WHITE HOUSE JESUIT RETREAT

St. Louis, MO 63129

1-800-643-1003

Jesuit retreat center high on the bluffs of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, MO.  Since 1922, thousands of people from around the world make annual three-day silent, guided retreats here to relax, reconnect with God and strengthen their spirituality.  A true gem in the Midwest!  Call 314-416-6400 or 1-800-643-1003.  Email reservations@whretreat.org  7400 Christopher Rd.  St. Louis, MO 63129

Both men's and women's retreats are offered as well as recovery retreats.

Take Spirituality to the Next Level!

Weekend Reflections for 1/22/16

January 22, 2016  /  Joe Parisi

Jesus Returns Home

"Jesus said to them, 'Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.'"

(Lk 4:21)

After his baptism, temptations in the desert and early preaching in the north, Jesus comes back home to Nazareth. In his home synagogue he leads the praise service by reading from the prophet Isaiah and applying the passage to himself. In doing so he gives us an example of how we might use Scripture for our own spiritual growth.  Jesus' words in the Gospels are timeless because Jesus is the Christ, yesterday, today and forever. Can we listen with our ears and our hearts and have what Ignatius called "a felt-knowledge" of Jesus' word to us?

Jesus promises "liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind." Can I realize that he is offering freedom to me, here and now as I am, freedom from those things, those behaviors and character defects that still bind me and keep me from loving others as I would like? He wants me to see clearly and truly and promises to take away those self-deceptions and distortions that blind me from seeing myself and others as he sees us. May we always say "Yes, Amen" to Jesus' promises to make us the people he calls us to be.