RETREAT

      Six of our sisters had a wonderful experience of a directed retreat last month.  A retreat director from New Jersey came and directed them for a week of prayer and reflection.  The retreatants kept silent during the day and ate their meals in another room across from the main dining room.  Each one has shared that it was a good experience for them.

     In a couple of weeks many of our sisters will participate in a conference retreat.  The director will give talks in the morning about being Vessels of Hope and about Pope Francis.  Silence will also be observed during this retreat.  A penance celebration will also be included during the week.  The sisters will have the opportunity to conference with the retreat director if they so choose.

      I will be leaving for New Jersey next Monday for my annual directed retreat.  I look forward to this time to spend in quiet, prayer, and reflection.  It is a time to deepen my relationship with Christ and renew my prayer life to strengthen me for the rest of the year. 
     Please pray for all the sisters and for me during this time of retreat.

MARTHA AND MARY

     How important to you is the Word of God?  Do you let other things get in the way of spending time with the Word?  Both the first reading (Gen. 18:20-32) and the Gospel, (Lk 10:38-40) from Sunday focus on hospitality.  How we treat guests who come to our home is an important quality of service.  For now, however, I would like to focus on the Gospel about Jesus' visit to Martha's and Mary's home in Bethany.

     During his visit, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to his every word.  I imagine Martha sticking her head out of the kithchen trying to get Mary's attention to come help her with preparing the meal, or perhaps she is beckoning Mary to come.  Finally, in frustration, Martha says to Jesus, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?"  Then, I love what she does next.  Martha tells Jesus what to do! "Tell her to help me."

     Jesus tells Martha that she is worried and anxious and that Mary has chosen the better part.  Martha has chosen service over listening to the Word.  In our lives today we can get so caught up in many things that keep us from, or that intice us to choose doing rather than spending time with Christ.  There is nothing wrong in what we "do," it is how much time we spend doing it.  Finding a balance between work, play, service, rest, and prayer is not always easy.  A spiritual director I once had said, "Pray first and everything else will get done."  I find that if I have more time to do something, it will take me longer to do that task and I can get distracted from doing it.  If I pray first, then later I am more focused on the getting the task done in less time.  When my tasks or work is done, then I have time to do other things or rest.

     I think we all have our Martha days and our Mary days.  However, it is crucial that we find that balance.  By doing so, we may prevent ourselves, while we are working, from feeling anxious about not spending enough time with the Word; or feeling anxious when we are with the Word and unfocused because we are worried about what we need to do. 

     Put praying and spending time with the Word first on your calendar or list of thinkgs to do.  Make it non-negotiable.  Our prayer and spending time wth Christ will deepen in us and lead us to service.  We will be at peace and bring joy to others.  We will receive the grace we need to serve the people of God.

      How important to you is the Word of God?