Sunday, March 30, 2014

What If Jesus Showed Up?

I'm a little tired now after giving a Day of Reflection along with a leader from the Diocese of Brooklyn. I  presented to the English speaking laypeople and my friend was the presenter for the Spanish speaking laypeople, who are preparing to become lay leaders in the Church.
I'm still trying to process what happened today. We've given this very similar retreat day for many years to future lay ministers of the Church for the Diocese of Brooklyn. But today was different. I always tell people to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, to be receptive, at the beginning of the retreat day. We always start with a beautiful bi-lingual prayer service.  The retreat takes place in a diocesan building with a consecrated chapel, I guess the whole building is consecrated.   These are very good people who study hard and commit themselves to prayer and study for the Pastoral Institute program. They work hard for many years, the best of the best, they love the Church, they love God and they inspire us as much as we try to inspire them. And apparently they are very open and receptive to the movement of the Spirit in their lives.
I can't figure out why today was different but it was. It's always a very good experience for the participants and for the presenters.  But today,  a few of the participants said they had very strong feelings and  intuitions of Jesus.  After practicing the Holy Name of Jesus prayer or a guided meditation that we always do,  or while praying in the chapel, they had very vivid experiences of Jesus. I was truly amazed at what they shared.
It seems if you take them at their word and they were very serious and sincere, it appears to me that Jesus "showed up" today at the Day of Reflection.
I better go to sleep and finish processing this tomorrow, because I can't make sense of it right now. It was suppose to be an "ordinary" Day of Reflection" until it wasn't. I guess no day is really "ordinary" when you are a baptized Christian, and open to the Spirit.
NJA

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