Sunday Micro Retreat – January 15, 2023
As you begin your time of reflection, try to realize that you are standing on holy ground and in the presence of God, who wants to talk to you and listen to you.
Make the Sign of the Cross. The Holy Spirit is opening your heart and mind so the Word of God that you are about to read can flourish in you for God's glory. Pray that you continue to work with his grace. Let the words or your prayer flow from your mind through your heart. Try to "feel" what you are saying.
Is there anything you would like to ask God now? What graces does your heart desire?
Talk to God about it.
Today, we ask for the grace of recognizing our baptismal annointing.
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said,
‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for
this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remain on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize
with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified
that this is the Son of God.”
(John 1:29-34)
The Word of God touches everyone differently. If there is anything that really stood out for you in this reading, meditate on it.
Go to the depths of your heart and listen to what God is trying to say to you.
Next, let's spend some time with a couple of points that you may consider during this Sunday's Retreat:
1. ... but I came ...
The purpose of John's life, his ministry, was to prepare others, to prepare the way for the Messiah. John knew what his mission was.
How about you? Do you know what your life mission is? Why do you think you were born in this century? What is God asking of you? What are your gifts and talents? How can
you use them to fulfil God's plan for your life?
2. I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and remain on him.
Notice that the Spirit remained on Jesus. In other biblical translations, the word "rested" is used instead of "remain." The fact that the Spirit not only descended
but also rested on Jesus was a sign of a divine annointing.
At your baptism, you were also anointed and called to be a Priest, Prophet, and King. As a priest, you are called to the life of prayer; as a prophet, you are called to read
and proclaim the Word of God; as a king, you are called to the life of service.
Reflect on these three aspects, and think, what does your life of prayer look like now? Are you able to spend time with the Word of God regularly? How do you serve others
where you are? in your vocation? in your state of life?
You may end this retreat by lighting up your baptismal candle for all of your private prayers on this day.
It is good to keep a personal journal in which reflections that stood out for you are recorded. The outcome of those Sunday Micro Retreats is
good material that you can talk about in your spiritual direction.
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