Retreat Notes for Day 5
Friday, February 26, 2010

Other Thoughts for the Day

Lyrics from Change Our Hearts by Rory Cooney

Brought by your hand to the edge of our dreams,
One foot in paradise, one in the waste.

Drawn by your promises, still we are lured
by the shadows and the chains we leave behind.

But change our hearts this time,
Your word says it can be.

Change our minds, this time,
Your life could make us free.

We are the people Your call set apart,
Lord, this time change our hearts.

I really like these lyrics because, in my journey with God, I often feel that part of me is "in paradise" and part of me is "in the waste." I feel God's love and tenderness, and still find myself knowingly choosing not to follow God as well as I could. - Fr. Don

From Many Voices, One Song; Remembering Our Call

When I wake up and when I lie down,
God is the direction of my life.

When I walk by myself and when I walk among friends,
God is the direction of my life.

When I come to unknown roads in life,
God is the direction of my life.

When I seek the good of others,
God is the direction of my life.

When I pray for a vision of the kingdom,
God is the direction of my life.

When I foster hope and peace,
God is the direction of my life.

When I work for the welfare of others,
God is the direction of my life.

Father in heaven, at differing times and in varying ways you have called each of us. Keep us ever aware of that call so that we can be effective instruments in helping others... Amen.

Your Life Will Be Richer - If

Your life will be richer if on this day

You will make an effort to:

+ Mend a quarrel.

+ Search for a forgotten friend.

+ Dismiss a suspicion and replace it with trust.

+ Write a letter to someone who misses you.

+ Encourage someone who has lost faith.

+ Keep a promise.

+ Forget an old grudge.

+ Examine your demands on others, and vow to reduce them.

+ Fight for a principle.

+ Express your gratitude.

+ Overcome an old fear.

+ Take two minutes to appreciate the beauty of nature.

+ Tell someone you love them.

++ Tell them again.

++ And again.

++ And again.

-- Author Unknown

(from Love Adds A Little Chocolate: 100 Stories to Brighten Your Day and Sweeten Your Life by Medard Laz, New York: Warner Books, 1997)

Reading 1: Psalm 13 (NAB)

How long, LORD? Will you utterly forget me?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I carry sorrow in my soul,
grief in my heart day after day?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look upon me, answer me, LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes lest I sleep in death,
Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed,”
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.

I trust in your faithfulness.
Grant my heart joy in your help,
That I may sing of the LORD,
“How good our God has been to me!”

Reading 2: Mark 10:46-52 (NAB)

They came to Jericho. And as [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.

Reading 3: Luke 18:18-30 (NAB)

An official asked [Jesus] this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.’” And he replied, “All of these I have observed from my youth.” When Jesus heard this he said to him, “There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich. Jesus looked at him [now sad] and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?” And he said, “What is impossible for human beings is possible for God.” Then Peter said, “We have given up our possessions and followed you.” He said to them, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive [back] an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come.”