We need to find God and God cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. - Mother Teresa
I love going on retreat. I love the times of silence and solitude, when I can listen for God's whisper in my heart.
During our weekend retreat, after listening to Father speak, I would sit in silence and try to absorb what was said. He would repeat phrases that we could take with us so we could remember what was said. And I would repeat these phrases and write them down.
And pray.
One of the phrases that really stuck with me was - Change today. It was about conversion and how we need to be open to the little conversion moments that happen everyday, if we only would notice.
Praying helps us to notice. Silence helps us to notice. Even just a few minutes of silence and focusing on the Lord helps us to be a little more aware.
Tomorrow I will write about the Touch of the Savior's Hand that I experienced on the last day. Amazing grace!
9 thoughts:
Very interesting. Change today could take on two different meanings depending upon which word you emphasize. Lots to think about here!
I have never been on a weekend retreat before. There used to be a place called The Oblate Retreat Center in the town next to us but it shut down years ago. I have gone to prayer groups and seminars but never a retreat so thanks for sharing about your weekend :) I like "Change today" and I LOVE silence [can't seem to find much of it till I get to bed though ;) ]
This is timely for me, Colleen, it is a time of little steady changes for me. I even read a book about change today, and am on my way to a weekend study and prayer retreat.
Thank you for your post :)
I have been thinking a lot about the word to live by for the year and one of the words that kept coming up for me was change. I actually ended up choosing now rather than change because I really need to be more of a now person and do things now rather than tomorrow.
Anne, yes, I agree! I am still pondering this one. God bless!
Mary, Hope you get to go on a weekend retreat sometime. I am pretty sure that you will want to go again! I have a hard time finding silence too!
Pip, Wow. What timing God has eh? Enjoy your weekend prayer retreat!
Aussie Therese, Now is a great word for the year. Something I struggle with a lot myself. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Change today - great words to ponder, I will carry them in my heart the next few days. On retreat I repeat also by in the form of my journal. Writing my thoughts and prayers down on paper reinforces phrases like this one and blesses me long after retreat. Thank you Colleen
Jean, I agree - I think if I did not write some of these things down, they would just disappear from my memory way too soon. Glad these words touch you. God bless.
Love "change today". St. Paul wrote somewhere about the need for daily conversion. There's no point in procrastinating. I often think about my particular judgment when I die. What will Jesus say to me about the many times I could have moved closer to him and I didn't? Thinking about this helps me stop procrastinating and get a move on! Thanks for this post. I always enjoy what you have to say.
Barb, you are so kind. Thank you very much. God bless!
Post a Comment