A quick post about my recent retreat at the White House Retreat Center located near St. Louis, MO.
Been wanting to post something for a while but my host server has been glitchy lately. Just got into it after several attempts.
A few weeks ago, I spent a long weekend at a guided retreat at the White House Retreat Center. This makes my third trip there and it was much needed. Work has been a challenge lately and it was good to get away for a while to just focus on silence and connecting with the spiritual.
I’ve been on several Catholic retreats over the years and it wasn’t until my last White House Retreat (the one before this most recent one) that it really became something meaningful. I’ve often wondered why that is. I think it was for a number of reasons.
Why make a retreat? And, How Come They can be a Major Disappointment
One, I expected something miraculous and epic. What a disappointment when I found myself bored and staring out the window. I found myself expecting visions and locutions and all the other amazing things saints have written about over the centuries. God rarely works that way. And, in fact, His subtleness can speak volumes more than the visions and stigmata and all the other stuff sometimes, I think. The sun on a blade of grass can be just as miraculous as anything else and affirm the beauty of His creation.
Two, I packed too much. Not stuff (I’m a great minimalist packer!) but plans. I’d bring seven books for a four day retreat and be disappointed that I didn’t finish them. That’s on top of the journaling goals I would set. I’ve since learned it’s fine to just bring one book or even no books. Often, it’s better.
Three, I demanded. I found myself saying on some level, “Here I am. I’m doing the retreat thing. Look at all this time I’m devoting.Time to give me something!” Naturally, that didn’t work. God works on His timeline, not ours. He also excels at giving us what we need and not what we want even when we think what we want is best for us.
Four, stupid phone. I’ve made the mistake of just “checking this one thing” on my phone while on retreats. Naturally, it becomes two hours later and I am way off track. If you can ditch the phone do it. Not everyone can turn the phone off due to profession, family and so forth but it makes a huge difference not to let that little device take you off track. Most retreat centers have a landline someone can call if they need to get a hold of you for something urgent.
Five, I didn’t go enough. When I first started going to retreats, it would be two or three years between them. I think a good goal is to go once a year as this provides an annual opportunity to recenter and spend time focusing on the spiritual life. Obviously, this isn’t practical for everyone. I’ve read some articles that suggest making a stay at home retreat. I’ve tried that before and found it almost impossible due to all of those things that the domestic life entails. It’s best to go somewhere and set yourself apart for a while.
Five, not being open enough. I often would set some spiritual goal or focus for a retreat such as removing prideful motivational or disordered attachments. Often, I would be promoted in a different direction and completely disregard or ignore because it didn’t meet my expectations I defined. Be open, is what I learned. Invite the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and listen.
Conclusion
To wrap up, Catholics are fortunate, I think, in that retreats have been a centuries old tradition in the Faith. Several orders offer guest houses in beautiful grounds that naturally cultivate spiritual dispositions. The Jesuits, in many parts of these U.S.A. offer guided Ignatian retreats which can be very powerful and transformative.
If you can find or make the opportunity to take up the practice of making regular retreats, it can be a wonderful way to grow in faith and spiritual acumen.
Faith, I’ve discovered, is a lot of work, and retreats can provide you the necessary tools to grow in friendship with Christ.
Thank you for reading.
