1. KNOW YOURSELF:
The expression, “Man, know yourself” is attributed to the Greek philosopher Socrates. Even though Socrates was not a Christian, but we find his expression meaningful and useful especially in our today’s busy world. In trying to catch up with the affairs of this world, we sometimes forget who we are. But the more we try to know ourselves, the more we realize how much we need God. A realization of who we are will no doubt lead us into a journey. And this journey is a journey towards God the source of peace, happiness and ultimate satisfaction.
Today, let us ask ourselves: Who am I? Where have I come from and where am I going? What am I doing here on earth? What is the reason and purpose of my being here? Know that the answers you give to these questions will determine the direction you will take.
Prayer
Lord God, we are often too busy with so many things. Like Martha the sister of Mary in the Gospel, we can become too worried and too busy with the affairs of this world that sometimes we forget that only one thing matters. Dear Lord, please help us today and always to discover who we are, where we come from and where we are going. Sweet Jesus, you once lived in our world. Convince us today and always how much we need you. Without you, you said we can do absolutely nothing. And it will always remain true that we cannot do anything without you. We come to you today merciful Lord, asking you to save us. Help us to know you, love you, serve you this world and merit spending eternity with you. Amen.
2. HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF?
The irony of life is we do not see ourselves except partially, and that is from an angle. We can only see our feet from up and never from down or across unless we lie down and throw them up! We can never have a full view of ourselves except by the instrumentality of photographic lenses or mirrors appropriately arranged. We could never evaluate ourselves fairly without being too lenient with ourselves. We could never tell our looks except by the help of another. In short, the real us, the indwelling self in us, the observer in the depths of our souls, is not available to us for inspection. Be that as it may, you can still come to God who knows you perfectly. Come to Jesus with your imperfect knowledge of yourself. Come to Jesus as you are. He knows what to do with you. When you are going to see your doctor, you trust the competence of your doctor to be able to know what to do about your sickness. Today somebody greater than your doctor is here! He has a perfect knowledge of you. He knows what to do with you. Do not be afraid!
Prayer
Dear God, we don’t know ourselves that much. But we come to you the all-knowing Lord, asking and pleading with you to mould us, shape us and fashion us into the image of your Son Jesus Christ. Lord, we want to be in you, as Jesus is in you and you are in him. Save us from derailing, from wondering away from the path of life. Even when we do, due to human weakness, please compassionate Lord, do not be fed up with us. Lead us back to you the source of life and goodness. Omniscient God, you know us through and through. You know how weak we are! Please righteous One, enable us to hear your voice calling us to come back to you especially when the evil one tries to deceive us that you cannot forgive us our sins. In Jesus name we pray Amen.
3. WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU HAVE ABOUT JESUS?
Every one of us has an impression of Jesus. Whether one is a believer in Christ or not, we definitely have our impressions, our ideas about the Master of the universe. And our knowledge of him is usually based on what we are told about him, or what we have read in books concerning him or our personal experiences of him. We all think of Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior of the world. But is that all you know about him? HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW JESUS?
Jesus was disappointed when Philip asked that he show them the Father. He severely reproached him:
Have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me Philip? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father, so how can you say, “Show us the Father?” Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” (John 14: 8)
To know Jesus our Lord, we must have experienced him. Our experience of him is valueless if it does not bring joy, peace and power into our life. It is meaningless telling others that Jesus will give them peace and joy, when we are such a gloomy sort.
Prayer
Dearest Lord Jesus, we want to know you. We want to experience you. We want to be one with you. Whatever else is true about you, we know you are our life. As a deer yearns for running stream, so our soul is yearning for you dearest Holy Redeemer. Motivate us to desire holiness, for holiness is being like you. By trying to be like you, we get to know you better. Sweet Jesus, teach us that any knowledge that does not lead us to you is useless and meaningless. Teach us also that all other knowledge we acquire in this world, will fade away some day, but the knowledge of you stays till eternity. Teach us dear Lord that searching for you is the greatest of all of endeavors, finding you is the greatest of all achievements and falling in love with you is the greatest of all romances. In your holiest name Lord we pray. Amen.
4 HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW OTHERS?
Are you aware that other people have weaknesses just like you? When you see your weaknesses and your faults in others, how do you react? What is your attitude when you have been hurt and offended by others? Do you become hostile and violent and refuse to forgive? If you are the type that doesn’t forgive when you are offended, what then do you make out when you pray the Lord’s Prayer “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?” Is there anybody you have not forgiven? In this retreat, allow the Lord to help you to forgive him or her. Jesus says, “If your brother or sister sins against you, you must forgive him or her.” Forgive him or her, so that the Lord in turn will forgive you. When you refuse to forgive your offender, you also refuse to accept God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness is given those who forgive. It is given and received! Why not let go and let God?
Prayer
Merciful Jesus, to those who disgraced you, scourged you at the pillar, mocked you, stripped you naked, spat on your face, and eventually nailed you on the cross to die a shameful death, you prayed to your Father, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” By this act, and many others throughout your earthly ministry, you showed your power to forgive. Wonderful Savior, please help us to forgive those who offend us. On our own, we don’t easily forgive especially when the offender is not remorseful. But you did not wait for your killers to show any sign of repentance before you forgave them. Excellent Jesus! give us today the grace of forgiveness. Whoever the person may be, wherever the person may be, let your grace rush into our life at this very moment, enabling us to forgive. When we forgive, we become freer; when we forgive we become happier and more peaceful. Dear Lord, as we seek for forgiveness from you, push us into the ocean of love and forgiveness so that as we live here today, we will resolve to let go past hurt and let You, our Peace and Joy. In your most powerful Name we pray. Amen.
5. ARE YOU OVERBURDENED BY ANYTHING?
In the Gospel of Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to me all of you who are tired of carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”
That’s Jesus urging us to come to him. Jesus would not have invited us to come and drop at his feet all our problems if he would not be able to give us relief. Are you sorrowful? Have you been hurt? Have you been disappointed by people even those you never expected will disappoint you? Are you troubled by any sickness? Are you worried and restless? What is that problem? Name it and bring it to Jesus! He will not allow you to step out of this Church with it. Tell the Lord. Jesus is very interested in our affairs. He has lived in this world before; he knows our struggles and troubles.
Prayer
Healing Jesus, during your earthly ministry, you went about doing good and healing all those who were sick. There was no sick person who came to you and went home with his disease or sickness. Lord your power to heal has not ceased and will never cease. You are the same yesterday, today and forever. Compassionate Lord, we come to you today with all our diseases and sicknesses. With faith, we bring them at your feet. Lord, please do not allow us to leave this Church with them. We are troubled by these diseases and sicknesses. Sometimes the pains we experience tend to make us despair and question your presence in our life. Powerful Jesus, as a Church, we pray for healing. Stretch forth your holy and healing hands and cast away all the diseases and sicknesses that threaten our life. Having come to you today, Lord, we want to experience your healing power. We want instantaneous healing. We want holistic healing. No sickness or disease can withstand your greater power. Today merciful Jesus, let us receive the long expected healing. In your holy Name we pray, Amen.
6. DO YOU PRAY AT ALL?
Prayer is talking to Jesus our brother who is right here in our midst. Prayer is asking, seeking and banging on the door of glory and many blessings. In the Gospel of Matthew 7:7, Jesus says, “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receive, and anyone who seeks will find; and the door will be opened to him who knocks.”
When you pray, do you believe that God is listening to you? When you pray, do you believe that God is beside you taking note of what you are saying? When you ask God for a favor, do you believe that he will answer you? Is your faith in God like the faith of a child towards his parents? How much do you trust God?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you started your earthly ministry with prayer, and ended up with prayer. Throughout your life on earth, you prayed. You also taught your apostles how to pray. Prayer is an important aspect of our life. In prayer we communicate with you. But we seem not to pray enough. Today, dearest Holy Redeemer, we are asking you for the grace to always come to you in prayer. We really want to be a praying people, for it is in prayer that we develop a real relationship with you. Dear Lord, please enable us to pray always and not loose heart as you said in the Gospel of Luke 18: 1. Help us to form the habit of praying. When we come to you in prayer, please Adorable Jesus, may we feel your presence within us. When we pray for our wellbeing and that of others, do not hesitate in answering us. In your holy Name Jesus we pray, Amen.
WHAT IS LIFE?
7. Life is good and beautiful. But life without Christ is crisis. Life is meaningless without Jesus. Life is absolutely an illusion and utter vanity when it is lived without Jesus Christ. Life is pure absurdity when we go on living without any reference to our Lord. My whole life is meaningless without Jesus in my life, so also yours. How much have we allowed the Lord to take possession of us? How much have we allowed him to lead us to the path he created for us?
Prayer
Mighty Jesus, life is meaningless and utter useless when it is lived without you. Life without you is crisis. Dear Lord, many of your children are turning away from you. Many no longer believe in you. Many no longer think about the life hereafter. Some foolish ones say, “There is no afterlife, there is no God”. By saying that, they encourage the ignorant and gullible ones to pay no attention to you and to disregard anything religious. So many people are already on the road leading to perdition and destruction. Please Jesus, save us, and save the world. Save us from religious indifference, save us from the lack of sense of sin. Save us from worldly argument that says, “There is no God.” By being here today, dear Lord, we are saying, we need you. We are saying, we love you; we are saying, come into our lives. Glorious Lord, please never allow any of us to be missing in your kingdom. Like the good thief on the cross, we say to you today, “Remember us Jesus, when you enter into your kingdom.” Through the powerful intercessions of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints in heaven, save us from final damnation. Redirect the attention of the world back to you. In your righteous Name we pray, Amen.
8. DO YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW THE SHEPHERD?
In John’s Gospel 10: 11, Jesus said, “I am the good Shepherd who is willing to die for the sheep.” If Jesus is the Shepherd, it means that we his followers are his sheep. A good sheep knows his shepherd and follows the shepherd wherever it goes. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. And we are the sheep. But sometimes we don’t follow him. Sometimes we refuse to remain a sheep. Sometimes we follow other false shepherds. Let us remember the different times we have abandoned our True Shepherd and went a different way. Remember, if you want the Lord to be your Shepherd, then you must be a sheep; because a wolf has no shepherd.
Prayer
Our Supreme Lord and Savior, we are very sorry for the many times we refuse to follow you. For the many times we jumped the sheep pen, and went into sinful exile, we say, we are sorry. For the many times we refuse to graze on the green pasture you provided, we say dear Lord, we are sorry. For the many times we rejected your direction, and went into prodigality, we beg for your mercy. For the many times we refuse to listen to your voice calling us to come and join other loyal sheep, we say to you merciful Jesus, we are so sorry. Today we come back to you and acknowledge you as our True and Good Shepherd. Protect us dear Lord from wild wolves who hover around us trying to steal us away from you. Protect us from wolves that come to us in sheep clothing pretending to be sheep in order to lead us astray. Guide us Sweet Jesus and protect us from falling a prey to dangerous philosophies of this modern age. Today there are so many shepherds, but we pray Excellent Jesus that we will always recognize you and follow you as the True Shepherd. When the strong wolf comes barking and roaring, hide us in the secret place of the Most High God. When the devil comes posing to be the true shepherd, or wanting to harm or destroy us, please dear Lord, hide us in the shelter of safety. We want you to remain our True Shepherd, and we want to remain your true sheep. In your dearest Name we pray, Amen.
9. Again the Lord said, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 62) Today let us recall the many times we looked back because of problems of life which comes in different forms: betrayal, sickness, hardship, depression and loneliness, things not working out according to our expectation. Today, let us try to remember the times we even doubted the power of God to save and heal us. Let us remember the times we doubted the existence of God; the times we doubted his love and concern about us. As we do this, let us take courage in the words of Jesus, “With God nothing is impossible.” Let us also take courage in the words of the Scripture which says, “Our God is full of mercy and compassion.” If nothing is impossible with God, and he too is full of mercy and compassion, it there means we have nothing to fear. For God is able to save us from our seemingly hopeless situation. Since he is full of mercy and compassion, he will take pity on us. He will heal us of our sicknesses and diseases. He will heal us of our weaknesses and brokenness. He will give us the grace to overcome and become overcomers. Sacred Scripture says “Victory belongs to God.” Again, Jesus reveals to us that God is our Father. So, if God is our Father, it means we are his children. And if victory belongs to God, then, we his children will share in that victory. That means victory belongs to us because of God our Father. In this retreat, let us learn to trust God. He will never fail us!
Prayer
Excellent Jesus, give us the grace to follow you no matter what we face in life. Come rain, come sun shine, we want to be able to express our love and faith in you. Dear Lord, give us the grace not to be tired in this heavenly race. Encourage us, strengthen us, inspire us, and draw us ever closer to you. No matter what happens in this life, please Righteous Redeemer, may we be able to say “Yes” to you always. Today we pray to you our Origin and Guide, lighten our burden. Never allow us be tempted beyond our limit. As you walked on water, may we be able to walk on all the problems of this life. As you calmed the raging sea that was threatening the life of your Apostles, Lord walk into our own boat of life and calm all the troubles and storms of this life. Help us to remain firm and steadfast in declaring to our world that is losing faith, hope, and trust in you that You are indeed the Lord.
10. Jesus Christ established his Church to continue his mission of bringing salvation to all. The Church is the Bride of Christ. It is a sign and instrument of God’s relationship with humanity. Therefore, Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Church, as a local Church is here to continue the work of Jesus Christ. We are here to continue to bring about salvation and healing to God’s people. We are here to expand the kingdom of God. Although, we are a growing Church, but how far are we growing? Do we pray for the growth of our Church? Are we comfortable with state of our Church? How much do we love Holy Names? Let us today reflect on our level of commitment to this Church. God wants this Church to survive so as to use our mouth to speak to the people around here, so as to use our hands to reach out to others, and use our legs to walk in our neighborhood again. Today let’s pray for our Church!
Prayer
Dearest Jesus, bless our Church. Bless our Priests; bless all the members of this Church. Lord, we are asking for more members. We are asking for numerical and spiritual growth. Make our Church a sanctuary of holiness, a tabernacle of healing, and a temple of renewal. Bless all those who come into our Church to worship you. As we pray for more members to fill the empty spaces in our Church, we ask you to attract especially the people who live closer to our Church. Lord, go ahead of us and make our Church known to your people who are searching for a place of worship. Challenge us also to take seriously the universal task of evangelization. Righteous Savior, we love our Church, therefore we pray today asking you to continue to bless our Church spiritually and numerically. Make us more committed to this Church! Revive us and renew us so as to work hard to keep our Church from dying like others Churches. Make our Church a center of spiritual solution. Increase our yearning and longing for God. Today, we pray as a family asking you to make this Church a place where prayers are answered, a place where miracles are received, where the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, and where the poor are attended to and the sorrowful are comforted. Work mightily in this Church and through the mighty works, draw men, women and children to you. Jesus you are in our midst, may all those who come to our Church looking for you find you, and when they find you, may they, like the woman of Samaria, go into their neighborhood, inviting others to come with the expression, “I have seen where the Word of God is preached, I have seen where God works more mightily. I have seen where prayers are answered, I have encountered the Lord! Grant our prayers dear Lord, Amen.
Retreat Reflection composed by
Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR
Holy Names of Jesus and Mary Catholic Church
Memphis, TN, 38107
