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.

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Weekend Reflections for 5/18/18

May 17, 2018  /  Joe Parisi

This week we reflect on the first of the reconciliation calls, reconciliation with God.

Even in the Old Testament, God repeatedly offered forgiveness to humanity, revealing divine mercy (e.g., Ex 34:6) and even likening the relationship between God and humanity to the marriage covenant (Hosea 2:20). 

But the perfect reconciliation between God and humanity is accomplished in Jesus. As St. Paul puts it, God is reconciling us through Christ’s redemptive incarnation, ministry, death and resurrection, (2 Cor 5:18), a mystery we celebrate with each Eucharist. 

Reconciliation implies a changed relationship for the better between persons or groups who were once at odds with one another. Especially through our experiences of the Spiritual Exercises at White House, each of us is aware of how we are invited to grow in our relationship with God.

In our prayer this week we might reflect upon:

1)  How have I known God’s reconciling mercy in my life?  How have I responded? As a sign of my gratitude, how am I called to share this with others?

2)  What about the “covenants” through which I am involved with others in family, friendships, strangers and even with those I perceive to be “enemies”? How might I here and now be called to change these relationships for the better, with the help of God’s grace?

3)  How does my/our repeated participation in the Eucharist impact my living a more merciful life and sharing God’s covenantal love with all creation, especially those persons groaning for deeper reconciliation with me and others?

-Fr. Ted Arroyo, SJ