As you begin your retreat, pause for a few moments and allow yourself to grow still. Take several slow, deep breaths. Become aware of God's unconditional love for you.

Psalm 139:1-3

LORD, you have probed me, you know me:you know when I sit and stand;you understand my thoughts from afar.My travels and my rest you mark;with all my ways you are familiar.

These verses from Psalm 139 speak of how God loves us, and how God knows everything about us, our every fiber and every thought. God loves with the kind of love that is hard for us to understand. The good news is that we do not have to understand. We simply need to be open to it, to rest in it, and to allow it to take root in us.

As I reflect on God's all-knowing love for me, how do I feel?

In what way do I feel moved to share that love more freely?

(Speak to God, using these words or words of your own.)

Loving God, thank you for the precious gift of your love. Thank you for always being there for me, ready to help whenever I ask.