Daniel Weber SJ is a young Jesuit priest from the ECE Province studying for a Master's in Democracy at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels) and living in the international community of St. Benedict in the city. As part of his studies, Daniel had to do an internship in a civil society organization. Through the JRS European Office, he found the opportunity to do it at JRS Greece, in direct contact with the reality of migration in that country. The whole experience shows the enormous possibilities of the Conference’s structures to support the formation and apostolic specialization of young Jesuits. Here we have his testimony of the experience.

The Acts of the Apostles recount how Paul proclaimed the “unknown God” to the Athenians in the Agora (Acts 17:16–34). His proclamation did not begin by rejecting their existing beliefs, but by first looking attentively at the people before him. He took their deepest longings seriously and connected them with the message of the Gospel.

Longing is an essential part of what it means to be human. It opens us to what gives our lives meaning and direction. We long for love, freedom, security, purpose, and a life lived in dignity. These longings unite people across cultures, languages, and life stories.

During my internship with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Athens, I encounter people every day whose lives are shaped by these longings. I meet refugees who hope for peace, for a safe life in Europe, for the opportunity to support their families financially, or to offer their children a better future. I also meet volunteers from all over the world who dedicate their time and talents to serving others, as well as Jesuit companions who are living out their vocation here. As different as their backgrounds may be, they are all united by the desire for a life filled with meaning and hope.

In these encounters, I discover anew each day what lies at the heart of JRS. Our mission is not to solve every problem. Rather, we seek to create spaces where people's deepest longings are taken seriously and where hope can grow. Often, transformation begins with something very simple: someone who listens, offers their time, extends a hand, and encounters another person in their inherent dignity. In this way, the longing for community becomes genuine encounter, the longing for security becomes trust, and the longing for a future becomes a new horizon of hope.

As I accompany others on their journey, I realize that I, too, am being transformed. Encountering people and listening to their deepest longings changes the way I see my own life. I find myself rediscovering what I am searching for, what gives direction to my life, and who ultimately fulfills the deepest longing of my heart. Gradually, I come to understand more fully what Paul wanted to reveal to the Athenians in the Agora:

ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν.
“For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

Daniel Weber, SJ