Saturday morning the senior group at our parish sponsored a Lenten Retreat for all adults in the parish and friends. It was well attended and the organizers received many complements. The main focus of the retreat - the Seven Last Words of Christ. The reflections on each Word - prepared by the parish clergy - gave an in depth examination for all to meditate on. In addition to that featured presentation participants celebrated Morning Holy Mass - prayed the Stations of the Cross - the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and enjoyed a light breakfast. Experiencing this event was an excellent way to begin the annual observance of Lent. Retreats - Evenings of Reflection - Hours in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament - Bible Study - to name just a few - very good ways to draw closer to The Lord.
God created Mankind to Know - Love Him - Listen to His Word - to do as He asked - Live lives according to His plan. All have sinned - fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) Because we have been born with the tendency to ignore - turn away from God's plan - to think we know better than God - we place ourselves in the state of sin. One may say it is only human nature - most of us - guilty of thinking we know better - without realizing we are sinning. In this Lent - all of us - saint - sinner - need to withdraw from the busyness of life - to retreat - that we may place ourselves more deeply in the presence of God.
Deacon Dale
