ANNUAL RECOLLECTION

The Fountain, Sundampatti, Krishnagiri District, TN-635108

Capuchin Institute for Training Counsellors
APRIL 09, 2022

Beset with doctrinal errors in life and society… with prevalent destructive pride of the exclusive mass.

10:00 am – Welcome Session

Error No. 1: “Energy-seeking Positive thinking”

Error No. 2: “Bees and Honey Story”- seekers of Knowledge vs Wisdom

Knowledge Wisdom
Not gift, but for all Gift, but not for all
Subjective, but not personal Personal and subjective

Error No. 3: God-Experience is NOT predatory attitude of solitude (that state of mind – waiting for a
prey): பசித்திரு. விழித்திரு. தனித்திரு.

But ஞானம் is தியானம். Dialogical relationship matters.

Retreat is…
 Food for Soul
 Analyzing Life
 Silence
 Reflection
 Awareness
 Peace
 Reflect back / Look back
 Thoughtlessness
 Synergy
 Ordering thoughts
 Speed breakers
 Retrospective thinking

10:30 am – Party Game “Ice-breaker”

DON’TS: Party Game(s): dance of children by grown-up adults; must not watch dancers from their back;
not appealing enough to appreciate them doodling.

Hate is weakness generated by evil nature of us all. Thoughts are inherited by learning and imbibing it. It
is passed on to others; not usually generated out of nothing.
11:10 am – Recollection “Input Session”
 There are rules and regulations for spiritual living.
 Deficiency in spiritual life leads to human weakness.
 Our real cure is interpersonal relationship.
 We are all forgetful of inner joy.
 We can be joyful only when we are grateful.
 Prayer is being content / satisfied / fulfilled with God’s providence in life.
 Better life is lived in Light and Truth.

தேடல் – தியாகம்

Sufi Story: An old parable (sometimes ascribed to Mulla Nasreddin, the 13th Century witty philosopher
from today’s Turkey) tells of a drunkard searching under a street lamp for keys he has lost because the
light there is better than where he thinks he lost them.

 Everyone can be spiritual person. Spirituality is for all.

 People have lost cheerfulness. Because, persons are being used as money-producing-machines
(as well as idea/knowledge generating instrument).
 We need to balance our emotions. Laugh therapy.
 Now-a-days, people tries to expose their feelings through mobile devices and online GUIs.
 No family values and togetherness. Every family is broken-up (unhappy couples). Because lack of
faith in God – no priority for God in life.
 Principle for love is gospel values. If no sacrifice - no love.
 அன்பு NOT காதல்.
 God wants us to be lovable, merciful and holy. Anyone can be saint.
 Living meaningful life (self-actualized life) is authentic human dignity.
 We need spiritual strength drawn from Jesus Christ. The temptations of Jesus points to this.

Temptations of Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:1-11)

Life-setting: After thirty-years of hidden life in Nazareth and now the “desert experience”.
Temptation One: Food for Life (Turning Stone into Bread)
Devil: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
But Jesus' response is: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Deuteronomy 8:1-3).

Temptation Two: Testing God (Seeking Divine Power)

Devil: “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will
command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not
strike your foot against a stone.’” (Psalm 91:11-12)
Jesus: “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Deuteronomy 6:16)

Temptation Three: Worshiping God (Serving Worldly Powers)

Devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their
splendor.
Devil: “All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me.”
Jesus: "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord God, and serve him only.'"
(Exodus 20:3)

"You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

- The Universal Nature of Human –

Three Church Values

1. Prayer – ஜெபம். | சொல் = word
2. Penance - ஒறுத்தல். | சிந்தனை = thought
3. Charity - அன்பு. | செயல் = deed
Charity (அன்பு) is self-giving.

Love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all might.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Conclusion

Retreat is a Stop-Over for Recollection: நில். கவனி. செல்.

Youth today do not know/experience parental love (broken family, sinful parents, misguided families for
money, power and pleasure) – Bitter relationships.

“Follow Me” also means “Keep My Commandments” – “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Community devotional song:

என் கூடவே இரும் ஓ ஏசுவே!
என் பக்கத்திலே இரும்... நீ இல்லாமல் நான் வாழ முடியாது.

Child’s Prayer – Faith of the children. People still remaining immature in faith. {Church failed to mature
people in Faith in God}

Church’s smallest prayer is… Sign of the Cross: “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, Amen.” Prayer is in the realm of சிந்தனை, சொல், செயல்.

Besides this are prayerlets…

“Thank you Lord!”
“Jesus I love You!”
“Praise the Lord!”

Prayer is being available to God.

02:30 pm – Reconciliation Prep. Session

Neurologically, extreme stress leads to the state of Coma. Mind goes off.
Sin is fundamentally rejection of God’s love.
Christian Identity is forgiveness. Cross of Christ is radical and total embodiment of divine forgiveness.
Christian identity has universal nationality.
One must be vigilant about Christian precepts for life. கிறிஸ்துவ வாழ்வின் வரையறைகள்.
Penance is meant for liberating oneself from the consequence of sinful actions.

Prayer Resolution:
I will be united in death with Jesus Christ and be faithful to His love unto death and beyond.

In your justice Lord, give me life. (Psalm 119:149)

“In your steadfast love hear my voice; O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.” (NRSV)
Quality of life is towards fullness of life.

Christian Life is Witnessing Christ.

Faith in God is the answer for everything of life.

Scripture Readings (NIV) - Lenten

(Hebrews 12:2) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set
before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.

(Ephesians 1:7) In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God’s grace

(2 Corinthians 5:14-15) For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live
for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

(1 John 3:16) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we
ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

(Galatians 2:20) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The
life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and
gave himself for me.

(Romans 5:10) For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of
his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.

(1 Peter 2:24) He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we
might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

(Luke 9:23-24) (NRSV) Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to
save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.

Easter (NIV)

(1 Cor 15:55-57) “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of
death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

3:00 PM Sacrament of Reconciliation

4:00 PM Sacrament of Holy Eucharist
5:00 PM Back to Don Bosco Center, Yelagiri Hills