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 3/13/20

March 12, 2020  /  Joe Parisi

Weekend Reflections from White House Retreat

There seems to be no greater joy for Jesus than to experience streams of living water flowing from his heart to needy souls who request it. In this Sunday's gospel he asks for a drink from the Samaritan woman and later explains that the drink he really desires is for her to ask him for living water. In other words, we slake Jesus' thirst most effectively by inviting him into the deeper recesses of our brokenness, where we must rely on his mercy, and build up from there.

Seen in this light, we can be sure that Jesus is most overjoyed when you and I make it into the confessional. Note how in this passage he is leading the Samaritan woman to confession. And after confession she becomes a great evangelizer of others, giving effective witness to the transformative experience of mercy.

What is the role of confession in my life? How do I slake Jesus' deeper thirst, going regularly to receive his living water, a water which purifies, strengthens, consoles, and tranforms me also into an evangelizer, one who gives testimony to the work of God within me?

Christ wants to be the rock of our lives, upon which everything else is built. When we touch his heart, as Moses touches the rock at Meribah, streams of living water flow forth from him. And this is his deepest joy. How can I better slake Jesus' thirst this Lent?

-Fr. Anthony Wieck, SJ