proud to call myself a member of XLT.
Thank you to all who attend XLT.