Sunday Micro Retreat – November 27, 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 peace.
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
Jesus spoke to his disciples: “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and
swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
“Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part
of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
(Matthew 24:37-44)
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.As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man
It is clear that during the days of Noah, people were leading normal life. There is nothing sinful mentioned about their actions: they were eating and drinking... marrying... A simple everyday activity.
Yet, people got caught up in everyday stuff to the point that they ignored what was happening around them. Finally, unprepared, they died when the flood came.
Jesus's second coming will be just like the flood: it will be abrupt in the midst of everyday activities.
Thus, review all that you are currently involved in. In the simple, normal tasks, do you have time to observe what is happening around you in the spiritual realm? Do you have time
to read the Scripture? Do you have time to pray? Is building a strong relationship with Jesus one of your everyday functions? Would you be surprised if Jesus showed up again today? At this very moment?
2. ...one will be taken and one will be left...
It is clear that there will be a permanent and complete division when Jesus comes for the second time. The choices that people make will be fully respected.
The choices of the faithful and those not respecting God will be fully acknowledged.
On which side do you think you will find yourself?
What can you tell about the choices that you make now? Are your decisions based on God's laws or just any laws that appeal to you? Are you more likely to follow the crowd or are you more likely to follow
what God tells us to follow? (e.g. The 10 commandments). Take a look at the news of this week: what kind of ideas, trends, and ideologies are currently promoted? Are they in line with what the
Scripture says? What side are you on? Whom do you support?
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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