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experience his birth, for us. Many mothers, on their children's birthday each year, tell them the details of the day they were born. Year after year, the details are repeated. At this point in our retreat, we will let Jesus show us the details of his birth. We will go beyond the words of the accounts in Matthew and Luke. We will enter more deeply than our imaginative recollection of realistic nativity scenes. This week, we will receive the grace to experience the birth of Jesus and to understand its meaning for us. Our desire continues. It is important for us to renew it this week. We desire to know who Jesus is much more deeply. In our observing and understanding him, we desire to fall in love with him more completely. With our love for him growing, we grow in our desire to be with him in his mission. We will let the background of our entire week be filled with the images of his birth. They tell us who he is. As we've experienced before, this is not an intellectual exercise. It's experiential. We need to move within the scenes to know the anxiety of his parents, the poverty of their situation, the simple yet extraordinary joy of his very human birth, the wonder of his being visited by shepherds, the danger that already surrounds his life. This week, can I let every anxiety I am feeling become connected with the anxiety of Mary and Joseph? Can I get in touch with Mary's labor and giving birth, through experiences I have this week, struggling to surrender myself to give life to others? Can I come to know the beds of hay I am being asked to lie in? And then feel them transformed as I stare at Jesus lying there in that bed of hay? Are there poor or simple or handicapped or struggling people in my life that can remind me why the shepherds were so joyful at his coming? Please use the helps to the right. They offer very practical entries into the graces of this week. And, please consider sharing the graces you are receiving with others, through the "Place to Share" at the right. May the One, who entered our lives so humanly and completely, continue to help us to grow in a knowledge and love of him today. Listen
to each week of the Online Retreat |
Click on photo to see larger image and Photo Gallery. Photos by Don Doll, S.J. selected to support our prayer each week. Getting Started this Week Some practical helps for this week's prayer. For the Journey Reflections by Larry Gillick, S.J. as helps for the journey. In these or similar words St. Ignatius might say: "Speak with Our Lord, as friend to friend, in these or similar words." Readings Some readings that are chosen to fit this week. Prayers Written prayers by others sometimes helps us find words ourselves. A Place to Share At any time this week, if you have anything you'd like to share, that has touched you, you can share it by leaving a note here, even anonymously. Read the Sharing Read what others have shared about their prayer or graces. |