A Self-Directed Retreat with St. Peter

A Self-Directed Retreat: To Know, To Love, To Follow Beginning with Peter's encounter with Jesus who called to him from the shores to lower his net, we continue with him as he learns from Jesus' public teachings, and watch with him as he witnesses Jesus healing power. He showed humility admitting he was a sinful man, he spoke foolishly and was quickly rebuked by Jesus. He witnessed first hand, the Mystery of the Transfiguration of Jesus, denied he knew Jesus at all, and was entrusted with the keys to the Church instituted by Christ.

Preparing for Your Self-Directed Retreat

Put aside a personal prayer time in the morning and the evening. The morning for the prayer reading and contemplation on these mysteries. In the Evening, in your reflection time review the morning’s mystery and the day's graces taking them into an Examen.

The Examen

Gospel Contemplation The Review of Prayer

The Desired Graces for the Retreat

For the Retreat we ask for the graces to see and know Jesus more clearly, to love Him more dearly and Follow Him more nearly.

The Plan for Each Day

A. Beginning your prayer time: At the beginning each prayer period, offering yourself to the Lord. Prayer of “Take and Receive”

Take Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding, and my entire will,

Take Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding, and my entire will,

all that I have and possess.

Thou hast given all to me.

To Thee, O Lord, I return it.

All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will.

Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.

Amen

B. Read slowly the mystery and pray attentively using all of your faculties - faith and feelings - your interior senses, imagination, recall – as you pray with each section. What do you sense were the experiences of Jesus, Mary, the Apostles, the crowds. Imagine being present there - what do you see, hear, smell? Where are you in the scene?

C. Close your prayer time with your own words ( a colloquy) then a vocal formal prayer (Our Father, Hail Mary or Glory Be

D. At the end of each prayer period, note down your experiences on what were your insights, feelings, thoughts, images and memories that came up for you. Savor the graces.

E. In the Evening review the day’s events with an Examen and reflect on the graces of the morning’s prayer time affected your day. Savor the graces. Close this time with your own words.

SCRIPTURE TEXTS ON THE LIFE OF PETER

Focus on Peter's very real weaknesses which are present with his generosity and love for Jesus. Notice Jesus' love and affection for Peter even with his weaknesses. Be Attentive to Peter's growth: from the "depart from me for I am sinful" through "his you shall never wash my feet" to his "call it a blessing when you are insulted for Jesus"

Gospel Meditations

* Indicates recommended reading. Supplemental readings are included to choose from, to repeat the retreat at a later retreat or for additional prayer periods to extend the retreat.

Day 1: The Call Of Peter Lk 5:1-11*; Jn 1:35-51

Day 2: Peter & The Public Life of Jesus - Mark's Gospel

Mk 10:23-31; 11:12-25;* 13:1-13

Day 3: Peter & The Public Life of Jesus - Matthew's Gospel Mt 14:22-33; 16:13-23; 17:1-13;* 17:24-27; 18:21-22