As you begin your retreat, pause for a few quiet moments. Take three deep breaths and be aware of the loving presence of God, who guides and comforts you.
Matthew 13:31-32
He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'"
Seeds are wonderful miracles. Jesus presents an image in Matthew that equates the kingdom of heaven with a seed, a seed of insignificant size. Our life, if given over to the direction of God, can bloom and grow in the same miraculous way as the mustard seed grew. From our single life, the Kingdom of God has the potential to grow much larger. All the great accomplishments of the saints and the holy men and women begin with a small seed of faith. God continues to plant such seeds of faith today.
How can I best serve the Kingdom of God in my life?
How can I nurture the seeds that have been planted today?
(Speak to Jesus using this prayer or your own.)
Jesus, sower of the kingdom, help me to nurture the seed of the Kingdom of God that you have planted in my heart.
Amen.