A C T S Retreat/Mens

This past summer on Father's Day weekend I made a retreat and would like to tell you about my experience of my trip. First of all, I would recommend all who at one time or another, who have being thinking of going to please make that move, it is something that you will not regret. It was my first retreat of any kind and so the unknown of what is coming was to me a little scary, for lack of a word. But nevertheless, there I was on the Bus heading to who knows what but God himself(no pun intended) anxiety, nervously and scare, all at the same time. I've always wanted to make this retreat, I use to see Men and Women so excited when they got back; the funny thing about this is the Holy Spirit did not what me to go just to see why these Men and Women were so excited or just be curious, no it wanted my 'Full Attention'. The last 3 to 4 years on my way to work I always stop at my Church, sit  in front of the cross and just mediate for about 30 minutes. I knew that there was going to be a men's retreat in about a month from now, so one day I decided to ask Jesus I have been coming here every morning for the last few years, what do you want me to do? There was a sign just as you were leaving the Church about the retreat, when, where, and date, but on that day that I ask where are you leading me, that sign became Huge and all I remember saying was, you are going to have to work with my wife on that! It wasn't until a few weeks after, that my wife at a Sunday Mass, turn to me and said ' by the way I sign you up to go to the retreat' and quickly my thoughts turn to why do you(Jesus) want me to go! There were 3 powerful events that hit me so hard at the retreat and I felt the Holy Spirit in all of them, and I would love to write about them; so here it goes. First one was the first night there, we did the 'Station of the Cross' that evening, we were given each a nail ,and mine look very long. I look around to see if everyone else had a long one as will, but it was to dark to see. We were encourage to each take turn in helping Jesus carry the cross, of course someone play the part of Jesus, when it was my turn we had two station left to go so I went to the head of the cross to carry it and let me tell you it felt very heavy even though you had 4 other men helping you. At the conclusion of the play we use the hammer and with the nail that we had from the beginning, we pound the nail to the cross, as I was going to the cross to pound the nail I went to the side where the hands would be at, but some how was lead(Spirit) to the front where the head would be. As we went back to our rooms, I mediate on just what happen and how I felt at that time. It seems like I was walking with Jesus on his way to the cross, I wonder why the cross felt so heavy and why did I hammer the nail by the head, I heard these words in my heart "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. "(LK 9:23)He does not tell us how heavy or light it will be but for us to pick it up and follow him. When I pound the nail by the head, the nail represents sin, it reminded me of the scripture verse "“Father, forgive them(Him), for they(He) do not know what they(He is) are doing.” The next most powerful experience was at the end of the next day, as I walk into my room there was a bag full letters written by Family and Friends, the one that caught my attention was written by My beautiful wife who open up and wrote some amazing words that brought tears in my eyes. When I ask her about the letter she said, I had to write it quickly because the church was calling to let me know that they are getting ready to send them out, but does not recall what she had wrote, you knew that she open up to the Holy Spirit and it guide her to write what she wrote.......... "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word..,husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25-28) For those of us who had not really read this verse, might want to or need to! And finally, out of all those men there was a very young man who was 20 yrs old and he gave his testimony but it was his last words that he said, that literally knock me out of the chair. he said to all the Fathers there,tell your Children you love them because 'WE LOVE YOU'. I am very guilty of not telling my older sons how much I love them. Even today I am still working on that, but with the love of Jesus and his grace I will overcome this fault of mine. "“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29). There is so much more to write on the retreat, but if the opportunity arise to go to a Mens Retreat, I encourage you, to pray about it, and see where the Holy Spirit leads you..AMEN