The Joy of the Gospel in Motherhood....
On Memorial Day weekend Francis, myself and our family will be hosting a Family Retreat at Circle Lake Family Retreat Center. The retreat will be centered around Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel. Prior to the retreat I am sending out e-mail reflections to the families. I'll be posting them here as well.
Dear Family Retreatants, Mother's Day is a great day to begin the reflection journey towards our family retreat! Everyone who reads this is either a mother or has a mother! As you read the words of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium please reflect on your relation to mother and how that role is a bringer of the joy of the Gospel to others:
1.The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church's journey in years to come.
A JOY EVER NEW, A JOY WHICH IS SHARED
2.The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God's voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God's will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.
3. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly every day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since "no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord." (Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation GAUDETE IN DOMINO, May 1975) The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.
Just as a mother opens her arms for her daughter or her son to be embraced with a much needed hug, so our Lord opens his arms to us to embrace us. May all of you feel the embrace of God's loving arms on this Mother's Day!
In joyful anticipation for the upcoming retreat, Sara Fontana
Dear Family Retreatants, Mother's Day is a great day to begin the reflection journey towards our family retreat! Everyone who reads this is either a mother or has a mother! As you read the words of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium please reflect on your relation to mother and how that role is a bringer of the joy of the Gospel to others:
1.The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new paths for the Church's journey in years to come.
A JOY EVER NEW, A JOY WHICH IS SHARED
2.The great danger in today's world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God's voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God's will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.
3. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly every day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since "no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord." (Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation GAUDETE IN DOMINO, May 1975) The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms.
Just as a mother opens her arms for her daughter or her son to be embraced with a much needed hug, so our Lord opens his arms to us to embrace us. May all of you feel the embrace of God's loving arms on this Mother's Day!
In joyful anticipation for the upcoming retreat, Sara Fontana
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