Thanks be to God for His infinite blessing! The VEYM Annual Servant Leader Retreat was an amazing spiritual and uplifting experience for all in attendance. With no meetings, very limited cell phone use, no internet/social media, no tasks and no due outs, everyone (from the LDTs, CTMs, to BCHTU, and to our Chaplains) was a participant. All were so grateful to have said "yes" to the retreat.
The retreat started with a simple question, not "How are you?", but "How is your soul?" Through the Holy Spirit, the Spiritual Director, Fr. Trí Đinh, a Jesuit, journeyed with the participants to answer that question, and to answer the more important question, "Who is Jesus to you?"
The presence of Jesus was more tangibly present during the retreat through various spiritual Ignatian exercises that bring to awareness our struggles (some were difficult to confront but necessary) with our relationship with Christ, intimate prayers, stimulating discussions saturated with wisdom from Church forefathers, relaxation training, deep breathing, prayer-partner time, silence reflection, spiritual guided imagery, adoration, songs of worship, personal reflections, writing love letters, testimonies, station of the Cross with Mary, and ultimately, the Holy Mass.
We were reminded open our hearts and be willing to receive His love as He is never tired of loving us, just us, who resist to receive Him. That we cannot give what we don't have and to counter the hypocrisy by accepting responsibility and making amend with Him and one another. More importantly, have faith in Him, know that He loves us and that each and everyone of us is truly a unique expression of His divine love.
While all of us encountered Christ differently, in the end, through laughter and tears, many found a sense of peace, which most of us as leaders have not had the opportunity to experience in such a long time due to our constant busyness in organizing, planning, facilitating, and coordinating TNTT events that we deprived and neglected our own spiritual nourishment.
Thank you all for your prayers and until next year, let's journey together on this Journey of Hope and fill our Hearts with Faith. Cheers!!!
