Online Retreat Guide
FINDING GOD
Part 3: Finding God in daily life at home



Recite prayerfully the mantra from the end of Part 1:

"God loves and delights in me.

God loves and delights in me.

God loves and delights in me."

A favorite of many people, Psalm 139 speaks of God's nearness to you. It speaks of being at home with God. Pray these lines very slowly and reflectively as your opening prayer.

1 O God, you search me and know me

2 You know if I am standing or sitting.

You perceive my thoughts from far away.

3 Whether I walk or lie down, you are watching;

you are familiar with all my ways.

True spirituality means to be at home with yourself (first of all), with other people, with all creation, and above all, with God. You are dwelling in God, and God dwells in you. You are at home when you are with God.

Think of yourself as a house with four rooms: one is the room of your physical life, another of your emotional life, a third of your intellectual life, and finally there is the room of your spiritual life. These four rooms are all part of the whole house, of the whole you. Now think of yourself as entering each room of your house for at least part of each day:

• You probably spend a lot of time in your physical room (sleeping,
eating, exercising, etc.).

• You probably spend considerable life in your emotional room (dealing
with family and friends, experiencing feelings of love, joy,
excitement, worry, loneliness).

• How much time or attention do you give to the intellectual room
(reading, discussing, thinking, keeping your mind active)?

• How much energy do you put into your spiritual room (being aware of
God's presence, wondering, reading the scriptures, praying, being kind
and loving to others)?

Now spend some time writing in your journal as you reflect on your experience of living in these four rooms today.

• Have you eaten a nutritious meal today? Have you had enough sleep?
What about exercise??

• What feelings are you experiencing today? Are you happy, sadt
blah?

• What have you been thinking about today? What have you read?
bescribe a thought that has stayed with you.

• What has inspired you today? Have you prayed? Have you had
loving thoughts about other people? How aware have you been of
God's presence?

Think about places in your everyday life--maybe your bedroom, the kitchen or family room, a favorite chair, the corner of a room, a window, a garden, a familiar spot in church. In what ways are you "at home" in this place? In what ways do you feel whole (holy) there?

Let yourself go to that place either through your imagination or through actually going there. Write a description of this place in your journal. How does this place make you feel? Why is this place important to you? What does or has happened to you in this place? What other people do you associate with this place? Is God in this place with you? How are you experiencing God right now?

Your favorite place will only be as nurturing as the spirit you have brought to it. Real estate ads offer "houses" for sale, not homes because a house is made a home by the people who live there. Home is the place where you (and others who live with you) become yourselves more fully. What in your home makes you fully yourself? How does it help you to be aware of God?

How have you created your home environment? How do you balance sociability and privacy in your home? How might you make simple changes that would help you to be more aware daily of the spirit of love in your home and of God's presence?

Many people today have begun to notice the value of harmony and peace that can be brought about through the Chinese art of feng shui. The arrangement of furniture and choice of restful colors as well as the use of plants, flowing water, and wind chimes, can bring peace to your space. Harmony of space in your home, or in a room in it, is a way you can be more relaxed and reflective.

For many people the kitchen is the heart of the home. Is that true of your kitchen? Do your family members, even guests, gather in the kitchen to share themselves through stories as well as to share food? Think of your kitchen (or dining room) table as a place for creating community and a sense of belonging. Isn't this what Jesus often did in the gospels with his friends and disciples? Being at the table can remind you of your identity not only as family members but also as members of the Christian community.

At this point you might like to look at the story of the first Christian community described in the Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47. Note especially verse 46: "Every day they devoted themselves ...to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart...." These first Christians were very much at home with one another. In the "breaking of bread" or celebration of the Eucharist they showed their love for Jesus in remembrance of him and in love for one another. They welcomed others into their homes, showing what hospitality really is.

How do you resonate with this description of meals eaten "with exultation and sincerity of heart'? Reflect on this, comparing your own mealtimes with this idyllic picture of the early Christians. Later in the Acts of the Apostles the early Christian community sometimes experiences disagreements and dissent. Is this more realistic?

What is the reality of meals in your home? Perhaps you have a special meal on occasion, but are your meals often leftovers or fast food? Then do you rush off to the next thing? Whatever the kind of meal or circumstances of the day, remember to thank God for the food and for the people and to remember those who do not have enough to eat.

Bless your meal in whatever way you feel most comfortable. Just be sure your gratitude comes from your heart. A simple "thank you, God" is enough.

And thank God for the graces of your retreat. Know that you are already "at home" with God, yourself, and others, but simply be more aware of it.

Say again the words of the simple hymn from Part 1: "We are one with the heart of each other. We are one with the heart of love. We are one with the heart of creation. We are one with God."

Throughout the week remind yourself that you are at home with yourself and with God. Repeat this mantra often: "God lives in me and I live in God."

Now turn to the next part of the retreat. Part 4 - Finding God through relationships.