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 9/20/19

September 19, 2019  /  Joe Parisi

TAKING UP OUR OWN CROSS

In the two of the gospels for this week (September 22-28) Jesus speaks to his disciples about his death and in one specifies that it will be at the hands of his own religious leaders. His disciples are confused and upset on hearing of this from him.

Luke adds that the disciples simply did not understand why Jesus was speaking about such things, and, moreover that they were afraid to question Jesus about their meaning. They surely recalled what had happened when he first he informed them of this. Peter had tried to say that this certainly could not happen to him. Jesus severely reprimanded Peter for his remarks

For me the disciples' dismay is quite understandable. Who wants to commit their life to a person who predicts that he is going to be put to death by the religious leaders of his own people. To add to their perplexity and confusion is Jesus telling them that to be his disciple they too must take up their own cross.

You and I are his disciples now. We enjoy a perspective that his disciples did not have, namely that of his resurrection. Still the challenging realities of that message for you and me are the same. We too have had, or will have, to take up our own cross, and we too at times will be confused, dismayed and uncertain. Put mildly, this is both challenging and hard.

So we must pray to our risen Lord for a deep faith and belief that he has defeated the cross, he has conquered death, and that he promises to be with us always.

-Fr. Jim Blumeyer, SJ