Sunday Micro Retreat – January 8, 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 wisdom.
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah
was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the Prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of
Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the
child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw
that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense,
and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
(Matthew 2:1-12)
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 child who has been born king ...
The wise men were very clear in their statement: they were looking for a child who was a king... not a child who one day would become a king. There is a great
Wisdom hidden in knowing one's identity.
Through baptism, we become children of God. Are you aware of what this means for you? Reflect on your own understanding of what it means to be a child of God? Of what it means to have a Father who is a king? How to you feel when you enter into the depths of the Mystery of our relationship with God?
2. ...they saw the child with Mary his mother...
A very important event takes place. The three kings come for a visit, and they mention only the child and the mother. It is interesting to notice that Mary is there, but there is nothing said about Joseph.
Meditate on this for a moment. Think about important situations in your life where you were fully present, recognized and noticed by others at that moment. How did you feel? Also, think about moments when something serious was taking place, but for some reason, you could not be there, or maybe you were there, but you were not noticed, not recognized. How did you feel during those moments?
God, in his wisdom, allows us to experience the glamour of special events, but he also gives us the opportunity to be in the background, hidden from the eyes of the world. How open are you to accepting God's will for your life? Are you willing to accept any glory or any rejection in a humble way?
You may end this retreat by listening to your favourite Christmas carol.
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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