Another kind of beauty

What an amazing weekend. This weekend was the First Timers' Retreat for us here in Duluth. 30 students plus about a dozen "staff" spent the weekend at a "luxurious cabin on Gull Lake" and were given an amazing opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ and make Him the center of their lives. It was a truly beautiful and humbling experience to be on this retreat with students who desired to spend a weekend getting to know Jesus more deeply, or maybe even for the first time. I'm not going to give all the details of the retreat, but here's some thoughts.

the trees of Bagley near UMD

I witnessed a lot of beauty in nature this weekend. Saturday morning, as we jumped in the lake, the water was so calm. A few hours later, it was sparkling. This morning, I saw the sunrise for the first time in a while. It rose bright and strong as we drove east back to Duluth. And then as I walked over to Mass on campus, the trees were a bright canvas of colors; fall is so beautiful here.

But there was another kind of beauty this weekend. The beauty of students on retreat encountering Jesus Christ and confronting the truth about how they have been living. The grace that poured out in the Chapel during Adoration and Confessions last night, evident through the reverence of everyone there and some heartfelt praise and worship music. The joy of just spending time together in such solid community. Everyone was having so much fun, free from the social pressures of the college party scene or other temptations. It was so wonderful to see these students just enjoy their weekend, while also learning more about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I went on the retreat to help, but ended up taking a lot away for myself as well. I'm so thankful that God reminded me of the core of everything I do, as a missionary and in everything in my life, and that core is.... a relationship with Him. Sometimes it is so easy to forget that basic fact, that even though I've done nothing to deserve it, God created me to know and love Him. And not only that, but that He desires to give me more love than I even know what to do with at times. And that's the message I need to share with the women I meet on campus, as well as all those already in my life. That God loves us, no matter what! And there is nothing we can do that is too big for Him to forgive. He wants us to be His, and He will fight for us, if only we let Him. When we understand that, then our lives also become beautiful... a beautiful witness to His unconditional love.