As we end today’s retreat, think about some of the experiences and insights that you have received from our Holy Thursday module.
Having accompanied Him in Gethsemane and at His trial with the Jewish Sanhedrin, what would you like to tell the Lord?
What have you learned about Him and about yourself?
You may want to play this song as background music as you prepare your sharing. Or you may simply want to pause here and listen to it first.
As always, we invite our retreatants to share an EXPERIENCE, INSIGHT, QUESTION, or PRAYER in the Leave A Reply section below.
Sharing is helpful not only for those who will read and learn from what you post, but also for you: The effort to articulate your thoughts and feelings clarifies them for you.
Share the grace that you have received today with our online faith community–and multiply it.
As announced, there will be Jesuit Spiritual Directors available online (at certain hours) for those of you who may wish to confer with them. In case you have a question or something that you would like to consult, feel free to avail of this service.
For our ONLINE SPIRITUAL DIRECTION, click HERE. Just click on the orange tab on the lower left of the site.
Hope to see you again tomorrow! Meanwhile, let’s pray for all our fellow online retreatants.
194 replies on “END OF HOLY THURSDAY”
I was truly touch by the retreat. I was reconnected to God. I have been somoost and alone dor a longbtime and this retreat help to find my way back. I am always feel lost and distract and thw retreat helped me to find my soul yearning. Thank you Pins of Light.
Thank you Lord for keeping.
Touching and striking.. I had so many realizations..
Thank you and Godbless!
It did not occur to me that Jesus walked in complete faith in the Father out of “love without the benefit of understanding”.
What is highlighted for me is that Jesus fully trusted God and so, though difficult, obeyed Him wholeheartedly.
Reflecting, I realized in the past year, I have been going where God led me because of my sickness. And that I have clung to Him all this time, knowing that His net of love will surely catch me. I feel that the last year has taught me to fully trust Him, obey Him, and that He has my back. I can only look back and see His faithfulness, grace, and mercy. Though I went through (and still going through) something painful, I felt I belonged to Him. And for that, I am deeply grateful.
Better late than never, its just now that the angels brought me to this retreat. Reflections. Thank you Jesus.
Truly inspirational. How our Lord bore everything for us. I want to always remember… not ever to fall out of love and to constantly be in love with Him who loved unconditionally and persistently then and until the end of time
“To LOVE without the benefit of UNDERSTANDING.”
This “really” challenges me as i’ve gone through this online retreat.. this may also be the answer to my question, why God has to love humankind?
In the scene of Gethsemané, i asked, why is he staying there waiting for His betrayer?
The poem, “A River Runs Through It” by Norman McLean is true; those who are in need dont ALWAYS needed help, they just wanted us to stay, be with them and love them without the benefit of understanding because they know where they belong.
I usually ask myself, how can i love this person well in fact, i do not understand her/his being?!
“To LOVE without the benefit of UNDERSTANDING.”
This “really” challenges me as i’ve gone through this online retreat.. this may also be the answer to my question, why God has to love humankind?
In the scene of Gethsemané, i asked, why is he staying there waiting for His betrayer?
The poem, “A River Runs Through It” by Norman McLean is true; those who are in need dont ALWAYS needed help, they just wanted us to stay, be with them and love them with understanding because they know where they belong.
I usually ask myself, how can i love this person well in fact, i do not understand her/his being?!
Lord thank you for showing me today that like me, You had your weaknesses. But through prayer you found the strength and the grace to push on and persevere in accomplishing your mission. You understand and know how hard it is for us to overcome temptations but through Your example and sacrifice and Your love for us, You help us carry our daily cross and avoid perdition. We love You Lord and we praise Your Holy Name. Thank you for Your loving presence and Your Cross ??❤️
Why??? I am not worth it.
Lord, WTF?! How could you even think that humanity was worth it? Your suffering …. it is way over what any human is worth. I would have asked: FATHER, do you not love me?! What kind of love is this… that I have to follow thy will?! REALLY??!! This is your will for me?????!!!!
I am in tears. Why am I beloved? I remain humbled every pascal season; and in awe on your belief in me. That I am worth saving. I love you.
Thank you, Jesus, for the second chances.
Thank you Jesus our Lord, for being with me all the times to guide me in the days of my life. And the blessings I received that I don’t even deserve. Thank you and Praise you Jesus!
Kung kinaya ng Panginoon, kakayanin ko rin. He has already shown me by the example of his life that defeat is not the end of my story. If things have not yet fallen into place, if life is still a little hazy, perhaps its because the end has not yet come. I am still under construction and so many more will be revealed in time. For now, I wish to stay with Jesus and to ask from the Holy Spirit the grit of Jesus that I may move forward in serenity and love amidst all the questions I carry. So be it. Not my will, but His will.
I have always had difficulty understanding how to love unconditionally. Through Jesus’ example I learned that I don’t always have to understand to love; that I don’t always have to know everything about how a person thinks or feels to love them.
Today I had a better understanding of temptation that it is not only a choice to do something bad but to choose to do what is better. Jesus showed me how to handle temptation…to choose what God wants for me.
Lord, sorry. Sorry for all the times na pinili mo ako para samahan ka at makiisa sa mission mo pero nagpakahina ako. Sorry Lord kung nadeny kita hindi lang tatlong beses, pero mas marami pa para lang maging fit ako sa iba. Sorry Lord for all the pains na naibigay ko sayo. Sorry if i bit you over and over again dahil sa mga kasalanan ko, dahil sa inggit ko, dahil sa sobrang pagmamahal ko sa sarili ko at dahil nadin sa mga takot ko. Sorry Lord dahil kailangan mong paglabanan ang lahat ng ito ng dahil sa akin.
Thank you. Thank you sa pag rescue sa akin, punong puno ako ng tanong na bakit mo ako patuloy na minamahal. Thank you dahil sa grace mo Lord, hayaan mo akong mahalin ka ng buong buo kahit di ko pa naiintindihan ng buo ang plano mo. After all this, ikaw naman talaga ang tunay na nagmamahal at magmamahal. I love you Lord.
Just like what the song said, I”m alive. I’m still breathing. There’s so much that I can do to amend my life so as not to cause more pain to others and to fulfill what God had wanted me to be when He created me- the authentic me, not always trying to fit in but one who loves unconditionally. For this is the only way to become worthy of the sacrifice Jesus made for me . Thank you so much Lord. Forgive me Lord.
Lord, grant me a humble mind and an open heart to see:
How sinful I am;
How much you love me;
How much you have suffered for me;
How much you have given and blessed me with;
And how I may serve you best in this life.
Having been single for a long time, I let myself explore love in the wrong places (Tinder, Bumble and Plenty of Fish), but did I find the right person for me? The answer is NO. I met man after man after man and when I thought I found The ONE, it turned out he’s not ready for commitment and to add insult to injury, I have given myself and my values up to him. The experience broke and shattered me. I admitted my mistakes and seek confession. Only then I realized that i was looking for love in the wrong places when I have the right love in the person of JESUS and that I went my own way and doubted the Lord’s plans for me.
Moral lessons:
1. love is not found in online dating apps.
2. never give up your values to the wrong person.
3. Trust in the Lord that His plans in your life is good. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Prayer:
Lord, forgive my shortcomings and heal me in the sacrament of reconciliation. Remind me when faced with temptations that You died that I may have life. Amen.
I am weak and vulnerable
Pleasing the Father and obeying His will is of primordial importance above all else. Pleasure or pain can never be my reason for disobedience. I am now aware that not all temptation can lead me to sin but in ways my actions can lead me astray, away from the Father who loves me immeasurably. Jesus has shown the way…to keep silent, to suffer in silence, and do what pleases the Father…it is where i belong, it where i will strive to fit in. God give me strength to overcome temptation and to discern effectively when I am tempted …in Jesus name I pray.
Mahal tayo ng Panginoon. Sobra. Napaka bait na Diyos. Lahat ay gagawin nya para sa atin para maging maayos tayo.
thank you for this blessing of reflection. as we go through the rigors of our daily life, we tend to forget how great Jesus is. that He is ALWAYS with us, that He will never abandon us and that He calls us to be with Him.
Thank you so much for this online recollection. It guided through my reflection and prayer.
One significant learning I have today is that no matter what pain and struggle I will go through, Jesus showed me the true meaning of faith, belief, obedience, and love to the ONE true everloving Father. Our Father in Heaven will not forsake nor leave me. He is always by my side regardless of the many times I succumb in mental, physical and emotional pain.
You asked for your cup to be taken away but when it was not, you still finished the task because it was God’s will.
I need more discernment & clarity in order to find out if this pushing the boundaries I am taking on is indeed God’s will; if the sacrifices are worth it or am I simply hitting my head against a brick wall.
You were tempted to ask the Father not to allow You to go through the suffering and yet you still went through it because You only wanted to please the Father. You were so focused on your mission, your purpose for coming to the world.
And yet so little is asked of us by the Father and yet we often falter and we become distracted.
I need to become more focused on pleasing the Father, on loving Jesus, who gave up His life so that I could be united with the Father.
Thank you Lord for Your sacrifice, we are saved.
I ask God what my purpose is in this lifetime/ what it is that He wants me to do and yet I give in to temptations… I instead give in to the pleasure of not doing anything, sleeping, being lazy, being complacent, fearing rejection, fearing additional work….instead of meditating and praying every day to hear God’s message for me….instead of working on opportunities that will make things clearer for me…
I am so grateful to this online retreat. Thank you for all that you guys do for us. Truly a blessing….
Lord thank you very much for showing me how to follow God’s will like what you did in Gethsemane. By allowing us to fight the temptation of pleasure and pain. That we need to choose how to be belong and not to fit in. We must learn to love even we are being misunderstood.
I didn’t realize going through this can be tiring emotionally, as you dig deep through yourself. But I believe this was energy well spent. Thank God for allowing me to discover this.
I hope I can still continue to do the next module without getting tempted by pleasure/pain.
Jesus loved without full understanding. He loved all the way til the end. How easy it is for me to doubt God when the future seems unclear, and find another way of proceeding that’s easier to understand and control. I could be missing the resurrection and the revelation of God’s glory bec of my pleasure-seeking and pain avoidant personality/default.
I have learned every time I suffer loneliness, pain, rejection, doubts, anxieties, fears, confusion, pain, shame, and temptation, Jesus Christ is suffering with me. He knows exactly what I am going through because He has gone through the worst temptations in the world. I have also learned that I am one of the people who crucified Jesus’ message and His very person. Every time I reject His message of love, every time I deny Jesus in my life, every time I refuse to trust and believe in, and reject Jesus and His message of love, I crucify Him. Every time I reject His message of love, especially when I don’t heed His words telling me not to be afraid anymore, to stop worrying, to stop overthinking, to stop judging, to stop doubting His love most esp when I don’t understand – which happens every single time I sin, I sever and hurt my relationship with Jesus, with God. I learned that God is very very patient esp to people who are very slow like me, and He is okay with that. He accepts me as I am. He tells me that whenever I feel weary and tired, and whenever I feel like I don’t belong in this world that is very fast-paced, I always belong to Him. I can always be my truest Self when I remain in Him, and when I let Him remain in me. How do I become a fruitful branch of the One and True Vine, who is our Lord Jesus Christ? By His grace, I become fruitful by delighting myself in the Lord and allowing Him to delight Himself in me each moment of my life, forever. For me, this means to come to believe and accept wholeheartedly, with complete surrender and full trust in His message of love and in His very person. That in every single waking moment in my life, Jesus is walking with me. Jesus is in my heart. As I delight myself in Jesus, I keep myself connected, sustained, and nourished by the Source of Eternal Life, and I become fruitful. As Jesus said, the fruits I bear as I remain in Him, as I remain His faithful disciple, become our Father’s glory.
My earnest prayer now is continuous learning with and from and discipleship to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank you. You’ve put words to what I feel and thoughts that i could not fully express. God bless you
Thank you Lord for everything. Thank you for your great love for each one of us. Pls. help us always especially in times of weaknesses.
Thank you for this retreat. My msgs frm God today: Loving completely even without fully understanding; the importance of belonging rather than fitting in; I was moved by all my fellow retreatants esp those who are presently carrying heavy burdens and those who shared so honestly and generously—- giving a virtual hug to each and every one of you and reminding you that God loves you very much and that is enough— that is all we need. Let us also continue to pray for those who want to give up on their life. Let us hold on to their hands tightly and protect them in Gods loving embrace to drive away their despair, sorrow and pain. God be with us all!
Though I keep falling and failing, your love sustains and carries me through and through, from glory to glory.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for showing me first what it means to be resilient and determined – that in your hardest times, you chose to run to God and commune with Him.
Thank you, for showing me first what it means to belong – not to fit in in the standards of the world, but to find my identity and worth in you.
Thank you, for your unconditional love for me – that despite not having the full knowledge of what’s to come, you still chose to obey God and put your life on the line for me.
I’m forever grateful, and forever yours. Amen.
Im alive and still breathing Lord. Thank you for all your sacrifices and understanding. Stay with me Lord through all my ups and down. Your the only one who never judges and condemn me for all my failures and sins. I love you my Lord.
I am alive and still breathing! Thank you Lord for thy grace, for being there with me all this time in my journey. For lifting me up and make my load so light. Thank you for your unconditional love for me and my family. Thank you for the angels and saints you have sent to support me in this time of need. I can feel you Lord. I can feel your loving touch. Heal me Lord. Heal my mind, body and soul. Teach me to do thy will. Thank you Lord for your unconditional love. As you have shown me in my dreams how many thousands of people floating in the ring of fire that needs to be saved. Help me Lord as I do need to carry the cross I too must bear. May I offer it to you to be part of your passion for the salvation of souls.
Thank you very much Jesus!
Thank you for your sacrifice for me, Jesus.
You went all in.
For me.
In spite of my sinfulness, my envy, my laziness, my self-centeredness, my selfishness, my anger, my impatience.
You gave your life for me.
I’m alive and I’m still breathing. I do not fully understand how you will use me to glorify your name, I do not full understand how you will use my life to bless others.
But I want to believe that you can make miracles out of my life. Because you love me and you found me worthy of your life.
Teach me to follow you in faith. Even without understanding.
Help me to go all in for you too. Help my imperfection and my unbelief. And may your grace be enough for me to know that I am enough, and that I can do all things in your name. Amen.
Amen.
Thank you for eloquently articulating exactly how I felt at the end of this Holy Thursday online retreat. I couldn’t have said it any better.
Thank you for articulating how I am feeling ?
Lord I have messed up a lot in life… But you never gave up on me I know that you will always be with me in my garden of Gethsemane!
Last Feb. 2008, I watched my father suffer from liver cancer. It was a heartbreaking scene- I wanted to share to ease his suffering but I could only be there to comfort him. This is like a Garden of Gethsemane experience of Jesus. There were things that are meant to happen and out of our control. Prayer is the only resort to feel relief from suffering.
Pls.continuously pray for the soul of my father, Pio Jr.
Lord, I can very well relate with what you went through in Gethsemani. Help me give meaning to my own Gethsemani experience. Help me believe that I am called to love even without understanding the WHYs of my life.
I still do not understand why, Lord, I am uncomfortable in waiting. I do believe that all these challenges I am facing right now are part of Your bigger plans for me. This Lenten season You have asked me to see the beauty in waiting, in standing still, in being present, in the uncertainty of it all. Oh how I am failing You, Tatay. But here You are, here You always are, ready to accept me and welcome me in Your loving arms.
At the garden of Gethsemane, as You were praying, You asked me, not to help You, but to stay with You. I am a woman of action. It wasn’t easy for me to do as You have asked. But here I am doing it, Tatay because I love You. I will always love You. And even if I don’t completely understand it, completely understand my situation, why I am where I am today, I will stay with You.
I will stay with You.
May Your will be done.
Amen.
Lord God, give us strength to carry all our trials given to us and i know that there is always a rainbow at the end, embrace us, guide us, bless us. This trials…we offer everything to you Lord.
I stood in bedside of my pained dying mom for liver cancer for 3wks until her death.
I gained a better respect and value of our Holy Hour Vigil to accompany Jesus in Gethsemane.
Grant me Lord Grit and Resilience to be Faithful to your commands. Work in the hearts of your beloved people around me.
Here are three insights I got from the Holy Thursday module:
1. Unconditional love goes beyond even one’s understanding…that we can still choose to love even when we don’t understand. In times when we don’t understand, we have to go back to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had His own why’s. He also did not understand. But He still chose to love to the very end, laying down His life for us as a ransom for our sins.
2. Fitting in is different from belonging. Do not ever forget Whose you are. Do not ever forget that you are a child of God…that you are His no matter what.
3. Whatever pain, challenge or suffering you’re going through right now, Jesus went through. Go back to His grit and resilience. Go back to His fighting spirit. He was fighting for His every breath to finish the mission He was born to do. Keep on fighting. Keep on loving. Keep on drawing strength from Him who knew very well how it is to be judged, accused wrongly, beaten up, and crucified.
The Lord’s grit and resilience … He saw the redemption of Easter Sunday while in the darkness of Holy Thursday. May I consciously know that God’s victory is already waiting at the end of the moments of trials … despite the seeming silence. God’s grace will pull me through.
I’m not the person I am now today if without my past. Still searching, growing, and persevering to be a better version of myself.
Lord, help me to be resilient. Help me more to continue even in different settings of life.
Thanks for this online retreat. Once again, two years in a row, I have been ‘asleep’ all year and completely given in to the temptation of ‘good enough’ vs God’s best plan.
I had a life changing ‘conversion’ experience during Holy Week 12 or 13 years ago now.
It is amazing these last two zombie years of my life that come this time of year, God is clearly calling again. The One who loves unceasingly, calls unceasingly and patiently waits. I am humbled and also ashamed of letting things get so distant and fallen apart.
Thanks again. Keeping this prayer community in my Triduum prayers.
I am in great awe and filled with gratitude and love towards our Lord Jesus Christ who willingly chose to undergo physical and emotional suffering for our sins. Throughout his ordeal, he did not fall prey even for a split second to resentment or anger towards his tormentors, nor even the thought of ending it all by showing everyone His divinity. His great love prevailed. This challenges me to have the same attitude when I feel that I am unjustly persecuted or wronged – to let love prevail in these difficult times.
Thank you for making me accept what I cannot understand. Having the faith of simply leaning unto you O Lord especially when trials come my way. For having the strength to continue moving on even I have difficulty doing so. I leave it you to you O Lord.
Love requires obedience even if we don’t understand. I may not know why I’m in this place, but this is where God wants me in this stage of my life. Faith demands us to obey God’s leading even at the possibility of getting hurt.
I agree.
Questions that bothered/s me: “Am I SO bad that someone has to be beaten up and die on a cross to save me? Do I need saving?”
Today’s reflection gave me the HUMILITY to accept that not living fully to God’s will for me, being asleep to my own life, is a sin. And yes, I do need saving from that.
Thank you Lord, for the wake-up call. Please give me the grace to stay with you in this journey. Even without complete understanding, may I lead always with LOVE.
I do not want to be angry anymore at you, God. Nor at the people who have hurt me. I want to forgive and let go of hurt even if it is hard. I want to be free to love even if it is scary. Despite of the abuse, I want to be free to love. Teach me to love even if I am hurt, to forgive even if it is hard, to trust even if there is no assurance. You have given me life these past 35 years and have shown me that my life, choosing life and love is the way to give justice to this gift. To be alive for your glory is what I can give to you. In my poverty, I give to you what you have unconditionally given to me: life. Breath. Amen.
The Garden of Gethsemane…a night of overwhelming fear and uncertainty. We do not know if we pray for the morning to come, not knowing what the morning will bring.
If the rest of my life be a Garden of Gethsemane, then allow me to sit by You, my Lord, even though I do not understand why this is happening. I pray that they never take You away, because I do not have the strength to hold things together – to hold myself together – without You.
Thank you
My God, I did not trust you. I realized how self centered I have become because of pain. How I refused to see your plans when I do not get what I want.
You are teaching me how to be patient, how to be kind, to be understanding despite other people’s shortcomings.
Guide me dear Lord as I continue to walk with you.
Now I realize how temptations come in various forms but I need to be able to discern properly. It is difficult to follow God’s will and way but easy to take the other road and console yourself that God will forgive you anway.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me to fight my own battles ’til the end no matter what, no matter how hard, even if I don’t know where the hard work is leading to, even if I don’t understand why I’m doing it for…
May the Lord bless the people behind this online retreat. Amen!
Trust the process. We hear this in work, especially in projects. We just learned a process. Show up, belong not fit in, love without completely understanding. Powerful. Difficult. Asking for grace to trust the process.
I have been hiding under the justification “I am not sinning.” But I am afraid to answer Your call Lord – afraid of the pain, of the discomfort, of how it would make me look weak to others.
Help me Lord to say yes to you at every turn. To be as brave as Jesus. To love and trust You even without understanding why.
Knowing the different types of temptation allowed me to closely re examine my life. I’ve been complacent that I overcome temptations of pleasure easily, not realizing that I have been sinning through the temptation of pain. Thank you Lord for opening my eyes!
Like you, Lord, I had just suffered rejection and betrayal just after experiencing the loss of the greatest love of my life. I seek to love you and be faithful to you even without understanding all that has happened in my life, trusting that all this will pass and that I will be able to pick up the pieces again.
We should do things, not because it is easy, but because it is right. Lord, Your life is the greatness example of love and resilience. With Your Grace, I wish to live Your life. You taught us how to love, give us the strength and the courage to do as You will. Amen
Thank you Lord for using this to reachout to my soul. My issues. Thank you for the absolute, unconditional love…to teaching me humility, simplicity and focus. Let me not stray and give me the grace to be always on the right path. I love you Lord and all that you have given me..the share of good & challenges of this life journey. Help me overcome as you have done. Amen.
I’ve messed up my life during the past 25 years. The only “good” thing about it is it allowed me to get closer to God and strengthen my faith. But at times, I question why God doesn’t seem to hear me. As I slowly get my life back on track, I can gradually experience God’s love, patience and mercy. God is with me while I sort out my life. When I feel helpless and alone, God surprises me by providing me a lifeline. I am so unworthy but God’s infinite mercy enables me to experience His grace even bits at a time. I pray that He continues to guide me through my trials in life and He will forgive me for all those I have wronged in the past.
You taught me to continue loving without fully knowing the Why of things. As long as we are Alive, we continue to love.
My search for meaning is still murky at best, but I feel like knowing that this is my biggest question is a step in the right direction. It is such a blessing to have an opportunity to reflect and learn through this medium. Thank you!
You faced leaders who were against you, you cried for help because you knew some of them believed in You, You listened to their ill logic. You bargained too, You asked for Your miracle too. You saw that You would have to face this all alone, and You did, bravely, through all the doubt, temptation, disappointment, abandonment. Thanks for being with me, and for letting me be with You too.
Thank you Lord for loving me despite the many times I turned my back on you to do the things you want least of me. I cannot promise you a big change but small steps towards growing into the person you most want of me…
To be true to our God’s mission and be able to accomplished it requires love…This will enable us to conquer any setbacks and failures. To give us the reason why we need to persevere and the required strength to continue…
Even as Jesus was suffering in His agony in Gethsemane, He was still able to turn to me and attend to my distress (during the Gethsemane contemplation).
He showed understanding where I lacked understanding. This invites me to do the same for others – to see beyond my own needs and give Jesus’ warmth to others.
My God! This is sooooooooo touching!
I praise and thank God for leading me to this online retreat which I am blessed to participate for the past decade of Holy week since I have been away from my hometown.
So many things happen since then but the Lord has been my constant companion.
Thank you Jesus for your unconditional love that defies logic and understanding.
Help me to love like you do and be a Jesus to others in this beautiful yet sometimes broken world.
I am sad, Lord. And I am scared of a sad life and a sad future. Help me to be happy again please. Make me whole.
God is moving me to reply to you to consult a psychiatrist or mental health specialist or call those depression hotlines. You might have clinical depression and a gen anxiety disorder and getting professional help as soon as you can will help you a lot. I know this because both my mom and my daughter (only in grade school) have depression and have been getting regular counselling to help them. So pls seek help bec mental health problems are very prevalent nowadays and are like those physical illnesses that need medical treatment to be resolved. Hope you get well soon, take care, and God bless you
Lord, accompany me as I also try to accompany you on your way to fulfill your mission. Help me see through today’s superficiality; help me get past through just fitting in; help me retain the strength required to be true to myself and to fulfill Your will. More often than not, I am weak and frail. I would rather not go through life’s pain and remain in my comfort zone. But that is not what you have called me to be and this I have known for a long time. With this let me accept your aid, let me accept the people you send along my way, and enable me to be the Grace you have also been to me. This I pray that together, we can make a difference in the world and that in the very end of this difficult during we have to take, we would look back and say that it was all worth it.
I end this day with gratefulness.
thank you Lord Jesus… for having such great love for us mankind, that you embraced suffering for us to be set free… i’m sorry for those moments that i choose my own comfort instead of doing the right things, and for the fear of experiencing pain, humiliation, and rejection when doing what You have taught us to do.. thank you for opening my eyes to see that i’m the one pushing You away from my life, and yet You are always nearby, always blessing my family and me.. Please help me, i’m nothing without You
I am going through some pain, and have the same questions, why must I do all these things? I feared rejection but the Lord helped me with it. He has give me so much graces and resiliency.. and the song of my life , is I will survive….. I love you Jesus
Walk with Jesus…
Thank you Jesus for this time and space with you and myself. The temptation to go to sleep was so great, i almost did not get to do this first part of the retreat.
I thank you for doing what was requested of you, even when you were afraid. Thank you for not doing less than what was requested.
I have so many fears, but I will articulate them and list how to address these. I know i will not overcome all the fears but naming my fears and addreasing these will be liberating…
Jesus is in pain and trouble but He choose to obey God, no less than what God wanted Him to do.
Jesus suffer and humilited but He still continue…
My struggles and pain are nothing compare to what Jesus suffered. It doesn’t matter for as long as we continue even if we struggle and in pain, like Jesus, He continue even He doesnt understand. It’s not easy but knowing we have Jesus to share our suffering and pain, we will overcome, we will understand by “not understanding”.
Because His love is enough.
Thank you Lord. Im sorry for rushing so much. Its very hard. Im sorry Lord, that I forget. Love you Lord.
My Father-in-law passed away recently and its difficult to take since he was such an influence and guiding light in our lives. God allows us to rely on Him for support and guidance during these dark days. The closer we become to Him the more He shows us the way to His light. Only then can we be truly alive.
Praying with you
Do this in memory of Me. . .
It’s so hard for me to keep this promise. But for this Maundy Thursday while doing this online retreat. These words struck once more. . .
I was riding in a bus going home, while pondering on the questions of this retreat. A mute girl showing a picture of her sister and asking for some donations were asking row by row. Most of the time, I would ignore such people on the bus thinking it was just a racket. I was disturbed on what she is doing and the questions from the retreat pop out to my mind. If Christ have shown His far greater Love by accepting the Will of the Father and died for us, why can’t I do the same on a smaller way?
So when she approached me. Instead of giving some spare change. I gave her a bill. She was definitely overjoyed. I tried to say that I am praying for them in sign language. And I felt serenity. I did a random act of charity to someone in need. Something I should’ve done since the beginning of Lent. . .
On this day, I was reminded that those words Jesus spoke is not just applicable to the Eucharist. It is also applicable to things beyond the Eucharist (even Ite Missa Est is not said for today)
There are still a lot of questions to ponder that I’d like to ask Jesus. But that little experience to me have answered some that would impact my life for the rest of it. Thank you for this amazing Retreat! O:-)
Why am I in pain? “Because you chose to love even if its hard. And now you’re about to give up, it is I you want to let go.”
Why Am I lost?” Because you turned your back to me, you are letting go of me.”
Will you find me? “I have never left your side. I am always with you.”
Why should I always be the one to give? I’m spent, it seems I can’t give anymore. “Because you have received me. And I, [love], never runs out. I am eternal”
Why can’t I have the desires of my heart? “Have you really discerned what are they? You see, you have me.”
I’m crying hard at this end of today’s retreat. It’s getting clearer to me now. The pain, affliction, worries pulled me away from God, then I started to let go then hold then let go then hold then let go. My trust and love for God is fluctuating which makes my heart and whole being messy. When we ask, “Where are you God, you don’t seem to care, everything’s messed up? It is not the He abandoned us, most probably we abandoned him that’s why we can’t feel, hear Him. The more people abandons Him, the more it is hard to find Him in this world. Abandoning Him means not trusting Him, not choosing love [not choosing God], not following and doing His ways.
Amen.
Eventhough we have a lot of questions in mind, the Lord just Wants us to the decide because we love….
I am afraid of where my “Yes” to you, Lord, will lead me.
Praying for you
I’ve learned that when we’re dealing with the hardships of life and we question God and why this is happening, he is telling us to push through out of love for him and that we should sometimes, drop our understanding of why it’s happening and remember that God is always with us and believe that something good will come out of it. Like Jesus, who was beaten and hurt, he chose to love and put his trust in the Lord. Like us, when life continues to knock us down, we must get up and know we are in this life with a purpose.
To do something without understanding but because of LOVE… is the antidote to “Why me? Why do I have to do this?” Teach me to love more so that I may do more…even with no understanding
My questions are still there, but it is comforting to be reminded that Jesus Himself asked these same questions, and kept on his path anyway, despite not getting the answers to His questions. He is with us even in suffering, in doubt…and in faith. And it is because of this that I am reminded that we are never truly alone, so we can survive anything, any cross, any trial, any suffering that goes our way, and in the end, the will of God will prevail, even in this world seemingly plagued by darkness and evil.
Yes, Lord… i know that You accompanied me all this time.. and i love every minute of it.. but in this past hour, i gave my time in Your company.. and really felt the rejection, the temptation.. the patience i gave, finding out time consuming.. but that’s not in Your time.. cuz i know i belong to You .. Thank you Lord ..
Lord, at this point, I really don’t know where I am headed. I have set out at path for me to take but it seems I am being overwhelmed by my desire to escape from current situation and suddenly wanting to change course. Lord, I know I have so many questions, doubts.. But I have learned that through it all, you are there. May I continue to be faithful despite the vagueness of it all. Thank you, Lord for teaching us to stick with you so that we won’t go astray. Your way is still the only way, Lord. Amen
Jesus, thank you! I’m sorry, please forgive me. I love you!
This module touched my heart. I was caught off guard when I unexpectedly cried. What captured me the most is the last part of the module on the resilience of our Lord. It is true that sometimes we experience hardships and difficulties. We must overcome these and be resilient like God. His LOVE will always be enough. Amen.
When asked at the start, what would we like to ask Jesus, we wanted to know what would make our Lord Jesus Christ happy. These past years, I’ve been praying for the grace to know Jesus more, so that we can “fall in love” with Him. This one hour online retreat session was a very intimate prayer experience. And I am in awe…. What a strong (and “resilient”) God! ? Not only was this session about falling in love, this was about making a commitment, “getting engaged” so to speak. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus made a commitment to love and save us. ❤️ So at the end of this reflection, I find the answer to the question at the start… what would make Jesus happy? He would be happy if we could respond and also committ ourselves to Him.
Thank you so much for this online retreat. It’s not easy to “slow down” into silence, but this was really helpful.
I humbly come before you my LORD to please forgive me for all my sins and make me sin no more, please give me patience and love and free me from all anxiety and fear and bring forth love, understanding and peace .. with your help, I can be a better child of yours and sing praises in your name.. Forgive me my Lord and my God. I love you so dearly.
All is grace. ?
Thank you for this wonderful experience to know Jesus more.
Praying for the grace to be able to love fully even without understanding completely ?
Thank you for this online retreat. I may have just found the answer I’ve been yearning for since my Mom passed away 10 months ago. I have stopped praying except for her eternal repose. This struck me the most – “To love completely without complete understanding.” For me, this is what it takes to love God. I have always believed that God loves me unconditionally but I cannot believe that I am capable of loving Him unconditionally. This is a realization for me tonight. * Thank you, Jesus, for being authentic and for showing us that even You had a hard time accepting the will of God.
Dear Jesus,
I feel so tremendously loved by You. Thank you for making me experience Your agony and trial, for making me realize that You have always been with me in all my pain and loneliness.
Thank You for this online retreat experience.
Amen.
Am Alive because of you Lord Jesus ! I love you and help me to love way you should be loved. In my darkest hour you were there with me and keep me going . I can’t thank you enough for joy love and generous mercy for me .
Thank you again dear Lord !
Lord, in your prayers, you asked the Father to take the cup away from you three times and in each of these prayers, you said that if it is thr Father’s will. Lord, it has always been difficult for me to add thay praise in my prayers to you. Lord teach me yo love you as you love me and to follow your will, just as Jesus did.
For the past weeks, I’ve been going to work day in and out hoping the load would lift; but it got heavier with each passing office hour. I began resenting co-workers and even clients. I mainly poured out my emotions and stresses on family and friends. until I became too toxic – even to myself.
Staying an hour with Jesus in Gethsemane tonight helped me to realize that what I carry cannot compare and that my burden is not for me to bear.
Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me that my work is to think of you and what you have done and continue to do for me. My work is for your glory, so there is no question that you will show me how to carry my cross.
Thank you Lord. As always, you are the only one who is always there for me, specially in my darkest hour. You carry me when I fall always…always! Thank you.
Constantly, I am faced with sadness, knowing that i should also be grateful for all the blessings. It feels good to know that the one true person who knows about my sadness, is God. He’s the one true person who knows about all of our sadness, trials, and tribulations. Much more than what we are feeling, Jesus has encountered. Jesus has felt. Jesus has accomplished.
Help me to be still, Lord, but not fall asleep, while I stay with you.
Help me to love and forgive without understanding, just like You.
Help me to sense your constant presence in my life and be grateful that I am here, alive, in one piece, of sound mind and body, despite the less than loving ways of the people I cared for in the twists and turns of my life. I am.
Give me a little more time, please Lord to love and glorify You as I should.
Such a beautiful prayer…
I am overwhelmed by your love, Lord. It is so beautiful to be loved by You. Thank you for your gift of love and forgiveness. Despite my stubborn heart, you always take me back in your arms. Thank you for your grace and mercy, Lord. I am truly grateful for the time I spent with you on today’s retreat. I am blessed to have the freedom and privilege to worship you and honor you Lord, for you are my rock, my Savior. I am nothing without you. Thank you Jesus, I love you.
Thank you Lord Jesus for accompanying me in my darkest hours, times of rejection and betrayal. You were there. You are my God who is there no matter what. I may not understand Your will for my life, one thing I am sure of… You love me unconditionally!!! Thank you for loving me, unworthy as I am! I beg for the grace to have the courage and the passion to continue living… despite the rejection and pain I went through… despite the loneliness I am facing, with Your grace and love… I am still ALIVE!
Praying with you
I had many questions not just 3. I started this retreat with 1 thought: what on earth am I here for? I feel like I’m just cruising, swept by each wave in life. Ihave reflected that I have been following a god of convenience. I am tempted with pleasure. I like to do easy stuff. Choosing the lesser good if it’s easier because it’s technically not wrong.
I don’t have the answer to my question. I will stay with that question tonight, or even if it extends beyond Easter Sunday. I make a decision to say Yes to God even if I do not understand.
I have many plans, many dreams. My struggles and trials are preparing me for the person I want to be. Like school, I must remember that lessons will be repeated until it is learned. I will consciously open my eyes to see what God is preparing for me with each struggle and trial. I will no longer cruise. I will live. I am ALIVE.
Jesus, You were a man then who had fears and doubts; yet, You still chose to continue – to not do what’s easy and reasonable, but to see and walk Your path through. Please grant us the grace and courage so that if we’re ever faced with the same uncertainty and fear, we will still choose to continue even if we don’t understand, most especially when we don’t understand, because unlike You then, now we have You with us. Thank you.
We all do not like to be rejected–especially by those we love and care for. But in a sense, when we spend so much time in material matters and pleasures like work, watching, TV and the internet, this is actually a way of rejecting our Lord instead of spending more time with Him in Prayer ( the way the Apostles were asleep while Jesus was already beginning the Agony of His Passion and Death ). I am guilty of this.
Help me spend more time in prayer with you Lord.
My Lord Jesus, I’m sorry for all my sins that may have caused You to suffer. Thank You for loving me unconditionally. May I continue to come closer to You and look for Your will in my life. I will work on being more patient and understanding.
Lord help me as i go through this journey of life.sometimes i feel alone,just as you did.but i know in my heart that i will never be alone as you said,know that I am God.help me to lead a life that will please you.help ne to forgive the people that have wronged me.and teach me to ask forgiveness for those i have hurt. In Jesus’ name.Amen.
What surprised me about today’s session are the statements I told Jesus when He was praying in Gethsemane. I realized that the words I’m telling Him are the exact words God is also telling me, the exact words that I needed. I told Jesus to trust the Father, have faith, that Jesus is loved by His family and friends, that He is worthy, and that the Father has amazing plans for Him. Truly God is wonderful!
Amid the loneliness and isolation, the Lord was able to stay true to himself and stand by his mission. This is due to his unwavering faith in the father, his love for the father that he is able to put his full trust in him. To love without understanding. I have always been challenged by this, to be able to conjure love and faith during these times is extremely difficult, especially when the ego tempts you of ways to avoid pain and regain the pleasure of things. But somehow we find our faith back because we know that the Lord will support us and not desert us and that paradise awaits us, with our hearts larger and fuller with love.
As a husband & a parent, I understand what it means to love without understanding. There are times when my spouse or kids do something which completely escapes my logic. More often than not, I push logic aside & just accept things as they are.
And, I guess that is the same with loving God. There have been times in my life when I’ve asked Him “Why?” because I didn’t understand why something was happening. But, reflecting afterwards, I realized that it happened for my own good.
Lord Jesus, help me go through my own nights in the little Gethsemane gardens of my life. Grant me the grace & the courage to endure them. Amen.
My Lord, I come to you to please listen to my plea. Heal me Lord and calm my weary mind… I need you Lord to come into my life, Bless me and heal me and my husband and my family … Bless my Mother and all my siblings. I trust in your mercy because you are a merciful, forgiving and loving. Amen
Despite everything that we have done against God, still, Jesus chose to be with us, and made a very crucial decision…to do the Will of the Father.
Also, before he continued on His mission, Jesus left us with two important commands: love one another and remember Him through his Body and Blood, represented by the bread and wine.
Thank you Jesus, for Your love for us.
I pray together with, and for my fellow online retreatants.
Dear Lord,
You are our strength. We are in pain. We remember your pain and suffering. The betrayal and isolation you went through. We are alive. With your grace we will survive.
And emerge more loving. Unconditionally loving.
Amen.
I almost died a many few times but I was saved by the LORD, MY ONLY GOD all the time, I am humbly grateful for all the things HE have done to me and I will continue to trust in him… there are times when I’m scared and all I do is call his name and sing praise to him and he always answer my prayers .. I love you my Lord my Saviour??
Lord God the Father Almighty, we give you thank and praise and Glorify you thru Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
I’ve always thought that everything I go through in life has a purpose for myself. Everything that happens to me is to lead me to something good, no Matter what it is. It is my fear that makes me hesitant and hardheaded not to see this many Times.
I believe there is a parallelism of our life with Jesus’ life. There are also so many things we have within ourselves to make us more loving.
Thank you Lord for always staying by my side through thick and thin. For understanding me and giving me another chance, countless times. For believing in me and not giving up. For sending me people and opportunities to make me a Good and Loving person. Please make me conscious of this always and also don’t make it hard for me to realize it. LOL
🙂
Life is indeed a journey. Make it a good one. Keep on forgiving.
For the young ones who have lost their ways, return to faith.
Live, love and respect.
My first time here, am very grateful. Thanks much.
Keep living. Keep loving. One day at a time.
Loving even without completely understanding. Loving til the end.
Even Jesus asked if it were possible for the cup of suffering to pass Him BUT ultimately, He let God’s will be done!
Amid all the trials and challenges in life, I believe the He will never give me anything that I cannot handle – He will send angels/helpers along the way WHEN needed – to see me through.
Knowing this, how can I not trust Him? He knows what is in my heart even before I know it for certain! So I will continue to trust in Him. After all, like what is written in Isaiah 55: 8-9 (this is not verbatim) His ways and thoughts are beyond our ways and thoughts. As high as the heavens is, so are His thoughts and ways beyond ours. I trust He is leading me where I should be.
I’m sorry, for falling asleep and for understanding that my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak.
I’m sorry, for making the lesser choices despite professing to give more, to serve more, and to love more.
Thank you, for reminding me of who I am. Thank you, for reminding me that I am still alive and that I have a lot to live for.
loving unconditionally…
loving without understanding..
is a blessing and a God given Grace from above.
We are tempted by pleasure and pain..it’s an easy way out
Oh teach us grit and resiliency.
What a beautiful retreat, so personal, so intimate and very relatable to whats happening to each one of us. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to know you more, to be immersed in your suffering. It gave me hope it will all give us hope. God spoke to me that Love will propel me amidst all the trials, rejections, hurts and pains.
I’m going through a tough time right now. I feel like I’m drowning with all the changes that I need to face and embrace. My resistance to change is eating me. I had been asking the Lord why I need to go through all these. As I stayed with Him in his agony in Gethsemane and before the Sanhedrin, I feel the Lord gently looking at me and teaching me how to deal with my present ordeal. Yes, I can allow myself to face the suffering, but, like Him, I need to be able to say, “not my will but Yours.” Maybe this will help me to let go of the resistance and embrace (and share) the cup of suffering. Maybe I need to trust that, in allowing His will, I am creating a life of meaning and creating a better ME.
My husband died very suddenly a few months back. I and my children are still reeling from the shock. The questions “Why, Lord? Why him? Why us?” continue to plague us, even as I do my best to remain steadfast in my faith. I pray continously for acceptance of and surrender to this “cup” of loss that changed our lives drastically. I pray for calm and hope through the fears and anxieties, and for joy amidst the sadness and grief. Lord Jesus, continue to be our inspiration.
When Jesus was arrested in the garden, brought to trial before the Jewish council, and thrown in a prison cell, He knew His Father was with him, even if the Father was seemingly distant during those dark times. He knew fully that He belonged to the Father, and that was enough for him to undertake this painful mission to the very end with love.
“…because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) comes to mind, and I am enjoined to think about how I should respond to His love for me.
Thank you.
Your resilience has inspired me to be strong too; to have faith.
May we all be guided on our decisions.
I trust that
He will help us know when we are being tempted and so we could resist it,
He will remind us of where we always belong and that there is no absolute need to fit-in; so that we may always be authentic,
We may not always understand but it is, at times, what’s best for us,
And that He will always be there to help us rise above our sufferrings.
May we be reminded that all the pain is needed for us to grow!
This has been a very big blessing. I am very grateful.
Thank you Lord for saving us from all our sins. May you increase our faith that we may trust you and surrender ourselves to your will.
Acknowledge the feelings and fear that come with each trial, each question. Find strength in prayer. It is in silence and stillness that God speaks to us.
That because of Your love, suffering, and death on the cross, all of this is survivable.
Amidst rejection and betrayal we tend to fight back. But it comes to a point when we become weary and lose energy. What sustains me is knowing that everything will come to pass and there is a God who understands and loving me for what I am and knowing that He will never leave me. Also that in the end nothing matters except how I will eventually present myself to the Father at the end of my earthly life.
I am sorry for being too involved in work, too complacent in my duties as a mother and sister/ daughter. I have succumbed to the temptation of inaction instead of making moves to be closer to my family and friends. But it is not too late, I resolve to be better. I will continue to try.
“The source could only come from love.” “… invited to love God – even if we don’t always understand Him.” To love like You is an awfully tough act to follow. All that I can probably pray for, always, is for You to never tire of inviting me to do just that. And, if it is not too much to ask, the grace to recognise the invitation You send. And … thank you 🙂
To love God, even if I do not understand.
Dear Lord,
I see so much of my own life in yours. It’s like a mirror. It is strangely comforting. I am not alone, after all. I don’t understand why we both had to go through so much suffering, disappointment and betrayal. Why are people such monsters?
I don’t know how you managed to forgive them. I am alive, but I am cold and dead inside. This is all I can offer you: my beaten, overwhelmed, angry, bitter, resentful, clueless, lost and confused self. I am sorry this is all I can give you. But I will stay with you, because I know exactly how you feel. Let us suffer and finish this journey together.
We are given by God the freedom to choose how we want to live our lives.
But, there are instances wherein pleasure or pain overpowers us in making the right decisions/choices and move us away from the right path and refusing to see and correct the wrong.
Braving confession to right a wrong can sometimes be a struggle not knowing or not being ready to correct the wrong. This challenge is so minute compared to the struggles our Lord had to go through for us.
Dear Lord,
I see so much of my own life in yours. It’s like a mirror. It is strangely comforting. I am not alone, after all. I don’t understand why we both had to go through so much suffering, disappointment and betrayal. Why are people such monsters?
I don’t know how you managed to forgive them. I am alive, but I am cold and dead inside. This is all I can offer you: my beaten, overwhelmed, angry, bitter, resentful, clueless, lost and confused self. I am sorry this is all I can give you. But I will stay with you, because I know exactly how you feel. Let us suffer and finish this journey together.
Thanks for this
Lord, I am so sorry for giving up so easily when I am confronted with difficulties and uncertainties. I am sorry for doubting that you are there for me when troubles and problems come. I am sorry for being so impatient and for only wanting to receive what I think is good for me not trusting that you always have the best plan. I am sorry for the so many whys whenever I am faced with trials and challenges. Thank you for inspite of my sinfulness, you have loved me unconditionally. Pls help me to do the same especially to my children.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for teaching me this Holy Thursday to choose love over understanding. There are times when we do not have answers to our life’s questions, but, like you in the Garden of Gethsemane, give us the courage and perseverance to soldier on and love especially during difficult times and moments of confusion and undertainty.
That even if I may not fully understand what is happening in my life, I completely trust in the process that the Lord is with me all the way. I may have felt rejection from other people but He has always loved me always.
Nang dahil sa pagmamahal, nagawa ni Hesus na manatili sa plano ng Panginoon. Sa kabila ng kawalan ng kaibigan, kawalan ng agarang sagot sa mga tanong, kawalan ng magandang katayuan at ginhawa sa mundo, pinili ni Hesus ang daang pinili ng Diyos para sa Kanya. Napakahirap nun. Madalas, mas gusto kong ang nais ko ang masunod. Punong puno ako ng excuses para majustify ang kagustuhan ko. Sa huli, I become less of who God created me to be. I experience less of the love and grace He bestows upon me. Because I almost always choose myself over Him. I almost always choose myself over others. I find it so difficult to stay in His grace whenever everything around me become so routinary and silent. I choose to be lazy. I choose pleasure. I pray that through this retreat, I become more like Jesus. I want to go back to Jesus and belong only to Him.
Lord, indeed, you have always been with me throughout the years. I surrender myself to you. May I always be mindful of your presence and graciousness and seek your Holy Spirit for the strength I need.
Salamat po Lord, Jesus Christ???
Sa araw na eto damang dama ko ang paghihirap mo. Ang pagiging maunawain, sakripisyo, pasakit, pagpapatawad. Salamat sa pagpapatuloy sa paggabay sa akin na lalo pa tumibay ang aking pananampalataya sa iyo.
Maraming salamat Fr. Johnny! Napakalaking tulong para sa amin ang Lenten Recollection mo. God bless you po!??
If our Lord was ready to suffer til’ the end, I should too.
I am struck by Jesus’s grit and resilience by Thursday midnight in his prison cell – letting us know that “buhay pa ako; kakayanin ko pa ang bukas; kakayanin ko pang mabuhay ngayon upang mamatay bukas – para sa ikaliligtas at ikabubuhay ng lahat. Di dahil may kadahilanang lohikal ito at ang lahat; kundi dahil may pag-ibig ang Ama (at Anak at Espiritu Santo) para sa lahat.”
Teach me to love unconditionally as You did and do, Lord. Sustain me in such love and in always loving in all that I do.
Saying thank you is not enough for the grace I received today of being able to understand the working of temptation in my life.
GRIT, RESILIENCE and UNDERSTANDING ?
Learned about GRIT and RESILIENCE in pursuing my objectives despite rejection… and I ask for the grace of UNDERSTANDING without knowing the exact answers.
Thank you, Lord.
Lift up to God all your uncertainties. Instead of worrying about it, trust that God will show you the way. That He will fix things for you. He has never failed me.
My biggest lesson: keeping the faith even if you do not understand. Trusting in God no matter what. I am so thankful that because of this retreat, I can remain hopeful and believe and trust that something good is going to happen.
Thank you for reminding me of what it is to truly truly trust in God. For the many battles He won for me, what is there to fear? What is there to be anxious about? Thank you Lord for meeting me where I’m at. For reminding me that temptation does not always result to sinning. That the devil can also tempt me away from your will.
Lord, this holy week I beg for your mercy and grace to help me clarify my goals, in accordance to your will. Help me not be afraid, help me brave the storms, help me finish the race you called me to run.
I love you Lord. Into your hands, I commend my spirit.
Amen.
Lord, Your Son died on the cross to allow more people to do things ‘for the greater glory of God’. Please always guide us through in making daily decisions to be Your instruments, no matter how strong the temptations are to do otherwise. Allow us to realise that our decisions matter no matter how small they are, as long as they all lead to You.
As always, I am thankful for the vast understanding the Lord has given me through these years. Please let me love You, O Lord, even if You would always be beyond my mortal capacity to understand. And as I do that, please allow me to love people around me and to stay beside them, even if I don’t seem to understand them. Grant me the compassion, Lord, to see through their situations and find You in my interactions with them.
Lord, You were rejected, tempted, hurt, ridiculed and killed because of your unconditional love for us.
You did not understand, but you still went ahead.. This is the 1st time I reflected on you going all out for what God had wanted you to do.. Yes, you can have performed miracles and healed and taught until your old age, but you didn’t. You know you belong to the Father, and you did not care about fitting in.. Help me Lord Jesus, to be like you in all ways. Amen.
Lord, let me love and forgive others the way you love and forgive me. Allow me to always be grateful for the gift of life… a life dedicated to Your service, a life that comes with a lot of chances, a life of being a blessing to others. Give me the resilience and the will to be a blessing to others — through challenges, through difficulties, through betrayal.
Thank You, Lord, for not having forgotten my need for a retreat; You allowed me to find this and participate here even when I thought I have given up every chance there is.
I love you, Lord.
Trust in God gifts you with the grit to be resilient and in dealing with the rejections in life which are the awareness to discern between belonging and fitting-in. That discernment fosters belief in the truth of who you really are sans ego.
Ego is the portal to temptation.
Lesson for the day: “Love God even we don’t understand why – even when following Him and Will does not make sense.” I’m reminded by the song, “if you can’t trace his hand, and can’t see His Plan, trust His Heart”.
Jesus is no stranger to suffering. It must have been a terrible experience of spending the first night of Holy Thursday – in a dark, solitary, cold cell – having to go through it alone. Sometimes it is difficult to see the Lord in this “moment” and press home button to just look on the “bright side”. But it is comforting that in my most difficult moments, He has not left me… though I may not feel Him. I believe.
Thank you Lord. Allow me to accompany you in your difficult moments too. #HindiKaNag-iisa
Whenever I go to confession, i enumerate the “sins” and now I know it is not only the sins as defined traditionally, but the temptations of pleasure or pain when I have chosen to do or be less than what God is asking from me.
My prayer is to truly keep me from all temptations, to learn to be what He wants me to be…to truly hear and know God’s Will and may God’s Will be done. Amen.
Jesus suffered, accepted all the unjust accusations and endured all the pain, so that He can set us free from sin. That is how much He loves us.
When we suffer, be assured that He is there holding and embracing us through the pain. He will give us the strength to endure and set us free from its bondage.
We belong to God, we are His❤️
In my life, temptations of pleasure and pain had been and still are present. It is only by God’s grace & mercy that I was able to survive the challenges and came out alive… not only by my lonesome but with the people that meant most in my life.
In today’s retreat, the strongest insight I received was gratefulness. Grateful that He did not leave me. That God was and still is the wind beneath my wings. That He is faithful to His promises – from His death on the Cross til now, omnipresent in my life.
Responding to His great love is knowing what my mission is for Him. May I know Your Will and may Your Will be done?
Jesus, you felt betrayed. you felt abandonment. Still you persevered. Temptation is always present. I pray to be stronger, fuelled by your love for me, may each day, with baby steps bring me closer to you always and be able to withstand whatever comes my way, only with your Grace Lord.
I will continue to trust in God’s Divine Plan for my family even if I may not understand what is currently happening, and why it is happening ??
I am thankful I finally got to do this online retreat. The experience of seriously looking at myself and seeing Jesus up close is liberating. Obedience to God. Focus on the mission. Love in everything. If only I can do even just a fraction of what Jesus did.
Welcoming pain just as I welcome Jesus into my life. Thank you Lord for the grace and mercy that disguise as pain.
God’s love and mercy is everlasting, although during challenging times we lose the Trust to understand his will that better days are coming. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! ❤️
“I’M ALIVE!”
Temptation by pain is something I avoid, after all, who wants to experience pain. But I realise, it’s accepting that it exists in everyone’s life , even if we don’t understand why it happens to us but trusting that God is with us even if we don’t understand why we must experience it. It’s having complete TRUST in God. That’s where the challenge for us is.
It’s a first for me to do this. I’ve always wanted to but always found excuses not to continue. I’m glad I did this today. I am still figuring out my questions because it doesn’t mean I don’t have it now that I don’t have any. Perhaps, it will come as I delve deeper into my relationship with Jesus.
Insight:
The grace of awareness that even the closest people in your life can betray you, go against you, and not be with you in the most difficult time of your life. But having faith and great trust in God almighty is the only saving grace that we have that won’t change no matter what our circumstances are.
I agree!
Fleeing from pain is very human. The temptation to avoid pain is actually entertaining the idea of the staying away from the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus, whose love and wisdom is unfathomable, allowed Himself to be vulnerable and experience pain from ridicule, injustice and abandonment of His closest friends, among others. I seek the grace to remain with the Lord in silence. I seek His truth and love which is beyond my understanding.
My gift in this recollection is knowing about belonging even without understanding why everything is happening
Amidst all the trials and challenges that we may face in life, one thing we can be sure of is that God will not give us something we cannot bear and overcome as long as we trust in His loving grace and mercy. He will be with us all through the way. ??
Not choosing God’s will can be a sin. Amidst the sins of pleasure & pain, Jesus has always been there. I might not understand it yet but I know His grace will see me through ??❤️
Yes, maybe God is teaching us something in these moments of sufferings.. That for sure is something beautiful 🙂 so, cheer up. God is on the works ?
thank you for helping me to understand by “not understanding”
Thank you Lord for giving up everything for me, even though I am so undeserving.