I’m on retreat.
Well, to be clear, I’m directing teenagers on retreat this week. But even when you are running the logistics, you can’t help but also feel a bit on retreat yourself. Once everyone got settled in their rooms and the talks and small groups began, I could almost feel the Holy Spirit tap me on my shoulder and say “Good work, now let me do my thing.”
This is my first full retreat in fourteen months.
I took down my luggage from my top shelf of the closet yesterday to pack. My luggage is really just a well worn duffel bag on wheels. It’s been with me on all my retreats and other trips for the last decade (maybe more…)
When I pulled it down, I figured it would be empty and it mainly was… but there were still the remnants of the last time I went out of town in there – the last week of February 2020. There was a comb, some Dramamine, and a nice pair of socks that I really could’ve used over the last 14 months! The last time I packed these items was also for a retreat. That time it was for a retreat for New Ignatian Educators. I was there to lead a small group and give a talk… but it was also such an incredible week of rest and renewal for me. Once again the Spirit did the Spirit’s thing and amazing things happened. I didn’t know when I put that bag up on it’s high shelf it’d sit there for so long.
The New Ignatian Educators retreat got canceled this year as did so many other things… for good reasons, of course. But it felt for a time like I’d never pack this bag again.
But here it is. Sitting on the twin bed in the retreat house as I set up to lead day two of this Junior Kairos. I imagine the bag is as excited as I am to be here. I hope it doesn’t think it’s going back up on that shelf for long… more is definitely ahead.
My prayer this morning is simple, yet surprisingly hard to do. I pray when the Spirit says: “Good work, now let me do my thing” I simply respond “Thank you.”
How will you let the Spirit move in you today?
