Graduate in Marketing at the University of Belgrano Ernesto de la Cruz's professional career has taken him to know his country, Argentina, and the main cities of Latin America in depth. The professional trips he had to make were key scenarios for his personal and spiritual development.
Ernesto grew up in a Catholic but non-practicing environment. His first conscious encounter with God occurred at the age of 9 in school. St. John the Evangelist from La Boca. Although he only attended a religious school for one year, this initial contact left a deep impression on his heart, marking the beginning of his connection with the divine. Ernesto shares that he has always had conversations with God, albeit initially in a very personal way. "amateur or rudimentary", given their limited religious knowledge.
His spiritual quest took a more formal step when he reached the age of 50. He then decided to participate in an Emmaus retreat. This experience was the beginning of a trajectory that led him to serve in this initiative for two years, providing him with valuable lessons.
The intellectual quest
In his search for deeper spiritual knowledge, Ernesto began to focus on the Holy Scriptures. When inquiring about websites to continue his search, a friend recommended that he inquire about Opus Dei.
When he arrived at the Opus Dei formation center he felt very much at home. He realized that he could resolve his doubts and continue his search. This coincided with a new beginning in his ordinary and working life. Everything made more sense.
Shortly thereafter, he was invited to join means of ongoing formation. He recalls that, after each formation meeting, he noticed that he was encountering Christ and integrating faith into his work and daily activities.
With adequate accompaniment, Ernesto was deepening his faith through books that marked his spiritual itinerary. The authors came one after the other, beginning with St. Josemaría Escrivá, Andres Vázquez de Prada, or some classics such as Luis de Palma and Garrigou-Lagrange. He also read the Jewish War of Flavius Josephus. Ernesto did not stop there, he continued with a number of modern authors, which he found in articles and ebooks of the web www.opusdei.org which he printed out and underlined to read better. He arrived early to his office so that he could dedicate himself to study without interruptions. With this spiritual literature he found answers to his concerns. He realized the richness of the never-ending teachings of Jesus' parables, which became the key clues to find a friendly way to reach God.
Through pain
Among the powerful experiences she shared, the transformation of her sister Silvia stands out. Despite facing breast cancer and, later, advanced liver cancer, Silvia's faith led her to a radical change in her attitude towards life. Her joy, compassion and positive spirit despite adversity have left a deep impression on Ernesto. Facing life with a positive outlook and understanding that each individual is greater than the problems they face is the life lesson Ernesto has taken from his sister. This experience serves as an inspirational beacon on his spiritual path, guiding him towards a life marked by faith, hope and compassion. He is aware that his quest is not over, that he will always have to start again.
