Before you begin your retreat, pause for a few moments to relax. As you breathe, remember that you are in the loving presence of God, who is with you as you continue your faith journey.
Luke 2:51
He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
No family is perfect. We were not perfect children and we did not have perfect parents. God, however, does not ask us to be perfect; he asks us to be obedient. To be obedient is to live in listening love to God, to our family, and to those who call us to be aware of the needs of the world. Jesus is the model for our obedience. In Jesus we can recognize how God calls us to obedience today.
How do I show that I recognize that my family is a gift from God?
What can I do to listen more lovingly to God, my family, and to those in need?
(Speak to Jesus, using these or similar words.)
Jesus, in your life with Mary and Joseph, you experienced the blessing of family. Bring happiness to my family and help me to become your instrument of peace and healing.
Amen.