It seems an impossibility - making a spiritual
retreat in the midst of continuing one's daily
life.
Can it be done? Oh yes; a resounding YES!
It doesn't take much. You have a busy life. You
don't need more to do - but, you want a
bit more of prayer, and you want a bit
more of God!
Here is a method:
The busy Person on retreat is asked for a small
commitment: 1. promise yourself to pray daily
for five consecutive days, a half hour each day;
2. meet each day with a spiritual director/guide
with whom you will share your prayer experience
as s/he guides you. It all begins with a Saturday
morning meeting ending with lunch. It ends with
a Wednesday evening dinner and closing prayer.
How does it work? The method of the Busy
Person's Retreat is for the retreat guide to present
to the retreatant suggested material for a prayer
period. It may come from scripture or another
source. The retreatant is asked to spend quiet
time reading and reflecting on the material. If
one is moved by the reflection, s/he might find
it results in conversation with God, or with oneself,
or both. Easy! Some people find it helpful to
write down some of their thoughts/reflections.
Whatever the result of the prayer period - it
is yours to puzzle over, ponder, enjoy.
Meeting with the guide. Beginning with
the first meeting, the retreat guide (also called
a "retreat director") provides the retreatant
with material based on a set of themes which are
designed to provide a "spiritual journey." The
retreatant meets each day with the guide and describes
the directions and movements s/he has experienced
on the "journey." The guide reflects with the
retreatant how God has been active on the journey
and offers suggestions for further "exploration"
along with offering material for the retreatant's
next prayer period.
Our next Busy Person's Retreat will take place
March 6th -10th, 2010.
The Retreat's spiritual directors will be Fr.
Russ Roide, S.J. Fr. John Chandler, S.J. Fr.,
Paul Bernadicou, S.J. Fr. Matt Carnes, S.J. Fr.
Steve Corder, and S.J. Sr. Jean Sauntry.
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