Did you know that priests are required by Church law to get away every year for a minimum 5-day retreat? Why? “The apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Mk 6:30)

Or as described by Pope Francis, “Indeed, we Christians live in the world, fully integrated into the social and cultural reality of our time, and rightly so; but this brings with it the risk that we might become “worldly”, that “the salt might lose its taste,” (cf. Mt 5:13)….This is why it is necessary to renew oneself by continually drawing sap from the Gospel.”

Why am I thinking of this? Because my retreat begins this Sunday; if you are reading this at the 5pm Mass, I am already checking in at the retreat house in southern Maryland! I will try to ignore email, and stay off my phone, that seems to get harder ever year.

However, Pope Francis directed these words to all Christians, not just priests. I have often suggested to all of the faithful that they need to likewise make such a retreat if they want to be serious about the spiritual care of their souls.

If you have two weeks of vacation from your job every year, why not tithe? Take one of those 10 days and give it to the Lord by spending a day in prayer at the National Shrine, or at St. Mary’s. Alternatively, give more. I know folks who have stored up leave and face every year a ‘use or lose’ situation. How about giving one of those weeks to be with Jesus?

In order to make this week-long priest retreat happen, I had to block it off in my calendar back in February. Sometimes plans change because of parish, family, or worldwide circumstances like a pandemic. But I am only useful to you as a pastor, as far as I give you Jesus. Hence, I thank God for this annual retreat!

Are you salt of the earth that has lost its taste? You and I can only be restored by Jesus. I’ll be sitting with Jesus all week to let him restore me. When will you give Him the same chance?

pax,

Father John Mosimann