Sunday Micro Retreat – February 26, 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 overcoming temptations
Now read the Sunday's Gospel:
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.
3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down,
for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you,
if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.’ ”
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
(Matt 4:1-11)
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 reflecting on the following point:
1.He fasted
Right after his baptism and the inauguration of his public ministry, Jesus goes into the wilderness to fast and pray.
Thus, reflect on all the ministries that you are involved in, and reflect on how you prepare for those jobs/tasks/assignments that you do.
Are any of the ministries that you do rooted in fasting? If not, why not? How do you feel about fasting? Do you realize that it can strengthen you if you do it
to grow your genuine relationship with God? If fasting is not yet a part of your spiritual journey, reflect on what you can do at this moment that will allow you
to engage in this spiritual exercise. Maybe you could try doing some type of fasting during the time of Lent? Make a decision and give it a try. Anything is possible if you do it
with God and for God.
2. [Jesus] answered, “It is written..."
During the moment when Jesus's body is suffering from famine and exhaustion, he is tempted by situations that would relieve him from his physical suffering. Notice how Jesus does not
try to deal with the temptation using his own "power"; instead, he reaches out to the Word of God to help him fight those temptations.
How often do you reach out for the Word of God when you feel tempted to go against's God's law? When the actions of another person make you feel frustrated, or angry or
impatient, do you try to deal with those temptations on your own, or do you bring to mind the Word of God?
Try to analyze your recent moments of temptations and review how you dealt with them. Were you able to stand up to them or not?
Was reaching out for the Scripture your primary solution? or "a solution?" or was it completely absent from the process?
You may end this retreat by reading Psalm 119.
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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