retreat

Today I went for luch to Our Lady of Calvary Retreat House in Farmington where some women of our parish were making their annual retreat. 
A retreat is such a wonderful time because it allows one to 'get away' from all the pressures of everyday life for a brief time, to listen to the voice of God, and to be rejuvenated to re-enter 'life' with a renewed sense of energy and purpose.  I look forward to my own retreat every Fall, and these women clearly were benefitting from this weekend away.

Many people view retreats as something for 'holy rollers' or hours spent in deep, quiet prayer.  While it IS a time for prayer and reflection, it is also a time for relaxing and socializing.  When I arrived, the retreatants had gathered in small groups and were discussing a talk that had just been presented to them.  The conversation centered around the practice of saying 'God bless you' after one sneezes, and what that really meant, how one asks the Lord to bless the person who has sneezed.  I am told one's heart actually stops momentarily when a sneeze occurs, and so the practice began of asking the Lord to bless that person and allow his/her heart to resume beating once again.

From there the talk went to parents who bless their children as they leave for school, or one mother who had offered a blessing to her son who was off for yet another job interview, and how he actually returned later that day to say he got the job.  Also mentioned was the age-old practice of saying a prayer before embarking on a longer trip, and even saying a prayer when an ambulance passes with its lights and sirens blaring.  All of these practices, many that were popular in previous generations but have lost popularity in recent years, can have the effect of keeping in mind that the Lord walks with us always, and, if we allow Him, He can and will lead us and keep us safe.

Then it was on to lunch - soup, salad and make-your-own sandwiches.  But the best part was the homemade chocolate chip cookies, and the chance to chat informally with parishioners who I usually only see in the 'formal' setting of liturgy.  I found myself returning for my usual Saturday afternoon of confessions and Mass with a renewed sense of energy myself.

And, I was given a unique gift by Sr. Tirasina - a small clay 'figure' from Peru of eight figures carrying on their shoulders a huge cross, a depiction of what happens in Peruvian villages when they erect a new church.  The villagers carry the cross to the top of the hill on which the church is to be built and 'plant' the cross there amid prayers and songs, asking the Lord and their patron saint to bless them.

May God bless you all, especially as we continue in this joyous Easter season!