Ignatian Medication at St Clare’s Retreat– by Eugene Lee

The weekend of November 22 was a very important weekend.  It was Big Game weekend, and as a graduate of Cal, it was time to unbury the hatchet and swing it in the general direction of Stanfurd.  It has been about ten years since Cal had won the Big Game, and all indications were that this year Stanfurd’s luck would finally run out (they’ve been lucky for the past ten years). 

As I looked into the possibility of obtaining tickets and witnessing Stanfurd’s demise in person with other Cal alums, my wife Martina lovingly informed me that our church’s annual retreat at the St. Clare’s retreat center in the Santa Cruz Mountains would be held the weekend of November 22.  Father Jaime Valencia will be coming from Taiwan to lecture on the merits and methods of meditation according to St. Ignatius.  Moreover, this retreat would be a silent retreat, which is intended to further enhance my spiritual awakening.

I quickly considered the pros and cons of attending the retreat.  On the minus side, there would be no TV, no internet (hence no fantasy basketball and football), no talking, no sleeping in, no Starbucks (or Peet’s), anyways, lots of no’s.  If I take time out for a retreat, wouldn’t it make my life more hectic?  I’d have to finish more work during the week so that I can leave early on Friday and not work over the weekend.  My life is already so busy that there’s no time for a retreat.  I barely have time to advance, much less retreat.  Besides, the Big Game is on, and this is Cal’s best chance in years to administer a whipping to Stanfurd.  It has been more than 10 years since that I last watched a Cal victory in the Big Game.  So with a steely resolve, I approached Martina to discuss this issue of a retreat, confident of the strengths of my arguments and determined to celebrate in the aftermath of Cal’s glorious Big Game victory in person ….

The drive to the retreat center was a challenge.  As the hours of daylight waned at dusk, it was a difficult drive as the narrow, windy roads went through virgin forests of redwood and eucalyptus, up steep inclines and hairpin turns before reaching St. Clare’s Retreat Center.  Upon arrival, I realized that the drive was not too bad, only about 45 minutes from Palo Alto.  After checking in, we enjoyed a hearty welcome dinner, an introduction to the weekend’s activities, followed by Mass.  Then we returned to our rooms at 10pm for a night of rest.

During my first few hours at the retreat center, I felt a sense of peace and serenity.  The problems of life seemed so distant.  As we progressed through the weekend’s agenda, the meals prepared by the Sisters of St. Clare nourished my body, while Father Valencia’s discussions nourished my mind and soul.  He showed us how we should use the Gospel to complete a spiritual exercise by integrating the teachings of Jesus into our daily lives.  A few highlights include the importance of forgiveness, of prayer, and finally of completing our missions as Christians and using what God has given us to accomplish His will.  Methods of prayer include the use of the Rosary as it is a reflection of the life of Jesus and a tribute to Mary.  Meditation and silent prayer can also be used in our spiritual exercise to bring us closer to God.  

There were ample periods of free time set between the discussion sessions, and we had the opportunity to go on the many nature trails and paths that crossed the retreat facility.  The serenity in the woods allowed me to think clearly and reflect upon my life.  The stillness was such that I could hear myself think.    I had time to read the Gospel and experience the teachings of Jesus.  I was able to apply the prayer and meditation methods Father Valencia taught.  I realized that many of the things I spend so much time thinking and worrying about are so trivial. 

  Many of the things we so desperately need are so close, yet so far away.  As Christians, we have known the teachings of Jesus from a young age.  Yet, how often do we neglect to follow in His way?  How often do we forget to turn the other cheek?  How often do we forget to honor our parents?  The retreat center, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, is only about 10 miles from the western reaches of Silicon Valley.  Yet it took me 32 years to find it.  The peace and serenity that we all seek is so close, yet so far away.  Through prayer, meditation and reflection, we can attain a level of inner peace and serenity so that we can live our lives better to serve God. 

I’d like to share with you a few closing thoughts: 

·      Ignatian Meditation is like medication and nourishment for the cuts and bruises life inflicts on our souls.  We usually focus our efforts on nourishing our bodies and our minds.  However, we do not spend enough time nourishing our souls.  

·      The retreat is an enlightening experience which, when shared with family and friends, multiplies the common bonds and learning. 

·      A silent retreat does not mean there is no communication; rather, removing many of the impediments to serenity in our lives (TV, cell phones, internet/computer, etc.)  allow us to communicate more effectively with God. 

·      The retreat does not provide the answers to life; it provides tools to help us live.

·      The retreat is only available once a year, but we can perhaps take a few moments each day to reflect, meditate, and talk to God on our own. 

A short time ago, I believed that my life was so busy that I had no time for a retreat.  I thought that if I had to go on a retreat, my life would be more hectic since I had to work hard in preparation of taking time off.  I wanted to bask in the aftermath of a Cal victory over Stanfurd in the Big Game.  Well, after my weekend at St. Clare’s, I realized that there is so much yet to accomplish in life that I can’t afford to not go on a retreat.  Learning methods for medication, reflection, and prayer has allowed me to remove much of the clutter in my life and to see more clearly the path I need to follow.  Finally, after allowing Stanfurd to score the first 7 points of the game, Cal went on to score the final 30 points and win the Big Game, and I am still basking in the glow of that victory.

It was a wonderful weekend!!!