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 5/7/21

May 06, 2021  /  Joe Parisi

Jesus's Friends

Many people come to White House wanting to improve or deepen their relationship with Jesus. Often they find that difficult because their image of Jesus, and sometimes their experience with him, is of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity or the Lord of the Universe, which of course He is. In Sunday's Gospel Jesus calls his disciples and us "friends". The human Jesus had and cherished his friendship with the sisters Mary and Martha and their brother Lazarus. Whenever he came to Jerusalem, he stayed with them at their house in Bethany. When Lazarus died, Jesus met the sisters at the tomb and joined them in shedding tears before he raised Lazarus back to life. Friends were and are very important to Jesus.

St. Ignatius wrote that prayer can be a colloquy or dialogue "as one friend speaks to another", speaking and listening and just being silently present to one another. That's how our friendships grow and deepen and it's the same in our relationship with Jesus. He always wants to tell us about his and our Father, the God who is Forgiving Love. With Jesus we are our Father's beloved sons and daughters and we ask for the grace to share that love with the others in our lives.

-Fr. Ralph Huse, SJ