Reflections from Retreat
Every year, the diocese of San Diego hosts a retreat at Whispering Winds for young adults. I went to the retreat for the first time in 2021 where I met a community of amazing people who were on fire for and in love with Christ. It was comforting to be around so many people who were walking alongside me in this journey to sainthood. Retreat gave me the space to build meaningful and Christ-centered relationships with people. I left Whispering Winds with a group of great friends and this strong desire to grow young adult ministry in North County San Diego. Since the last retreat, I became more involved in my church — serving as a young adult leader for St. Elizabeth Seton, assisting with confirmation classes, and singing in the choir. I also met with my retreat friends regularly, and we built virtuous friendships with one another.
This year, I went to retreat with a different mission — growing in greater intimacy with the Lord. As you know, this year has been a rather restless and odd one for me. With extreme highs and deep lows, I was on a tumultuous journey to find inner peace. Going to the young adult retreat was restorative. God reached into the depths of my heart to heal me and call me home. He called me closer to Him and cradled me in His arms. His mere presence was enough to move me to tears during adoration. No love is greater than this. I left the retreat with an even stronger commitment to growing closer to the Lord.
Sister Tracey Dugas from the Daughters of St. Paul provided several practical tips on how to cultivate a more intimate relationship with the Lord:
1. Cultivate your physical and spiritual life.
A human person has both a physical and spiritual self. It is important to make sure to care of our physical self as well as nourishing our spiritual selves too. One practical way of doing this is by going on walks and praying. Don’t drown out the “orchestra of humanity” with music. Rather, allow yourself to be present sans distractions. Let God walk alongside you as you get some physical activity in for the day.
2. Get to know scripture.
Buy a bible and commit to actually reading, learning, and understanding God’s truth. If we want to truly know God, there’s no better way to learn from him than through His word. Do Lectio Divina when reading and meditating on scripture. There are also many scriptural books that can help guide you.
3. Find ways to make a gift of yourself.
God teaches us to be selfless and self-giving. Give the gift of yourself to others. Do things in the service of others. Serve others before they even ask you to. Cultivate a way of life of putting others before yourself. Some practical ways of giving are volunteering, serving in ministry, and helping your friends and family.
4. Build virtuous friendships.
Start a group bible study with your friends and place Christ at the center of your relationships. Connect with others and be intentional with your friendships. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to be your best self. Strengthen your friendships by having deeper conversations and opening yourself up to them.
5. Pray and receive the sacraments.
Go to confession often. If you can, go to the same confessor. A good confessor will lead you in the right direction and provide greater guidance on healing. Attend daily mass and pray the rosary. Make a holy hour. Pray a novena. Make a Marian consecration. Ask Mary to mother you and give you Jesus her son. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
Sister Tracey’s talk helped me figure out the best ways in which I can cultivate a deeper relationship with God. Christ should be at the center of everything. With her suggestions, I can take actionable steps to nurture that relationship with Him. Retreat was definitely what I needed to find the childlike joy and inner peace that I had lost this year. I feel restored! So, here’s to always fixing our gaze above. Verso L’ Alto! To the Heights!
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Emily
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