|
|
The Jesus Retreat
"Then I
will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy..." (Ps 43:4) "Let us remember that the place of Christ's presence on earth was not only the Upper Room in Jerusalem, but also the streets of towns and country roads. Everywhere people gathered before Him. They gathered together to be able to be with Him, to listen to Him. He speaks to us who have gathered, not with the living words of the Gospel, as He once did, but with the eloquent silence of the Eucharist. In this silence of the white host, carried in the monstrance, are all His words; there is His whole life given in offering to the Father for each of us; there is also the glory of the glorified body, which started with the Resurrection, and still continues in heavenly union." - Pope John Paul II |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
| Name | Location | Date |
|
|
||
| Ron Check | Wynnewood, PA | January 14, 2004 |
| The retreat has thrust me into the home at Nazareth, where God's will is the standard for everything. As Fr Kevin said, "He desires with desire to eat with us." Just after our time together, I went on a silent retreat for three days in the mountains of PA. My heart was so full of Christ's love who inspired me to meditate on Rev. 3:20, which I recommend to you for frequent prayer! The image of Christ not just knocking on the door, but also calling us, is a very powerful one, indeed! Christ comes to us and seeks us that we might be with Him and He with us. This is the eternal supper that Christ calls us to eat, but we must choose to have Him come into our house. There we might be with Him face to face. Nothing is hidden. This is the Father's will and the great passion of Jesus that we might one day be free from sin and enjoy "The Presence" forever! For us now, who must endure the world and all of its temptations, we must be content knowing that our bodies are pining for the Lord and our spirits are yearning for Him. When we give ourselves up to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and penance and then receive Holy Communion, we participate in the holy love of the Trinity and we experience the joys of Heaven. There we will feast on the Immaculate Victim with whom we will be perfectly united. There will be no need for conversation of any kind because we will be in perfect communion with the Holy Lamb of God. St. Francis de Sales said, "You cannot consider our Savior in an action more full of love or more tender that this. In it he abases Himself, and changes Himself into food, so that He may penetrate our souls and unite Himself most intimately to the heart and body of His faithful. | ||
|
|
||
|
Rebecca Pawloski |
Bloomingdale OH | January 13, 2004 |
|
Britta’s testimony is so true - that everything begins to happen after the retreat. I have never been physically there, but that is no obstacle for this retreat. It’s about the communion of saints. It was shortly after the first retreat that my soul experienced a great fire being lit, the next retreat my sister Amanda rose from the dead and this past retreat my sister Amiste and her finance Cory attended and I am sure their powerful experience is only going to top what I have known so far. Of all the retreats I’ve never been on, this one has changed my life the most! |
||
|
|
||
| Stephanie Gettings | Steubenville, OH | January 13, 2004 |
| It's only been a little over a week since we've gotten back and already I've seen this transformation in so many areas of my life. My relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist is radically different than it's ever been. I don't think I can express how deep my awareness of His presence in the Eucharist has become or how acute my longing for Him to be present in me physically is. He has totally captured my heart and made me desire only Him. And He has shown me and made me so convinced that He holds me in His Sacred Heart and purifies me with the fire of His love, that anything that used to cause me anxiety or discouragement now brings me joy and sends me deeper into His heart, because I know that every single thing that happens to me, if I let Him keep my life in His heart, is a gift from Him and an opportunity to grow and love Him more and be transformed. I think the greatest gift, though, was that Jesus showed me that He really loves that I love Him, and that my words of praise give Him delight. His love is so intimate and carries me through every moment, and Jesus made that unquestionably clear to me over the weekend. Just spending the time in His presence gave me confidence in that, "I am my Beloved's, and His desire is for me." (Song of Songs 7:10). | ||
|
|
||
| Beth Riordan | Philadelphia PA | January 13, 2004 |
|
God be praised! I cannot express my
gratitude to Jesus for the many blessings of the retreat at Camp
Andrews. I strive to live my life completely for Him, and
sometimes I get caught up in the demands of the Gospel and lose sight
of the Incredible Eternal Love He has for me. During the retreat
He greatly reminded me of His Constant Love poured out in the
Eucharist, and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It was during
the Friday evening praise after mass that I felt convicted to go to
Fr. Scott for confession. This was the beginning of a whole new
flow of grace in my life.. I found healing that I had sought for for
months.. (actually most of my adult life!) Not that I had not
received the forgiveness of God before, but as Fr. Kevin said.. our
souls are like an onion.. and a much needed layer of fear needed to be
pulled away for me to see the Love of Jesus and to allow His love to
flow through me. I truly experienced an inflow of confidence as
never before. The confidence I have sought for so long.
How did this happen? Well, first the grace of the sacrament where Jesus' actual passion, death and resurrection is freeing me from my sin.. And secondly, the willingness of the priest, Fr. Scott to be the instrument of Jesus, to speak His words to me, to show me the lies of the enemy and how they had distorted my thinking.. And once we buy into lies with our head, our heart follows and our will, so we "sell out to sin" and stop loving.. that is stop allowing ourselves to be poured out in love of God and neighbor... and because our sin hurts not only God but the whole Body of Christ, when we sin, and hold back the outpouring of God's love through the dying daily to ourselves our own holiness and the real beauty of the Church are "squashed." What I experienced in the Sacrament of Reconciliation were the healing words of Christ, the encouragement of my spiritual father, Fr. Scott, and most importantly the grace of forgiveness.. to be washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb... and accompanying the grace of forgiveness is the grace to act out of sacrificial love, total self-giving versus fear... I needed the total soaking in the Presence of Jesus all weekend to really begin anew.. to accept the grace offered each day to walk in CONFIDENCE to be Poured out in Love without fearing the future... So during the retreat I made the most of the time offered to us with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist -- by welcoming Him deeper into my heart to heal me in Holy Communion at Mass, and also in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament... Through His Eucharistic Presence I experienced deep healing from Jesus... I found His incredible love for me... as I received Him, gazed on Him, rested in Him, and was surrounded by my brothers and sisters who too, were worshipping and adoring the Lamb upon the Throne.. Christ gave me a foretaste of heaven... I know I will never be the same. May the Lord Jesus, who Reigns in Heaven, be forever Praised... Jesus, I trust in You! |
||
|
|
||
| Lauren Escol | Baltimore, MD | January 11, 2004 |
| For me, the retreat helped me to grow and mature so much in my faith. God proved himself to me through the Eucharist, while being drawn closer to Mary through the Eucharist too...It was a truly awesome experience...wow...Not only was it just being there with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, but it was also being there with those who shared the same beliefs as me. Without all those people there sharing their thoughts, visions, and words, I dont know if i would have gotten any further in my faith. This past week its almost like the retreat was carried on...it was truly blessed and Jesus and Mary were in my heart and mind all the time. All I can say is wow...just sooo wow!!! well...Thank you all who were there for what you did for me this past weekend...it has changed my life and I'm truly thankful...thank you!!! | ||
|
|
||
| Britta Williams | Baltimore, MD | January 10, 2004 |
| I am continually amazed at Jesus' intense desire to gather His children on these retreats. Nothing will stand in His way of gathering those He has chosen. These groups from all over the East Coast are drawing together, following the familiar voices of our shepherds - our priests. And the deepest desire of our shepherds is to lead us to the High Priest - Christ in the Eucharist. They open wide the door into the throne room of God through the Mass, and break down the walls of sin in Confession. For myself, personally, the graces of the 2004 retreat have become more present to me in the days which followed it; a testimony to Christ's ability to transform us from the inside out, and working in the depths of our souls without us even aware of His powerful move. Amazing. | ||
|
|
||
| Mark Hall | Cocoa, FL | January 10, 2004 |
| I can honestly say this was the peak of any retreat experience I've encountered and I've been on MANY!!!! Normally ya get to hear inspiring stories, but this one WE GOT TO LIVE IT.....JUST BEING IN THAT KIND OF WORSHIP experience still has me high as a kite. | ||
|
|
||
| Maryagnes Jopson | Baltimore, MD | January 10, 2004 |
|
I would like to comment from the
perspective of coming as an older/parent adult?/service-oriented
Christian who loves these young people but not as much as Our Lord
Does! I was very touched by the revelation from Fr. Scott about Baby
Jesus being born in a stable and resting in a manger...We rest after
we are fed- no matter what - and Our Dear Lord, even as a newborn,
suggested to us that He was to enliven us with real nourishment-
Himself! MINDBOGGLING! The ministry of Fr. Kevin, was so likened to Christ among us , I still have tears when I think about it. He was clearly tired and coughing from the past illness- better but weak- yet so given to spending himself with all his gifting...I was overwhelmed to just think about the grace flowing forth! Just so real and grateful...but then at the Saturday prayer meeting, the ministry that lead us into the Holy of Holies, with Fr. Kevin and musicians leading us there was a merciful & lovely season, and a beautiful lead to Phil's support and piano ministry mid evening . It was an honor to be there and I thank the Arcontis, Gahagans, Vidmars, Bucks and Donahues for spending their day there too |
||
|
|
||
| Kathleen Sappah | Easton, PA | January 10, 2004 |
| The retreat started a new beginning in my spiritual life! My baptism in the Holy Spirit really took place this past weekend. I received the gift of tongues for the first time as well as receiving the gift of being slain in the spirit. This weekend opened the doors in my life to have a deeper relationship with the Lord. | ||
|
|
||
| Carolyn Hilden | PA | January 10, 2004 |
| I have always been in search of relationships with others; seeking love, fearing aloneness, and doubting much. For most of my life the relationships I've developed have been good, but never completely right, until this weekend. I realized I was looking at worldly things for the perfect relationship, when the perfect relationship was waiting for me in the Eucharist. The relationship I found with Jesus on the retreat will require work on my part, but I know how unconditionally I am loved, and no longer need to doubt because I know this relationship is real. | ||
Affiliated with Baltimore Catholic - Young Adult & College Catholics in
Maryland
Questions or comment about this site? Please
contact the webmaster