Sunday Micro Retreat – April 28, 2024

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.

Now read the Sunday's Gospel:

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in them bears much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
“Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
(John 15:1-8)

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 points:

1. Understanding Abiding
   • What does it mean to "abide" in Christ in your daily life?
     How do you practice this abiding relationship with Jesus?
     
2. Examining Fruitfulness
   • What does "bearing fruit" look like in a Christian's life?
     Reflect on the fruits you have borne in your personal and community life.
     How do these fruits align with the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22-23?
     
3. Prayer and Desires:
   • "Ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
     How do you understand this promise in the context of abiding in Christ?
     How has abiding in Christ shaped your desires and prayers?
     
4. Role of the Word:
   • The passage emphasizes that Christ’s words must abide in us.
     How do you engage with Scripture to ensure that His words are living within you?
     What practices or disciplines help you absorb and live out the teachings of Jesus?
     
5. Spiritual Pruning:
   • Reflect on a time when you felt that God was "pruning" you to be more fruitful.
     What was removed, and what growth did you notice afterwards?
     
6. Commitment to Discipleship:
   • The passage concludes with a call to become disciples who bear much fruit.
     What does being a disciple of Christ mean to you, and how does it shape your life choices and actions?

It is good to keep a personal journal where 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.