Last weekend, working on a TEC retreat, it was a powerful reminder that there is nothing or no one except for God who can transform people in such a short amount of time, in a matter of three days. To watch the retreatants arrive on Friday morning and to see their transformation as the weekend went on, truly points to the Holy Spirit at work.
There are always at least a few people who don’t really want to be at the retreat, a few who maybe think it’s not cool to be spending a whole three days on retreat, others who would rather be anywhere else. This past weekend was no different. And one of the best parts of the weekend was watching seemingly hardened hearts being cracked open and softened.
By the second evening of the retreat, it was easy to see Jesus at work. Walls were being broken down. A powerful experience of eucharistic adoration led many of the retreatants to tears, with some having more than just a few tears and fully crying. This included high school boys, which seems like a group of people who are not known to cry in front of others. It was a beautiful sight, in the sense that I know it was Jesus who was touching their hearts.
To see other people have an encounter with Christ is always amazing. One of the best parts of being part of a faith community is that we are able to have these experiences with others and be a part of others’ experiences too.
When you are serving on a retreat, you are doing it for God and for those who will be attending the retreat. But God always pours out countless blessings, and you receive so much from giving. You also may be impacting the people around you in ways you will not know, and helping them to grow in their faith.
When the world seems bleak and without hope, remember that God is always working. God is in the business of changing and transforming lives and hearts. Keep your eyes open to how He is working around you!
Faith and The Good Stuff 