Weekend Retreat Theme 2009-2010
Knowing the God of Jesus
The "God question" is the great question of life! Is there a God? What is God like? Who is God? What does God mean for me? In John’s Gospel, the disciples of Jesus ask "Show us the Father, and that is enough for us…" (cf. Jn 14:8)
The question pops up in the midst of the experiences of life: when we marvel at the beauty of nature; when we rejoice in the gift of new life; when the experience of love reveals to us the beauty and delicacy of another’s spirit; when, in the midst of turmoil and trouble, we are led to discover a way out; when we witness another person die and must confront our own mortality; when we struggle to answer the question of evil and suffering. All these experiences, which are common to adults, point to reality beyond ourselves and remind us that life has a depth and a mystery to it which we know is God. Yet, it is hard to be certain, to be sure.
It is in St. John’s Gospel that we also read, "No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him." This is the great gift of Christian faith; a sure and certain knowledge and understanding of divine reality that is shown in the life, words and deeds of Jesus Christ.
The retreat for this year focuses on the God revealed by Jesus Christ. Reviewing the Gospel record, we ponder the great mystery of God-with-us, Jesus, God in human existence, through whom we come to appreciate and trust in the mystery of God. The retreat invites participants to know the God revealed in their midst, and to come to a deeper understanding and faith for the God revealed to us by Jesus.
