Sunday Micro Retreat – November 20, 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 service.
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
The people stayed there watching. As for the leaders, they jeered at him with the words, 'He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.
'The leaders scoffed at Jesus saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked Jesus,
coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him,
“This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned
justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come
into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
(Luke 23:35-43)
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.The people stayed there watching...
This is a very sad image. People just stood there and watched. It seems like there was no reaction coming from the crowd. No reaction from the crowd to the injustice being done.
Ask yourself how you respond to similar situations. What do you do when others suffer due to injustice? How do you feel? What are you thinking? Is there a desire in your heart to help but is fear preventing you from any action?
As you are thinking about those questions, try to examine your heart for all the emotions accompanying this process.
2. Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise
It is not our sin that keeps us away from God. It is our lack of response to God's love; it is our lack of repentance and conversion. Pay attention to the two thieves. Why was one of them
ready to admit to his faults and the other one was not? How do you feel about your own sins? Is it easy or hard for you to take ownership of the wrongdoings? How do you feel about the sacrament
of reconciliation? Do you recognize this sacrament as a meeting with Jesus, who forgives and who can heal you? or do you run away from this sacrament thinking that you do not need a priest to be
reconciled with God? Once again, look at all the feelings being awakened in you as you think about those questions. Write them down, and address them the next time you see your spiritual director.
You may end this retreat by trying to spend one hour in an Adoration Chapel.
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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