Before beginning your retreat, take a few moments to rest in the presence of God. Breathe deeply three times and imagine each time that you are exhaling the day's concerns. Reflect on the great gift God has given us in his son Jesus. Thank God for his generosity and constancy in your life.

Matthew 1:20-21

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Joseph was open to listening to God's voice in his life. Through the action of the Holy Spirit, Mary became the mother of Jesus. Joseph, Mary's intended husband, knowing that he was not the father of Mary's child, trusted God and accepted Mary, and therefore Jesus, into his home. Accepting Jesus into our lives also requires trust in God. Jesus means "God saves," foreshadowing the outcome of our lives when we trust God and accept Jesus into our lives.

How do I respond when God speaks to my heart and asks me to trust him?

How can I encourage others to trust God and accept Jesus into their lives?

(Speak to the Holy Family using these words or your own.)

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for me, that I might have a heart that trusts God alone. Help me to encourage and learn from the children's innocent trust in you.