CDM parishioners prepare for Holy Week with a retreat

Parishioners of the Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) participated in a one-day Lenten Retreat led by parish priest Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap on March 20.

Apr 02, 2021

Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap during the session


By Kevin Vimal

Parishioners of the Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) participated in a one-day Lenten Retreat led by parish priest Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap on March 20. Some 200 participants joined the session, including those who were present physically at church (70 persons). The retreat, dubbed The Basin and The Towel, began with a reading from the Gospel of John 13:1-20; a fitting way to recall the event when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples during the Last Supper. For Jesus, it was a display of humility and servanthood.

Fr Michael spoke about the meaning of Lent as a time to sit back and reflect on the journey of our lives, looking at the time and space that God has given to us. In this retreat, He reminded us that it is the time to heal, to be renewed and refreshed by God’s experience. It is a time to listen and a time of prayer. One of the most important things that we can do in Lent is to seek silence, which is the language of God. Just like the monastic way of life and in the Old Testament, they seek silence and solitude, ‘Be still and listen to God’ (Psalm 46:10).

Just like us, Jesus was put to the test when he was confronted with temptations in the desert. Fr Michael also quoted a few important verses from the Scriptures, ‘Then the Spirit led Jesus into the desert that he be put to the test by the devil. After spending forty days and nights without food, Jesus was hungry’ (Matthew 4: 1-11).

He narrowed down Jesus’ time in the desert into six important areas that concluded the Saviour’s journey there, including forty years, wilderness, time of journey, place of covenant, place of testing and place of presence. Fr Michael elaborated on each of those experiences in the desert.

The practice in the Jewish culture is that the washing of feet is done by the slave, not even the servant. Here wehave the Lord, the Messiah, the King of Kings removing his outer robe and washing the feet of the disciples.  Fr Michael asked the congregation, “in my daily relationships, whose feet would I find it the most difficult to wash?”

The experience of the Passion of the Lord is about love. In the Gospel of John, the word love appears 57 times, 37 times between chapters 13 and 17. Everything that happens between Palm Sunday and Easter is centred on, and coloured by love. Fr then explained the emptying of Christ from the Greek word Kenosis.

Fr Michael stressed the importance of moving from self-love to self-emptying love. Moving the focus from one’s self to others. It’s about service and sacrifice, laying down one’s life for one’s sheep or as a mother towards the child. It is not a duty; it is a vocation. Vocation flows into love. Everything we do is motivated, empowered and moved by love and love only, whether we are a BEC coordinator or a member of a ministry. Love is always kind and gentle. Love is God and God is Love. It is a whole experience of movement towards the virtue of humility.

After the break, Fr Michael spokeon egotism, something that even religious leaders are struggling with. A more common struggle that the community at large shares is relativism. Things have changed in the way we make decisions. For example, now we give children options whether to attend Mass, or take up a certain course to study. This comes from egoism of self-love.

Fr spoke about the 4C’s that are useful in our spiritual journey, when moving from self-love to self-emptying love and addressing the sin in our lives. Using the concerns of a doctor’s visit as an example, Fr Michael went through these steps: Cause of the issue (not the Symptoms); Consequence (if not treated); Cure (take the necessary action); finally Cost (the price of change).

He summarised his reflection and reminded us again, that until and unless we experience the love of God, the immense love of God in our hearts, we will never be able to completely love…. “I can only love because He loved me first”.

The congregation was called to reflect for several minutes in silence before the Blessed Eucharist as the session drew to an end.

Total Comments:0

Name
Email
Comments