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 Reflections for 9/4/20

September 03, 2020  /  Joe Parisi

     You and I are called to an ever-deeper, Godly love of our neighbor.  This sounds attractive at first, but really it is quite difficult.  It is difficult because such an authentic love embraces the notion of "fraternal correction," to which Our Lord exhorts us in this Sunday's Gospel.


     To love someone truly we must at times correct them out of love when they allow themselves to be influenced in the wrong direction.  It would be much easier for us to "live and let live," to not "judge a tree by its fruits," though the Lord exhorts us to do just that.  No, we are called to a deeper love, and so, out of that love, a disciple of Jesus will point out to the neighbor, one-on-one at first, what is seen as unhealthy.  Who knows? This may become a common occurrence for us when Archbishop Rozanski declares Sunday Mass attendance a serious obligation again, yet many may prefer to watch it in the comfort of their home from now on.  They will have to be approached in love and corrected humbly.  It takes a much deeper love to do this.  A lesser love would turn the other way and avoid mentioning it.


     One last thought on the matter: Saint Paul tells us, "Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers." (Eph 6:12)  Those we struggle with, whether they are near us or on the nightly news, are never our enemies or the true source of our frustrations. Rather, we need to pray against the destructive spirits behind these people that motivate them. Indeed, God's Spirit and his angels are ever more powerful to crush any selfish spirit, and so we call upon them for assistance here.  As one retreatant here at White House reported to me about his faith-filled granddaughter, coming home from kindergarten one day after being confronted by a mean boy on the playground: "Mommy, can we pray the St. Anthony prayer together? This boy lost his good side and we need to help him find it!"  So it is with fraternal correction.

-Fr. Anthony Wieck, SJ