January 15, 2013 WBAS Cat Prayers & Reflections
By: Kathy Hendricks
January is a great time for retreat. With the flurry of holiday activity behind us, there is a period of winter tranquility that invites reflection. Thus I felt privileged to lead three retreats over the past three weeks. Each one renewed my appreciation for “Sabbath moments” – those times when we step away from ordinary routines in order to pause and consider the ways God is present in our lives.
The first was for catechists and, together, we pondered the meaning of the Epiphany and the “God moments” in our lives. I left the next day for Raleigh, North Carolina, and a three-day gathering with catechetical leaders. It took place in a beautiful ocean-side retreat center where the food was plentiful and delicious and the camaraderie of the group warming and hopeful. A few days ago, I co-led an afternoon of reflection for a parish on the theme of peace, inspired by the stirring words of Dr. Martin Luther King in his letter from a Birmingham jail.
Even though the times and configurations of these three experiences varied, a similar rhythm arose in each one. I think it is much the same whenever we step away for a time of retreat. As we gather, there is a need to unwind, to de-compress from the activity and routines that catch our attention and keep us wired and on the brink of weariness. Once this settling takes hold, there is a deeper openness to talking and listening, to surfacing deeper thoughts and insights. Then, at last, we are able to enter into the silence, to breathe deeply, and to follow the words of Jesus to his disciples. “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). I hope you find some way to accept this invitation as we move through January’s stillness and towards the season of Lent. The benefits to heart and soul are well worth it.
Bright Ideas
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Pay a visit to your church with your class or family sometime during the week. Savor the opportunity to be still and to allow peace to enfold you in the solitude and quiet.
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Download my 10 Minute Retreat and use it to refresh your soul during the next week.