Weekend Reflections for 4/1/16
Encountering Christ is both a wonderful and challenging experience. We come to the realization that Jesus always wants to give us more of himself. We also notice that in revealing himself Jesus is also asking his friends and disciples to share this Good News with others. It is important that we remember that this blessing is also meant to be a precious grace and blessing to be shared with others.
Encountering Christ is also always a faith experience. How marvelous and blessed gift it is to believe that Christ comes to me, touches me, forgives me, and feeds me. In this Sunday's Gospel reading and many of the gospel readings for the rest of the week, we see these truths exemplified, first with the disciples in the upper room, with Mary on the feast of the Annunciation, with Nicodemus, the crowds who encountered him and are fed by him, and again with his disciples on the storm at sea.
To believe that Jesus is the risen, he tells us, is in itself a great blessing, gift of faith on the order of the one received by the doubting disciple, Thomas, in the upper room. We should beware of taking this gift of faith, our belief in Christ, for granted. Rather pray and ask that you always rejoice in gratitude and cherish greatly the gift that allows us so to believe.
Finally, Jesus calls and commissions us to what he calls disciples in his first encounter with them: it is the mission his Father had given him has now been passed on to us. He comes to us and he is with us so that we may carry on his work. How challenging, how wonderful, how incredible!
-Fr. Jim Blumeyer, S.J.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE ON RETREAT THIS WEEK AS WELL AS OUR DECEASED RETREATANTS.
PLEASE PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!
We are in need of more people to help staff our upcoming Golf Tournament. The event is at Gateway National (10 minutes from Downtown STL) on Friday April 22nd from 11:30am to approximately 5pm. No golf experience necessary. Volunteers will be working each of the 18 holes, measuring for our "closest to the pin" contest. Food and drink provided. To sign up, contact Joe Parisi- joep@whretreat.org or call 314-416-6400.
UPCOMING RETREATS WITH SPACE:
Women: May 19 (Fr. Joe Laramie, S.J.), May 26 (Fr. Ralph Huse, S.J.), September 12 (Fr. Ralph Huse, S.J.)
Men: April 14, April 18, April 21
Coed: September 2-4 (Fr. Joe Laramie, S.J.)
IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY LECTURE SERIES
Wednesday April 13, 2016 at 7:30pm
in SLUH's Si Commons (4970 Oakland Ave)
Fr. Francis Ryan, S.J. presents "To Be of Some Help to My Neighbor- A Jesuit in Hospital Chaplaincy"
This is a free event. Doors open at 7:00pm. Call 314-416-6400 to register.