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 Reflection for 7/14/17

July 14, 2017  /  Joe Parisi

How does your garden grow?

Our ministry at White House Jesuit Retreat is all about spiritual growth, like those seeds in Sunday's gospel.

The seed is the word of God. The challenge for us is to hear the word of God, to truly listen. This is the way growth takes place, especially in the silence of a White House retreat.

How does such growth take place in us?

The first reading for Sunday, from the Prophet Isaiah points to the natural cycles of God's creation, perhaps often unknown to us, and sometimes uncontrollable by us.

I believe that the secret to growth is intimately tied into the mystery of God's wonderful creation,

creation for us, for our nourishment, for our sharing with all.

AND God's promise is that this growth will come to fruition, it will succeed by God's co-creative grace.

In Sunday's second reading, St. Paul reminds us that creation is groaning for growth - often suffering can lead to growth, if we know how to cultivate it through grace.

As the gospel says, unless the grain of wheat falls into the grown and dies, it does not grow.

But if it dies and is buried in the soil, it can undergo tremendous growth and bear much fruit.

Isn't this true for us praying the Spiritual Exercises repeatedly, maybe even more than 50 times in our lives?

Perhaps we can ask ourselves, as creation groans for growth

1) How do I participate in that creation?

2) Is it for growth that I groan?

3) How do I groan for growth?

4) What fruit do I long for?

Making the Spiritual Exercises is great soil preparation.

Our role is to listen, and if we grow in listening to the word, God's promise is that the growth will truly be tremendous. Let anyone with ears listen!

 

Edward B. "Ted" Arroyo, S.J.

 

 

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE ON RETREAT THIS WEEK AS WELL AS OUR DECEASED RETREATANTS.

 

PLEASE PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY 

 

Upcoming Retreats with Space:

Women: 10/2, 10/16

Men: 7/27, 8/17, 8/24

Co-Ed Recovery 8/10

Co-Ed: 9/1

 

FEAST DAY OF ST. IGNATIUS MASS

Everyone is invited to join us for a mass celebrating 

St. Ignatius on Monday July 31st at 7:30am at SLUH (4970 Oakland Ave).  Coffee and donuts will be served following mass.