Sunday Micro Retreat – September 11, 2022
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 being able to recognize what is important for us.
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
So he told them a parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
“Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:1-10)
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. " All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus."
Notice how Jesus constantly ministers to the people on the fringes of society. He associates himself with those people not to “inherit” their skewed values or to support them in their immoral paths, but he sits with them to bring light to the darkness in their lives. He brings them the message of hope, love and salvation. And he gives them the freedom to choose.
Therefore, think about your own involvement with those who are currently being rejected by society at large, those who can not defend themselves (e.g. unborn children), those who have “no voice” (e. g. the homeless in your city), those who are no longer needed because they are too old or too sick, etc. Think about all the marginalized that you can think of, and then reflect on how you already reached out to them or how you can reach out to them. Pay attention to your feelings as you reflect on those questions. What do your feelings tell you? Where is your heart? Is this topic even important for you?
2. “lights a lamp”
The woman that lost her coin wants to improve her chances of finding her lost coin by turning on her lamp.
Maybe, she lost the coin in the evening, and this is why she needs more light, or maybe her house is dark in general, and the presence of light will improve her chances.
This little detail makes me think about moments when I was searching for something important for me, but it was very hard to “find it” without more light (more help). So think about your own moments of “searches in the darkness,” what were you searching for? Was it something that relates to your daily life? (e.g. your house keys, your phone, or remote control) or was it something from the spiritual realm? (e.g. faith, hope, love, God, etc.). Who came to your assistance in those moments? How did you feel when you discovered that help was available? Did you even think about asking for help? Did you “turn the lamp on?” or did you remain in the darkness? Did you find what you were looking for?
You may end this retreat by visiting someone who is lonely, sick or in any other distress. Bring the light of hope and love to that person by offering your helping hand, or smile, or simply a bar of milk chocolate.
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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