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As Christians alike from across the globe are inching closer towards the most important week of the entire month of Lent, Church of Divine Mercy, Penang (CDM) parishioners participated in what happened to be a truly inspiring yet memorable Lenten Retreat, led by its parish priest Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap on March 20. This retreat was a follow up session from the formation on Servant Leadership held back in Jan 2021.<\/p>\n
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Some 200 participants joined the session, including those who were present physically at church (approx. 70 pax) and the rest, participants who followed the session live via the church\u2019s official Facebook page, were warmly welcomed by Fr Michael as he began his opening remarks.<\/p>\n
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Fr Michael, who previously headed a church in Kuala Lumpur and served as the assistant parish priest at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Penang before moving to CDM, said that a retreat of such nature is one that is more of a routine in his calendar of events.<\/p>\n
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\u201cRetreat means to step back and view things in a very different perspective. It is an opportunity for us, mankind to sit back and reflect on the word of God; while journeying with our Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifices throughout the month of Lent,\u201d he told the congregation.<\/p>\n
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The retreat called \u2018The Basin and The Towel\u2019, commenced with the 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.<\/p>\n
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Just at the beginning of his reflection, Fr Michael posted two questions to the people, namely \u2018what does the Gospel passage tell me about myself\u2019 and \u2018how is the Lord inviting me to respond in my relationships with people and ministry?\u2019 \u00a0Two questions in which Fr Michael said was crucial for all Christians alike to strongly reflect on, especially on a month where deep thoughts and personal faith towards God is put on the table on a large scale.<\/p>\n
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Fr Michael spoke in-depth about the meaning of Lent, as a time to sit back and reflect on the journey of our lives, looking at time and space that God has given to us. In this retreat, Fr reminded that it is the time to heal, to be renewed and refreshed by God\u2019s 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, \u2018Be still and listen to God<\/em>\u2019 (Psalm 46:10).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We are fortunate that when the almighty God decided to give us his only son, through Mary and Joseph, Jesus Christ, he made sure he came in the form us, but with immeasurable love, care and mercy for the people. Just like us, Jesus Christ was put to test when he was confronted with temptations in the desert.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr Michael, during his speech, also quoted a few important verses from the scriptures, \u2018Then 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<\/em>.\u2019 (Matthew 4: 1-11). In Luke, Jesus said \u201charden not your hearts<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr Michael narrowed down Jesus\u2019s time in the desert into six important areas that concluded the saviour\u2019s journey there, including forty years, wilderness, time of journey, place of covenant, place of testing and place of presence. Fr elaborated on each of those experience in the desert.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He also stressed that in order to move closer towards the word of God and the way of living of Christ, the need to eliminate culture of appearance, which may be deceiving. \u201cMan looks at appearance, God looks at the heart\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr reminded the parishioners the need to feel \u201cthe heat\u201d as we draw close to the Holy Week and feel the transformation that is about to take place. We were reminded that our goal is to grow in maturity with Christ. \u201cI no longer live; Christ live in me<\/em>\u201d. Our goal is to be in union with Christ, \u201cto be clothed with Christ<\/em>\u201d – Gal 3:27<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr asked the parishioners to reflect if we only had 24hours of our life, what would we be doing now? Fr shared the story of an elderly uncle who was about to be baptized and was touched and wept how much Jesus loved him, when he reflected on John 13:1 – \u201c…having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We are often caught up of our own self love that we fail to see the depth, height, length, breath of God\u2019s love.\u00a0 Fr reminded that the decision to sin is within us and not caused by others; not to blame others. There is this wrestle within us between the good and evil, between the true and the false self.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At the scene, when Jesus actually already knew several disciples who were about to step on his back after the washing of the feet, why did he still continue and not say a word then, Fr Michael again asked the crowd.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGod never denies freedom. Judas was given the freedom to betray Jesus, but all that Jesus wanted to do was to serve his disciples,\u201d he told the crowd.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr shared that the practice in the Jewish culture the work of washing of the feet is done by the slave, not even the servant. Here we have the Lord, the Messiah, the King of Kings removed his outer robe and went down to the feet of the disciples.\u00a0 Similarly, when Jesus decided to wash the feet of his disciples during the last supper, Fr Michael had asked the congregation, \u201cin my daily life relationships, whose feet would I find it the most difficult to wash?\u201d. The crowd draw into pin drop silence as the question largely left a huge question mark on everyone\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr asked the parishioners to remain with the image of the last supper. The experience of the passion of the Lord is about love. In the gospel of John, the word love appears 57 times and 37 times between chapters 13 till 17. Everything that happens between Palm Sunday and Easter is centered and colored by love. Fr then explained the emptying of Christ from the Greek work Kenosis.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr stressed on importance of moving from self-love to self-emptying love. Moving the focus from oneself to others.\u00a0 It\u2019s about service and sacrifice, laying down one\u2019s life for his sheep or 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 leader or members of Ministry.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr spoke ab the humility of Jesus in various situations of his life. Richard Rohr, one of his Fr\u2019s favorite Franciscan writer said \u201c\u2026a human being is someone\u2026. taken out of the dirt<\/em>\u201d, i.e., that I am nobody before anyone\u201d. Fr quoted Phil 2:6-11 \u2013 \u201c\u2026though he was form of God, Christ did not deem equality with God\u2026. rather he emptied himself taking the form of a servant \u2026<\/em>\u201d. The humility of Jesus was seen in these various situations: –<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shortly after a break, Fr Michael started off the second part of the session with a topic on Egoism, which he regarded it as a topic that even religious leaders are struggling with. A more common struggle that the community shares at large is relativism. It means what\u2019s good for me. 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 the Egoism of self-love.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr shared about the dangers of narcissistic self-love, someone who is struggling with human pride, a slave to selfishness. Wanting to be ahead of others and eventually exploit others. This is reflected in how we treat others, especially migrants, refugees, and fellow human beings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He called on worshippers to reflect on their respective standpoint. The world has delved into a self-love more than love for all. Fr Michael connected the event that unfolded between the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18: 9-14).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe exploit others because we are self-centered. We are often trapped in a vicious cycle of self-love,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Fr then touched on the psychology of temptation, i.e. the 3 stages of temptation. It starts subtly with a suggestion or proposal, just like an advertisement we watch. It is followed by avoidance of pain or pleasure seeking. We fall into addiction, sex, phonography to divert the pain. The final stage being consent.<\/p>\n Fr then moved to the various temptations that Jesus faced in the dessert, starting with the need to achieve great things for God; to be honored by doing something spectacular and finally to be powerful<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr spoke ab the 4C\u2019s that is useful in our spiritual journey, when moving from self-love to self-emptying love, addressing the sin in our lives. Using a doctor\u2019s visit as an example, goes through these steps:-\u00a0 Cause of the issue (not the Symptoms); Consequence (if not treated); Cure (take the necessary action); finally Cost (the price of change).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fr summarize his reflection and reminded us again, that until and unless we experience the love of God, the immense love of God in heart, we will never be able to completely love\u2026. \u201cI can only love because He loved me first<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A person with great humility and learning to incorporate internal transformation for the better good of not only for oneself but for the community around us, is one to prevail and come closer to the teaching of God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The congregation was called to reflect for several minutes in silence before the Blessed Eucharist as the session drew an end.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Story by Kevin Vimal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As Christians alike from across the globe are inching closer towards the most important week of the entire month of Lent, Church of Divine Mercy, Penang (CDM) parishioners participated in what happened to be a truly inspiring yet memorable Lenten Retreat, led by its parish priest Fr Michael Raymond OFM Cap on March 20. This retreat was a follow up session from the formation on Servant Leadership held back in Jan 2021. Some 200 participants joined the session, including those who were present physically at church (approx. 70 pax) and the rest, participants who followed the session live via the church\u2019s official Facebook page, were warmly welcomed by Fr Michael as he began his opening remarks. Fr Michael, who previously headed a church in Kuala Lumpur and served as the assistant parish priest at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Penang before moving to CDM, said that a retreat of such nature is one that is more of a routine in his calendar of events. \u201cRetreat means to step back and view things in a very different perspective. It is an opportunity for us, mankind to sit back and reflect on the word of God; while journeying with our Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifices throughout the month of Lent,\u201d he told the congregation. The retreat called \u2018The Basin and The Towel\u2019, commenced with the 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. Just at the beginning of his reflection, Fr Michael posted two questions to the people, namely \u2018what does the Gospel passage tell me about myself\u2019 and \u2018how is the Lord inviting me to respond in my relationships with people and ministry?\u2019 \u00a0Two questions in which Fr Michael said was crucial for all Christians alike to strongly reflect on, especially on a month where deep thoughts and personal faith towards God is put on the table on a large scale. Fr Michael spoke in-depth about the meaning of Lent, as a time to sit back and reflect on the journey of our lives, looking at time and space that God has given to us. In this retreat, Fr reminded that it is the time to heal, to be renewed and refreshed by God\u2019s 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, \u2018Be still and listen to God\u2019 (Psalm 46:10). We are fortunate that when the almighty God decided to give us his only son, through Mary and Joseph, Jesus Christ, he made sure he came in the form us, but with immeasurable love, care and mercy for the people. Just like us, Jesus Christ was put to test when he was confronted with temptations in the desert. 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