Retreats are Time for Deepening Love Relationship with God

Motherhouse chapel.

During July I was blessed to be able to make my annual retreat as a Sister of St. Joseph. A spiritual retreat for a Christian is a time of solitude and silence and prayer during which one focuses on their love relationship with God. This year I made a directed retreat with seven other Sisters. Our retreat directors, with whom we met individually daily, were Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia.

Although I had great expectations of taking long walks and swimming during retreat, I ended up catching some sort of upper respiratory infection just before retreat, and had to take antibiotics, so had no energy to do any kind of exercise.

Hydrangeas in Motherhouse gardens this year. 

One of the more moving prayer times for me on retreat was reflecting on the words of the hymn, “O God, Beyond All Praising.” If you have never heard it, I encourage you to listen to it. In addition to having a gorgeous melody, the words I found inspirational at this time in my life, especially verse three:

“Then hear, O gracious Savior,

accept the love we bring,

that we who know your favor

may serve you as our king;

and whether our tomorrows

be filled with good or ill,

we’ll triumph through our sorrows

and rise to bless you still;

to marvel at your beauty

and glory in your ways,

and make a joyful duty

our sacrifice of praise.”

One of the eight of us who were making the directed retreat died three days after it ended. Even though it was not unexpected, as the Sister was on hospice care, it was still sad. And yet, for those of us who believe in Jesus Christ, we know that death is only the beginning of a new phase of life.

Angel Trumpet bush.