Finding Christ in the World
“Stay awake” and “be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect the Son of Man will come,” said Jesus in the Gospel for the First Week of Advent. How do we do this with all the distractions in our busy world and the weariness we may experience? How do we “prepare the way of the Lord” in our lives and the lives of others? How do we grow in trusting the Holy Spirit and use our gifts to proclaim, in word and deed, that “God is with us”? All of these questions are rooted in the Advent readings, and none has a quick or easy answer. Rather, they are questions we are invited to ponder profoundly with God and other dedicated Christians, as we grow in our response to what they mean for each of us personally.
“Finding Christ in the World” is a 12-week retreat in daily life based on the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It incorporates excerpts from scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, prayer and reflection to invite participants to deepen their experience of God’s intimate love and extravagant mercy, the life of Jesus – our model, and the call to mature and generous discipleship. The retreat will include a review and discussion of the Ignatian prayer form called the Examen; the concepts of consolation, desolation, desire, detachment, and discernment; and the importance of living our personal vocation in communion with God and others. A commitment to at least 30 minutes of prayer each day with the retreat materials and a weekly meeting (offered virtually) with a group of others engaged in the retreat is optimal.
A spiral bound book by Joseph Tetlow, SJ and Carol Ackels will be used to guide the retreat and will be available at the parish office. Donations for this book are welcome. Virtual meetings to review and discuss each week’s content will be held on consecutive Thursday evenings, 7:30 – 8:30pm from January 5 to March 23, 2023. They will be led by Kate Piderman, a spiritual director and retired chaplain. Please consider this opportunity, as it may be a catalyst to help you engage with the questions above. You can register by contacting Michelle. The retreat is limited to 10 registrants.