Seven Weeks for the Soul: First Week of Lent
Welcome to the First Week of Lent. This week’s Lent retreat theme is On Being Perfect. As we explore this theme, using the text from Seven Weeks for the Soul, may our minds and hearts concentrate on the graces we hope to receive this Lent.
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Reflect on the week’s theme, “On Being Perfect.” What is God calling you to this First Week of Lent? Share your reflections below. And come back during the week to engage in conversation with other participants.
24 retreat centers in the United States are affiliated with the Jesuits. All of them offer Ignatian retreats throughout the year. 
The Daily Examen is an excellent practice of Ignatian prayer. It will help you find the presence of God in everyday life.
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Praying more, to get an intimate feelin g with Our lord, Jesus in reading the book of Matthew to hear with attention each word of Jesus who wants us to follow and put in pratice. The more we are close to Jesus, the far distance we seperate from the actual world.
What catches me in this week’s reflection is the comment about dedication. How a dedicated person—whatever the person is dedicated to—reacts to those who disagree is an interesting point to consider. That dedication involves tolerance is an important lesson, especially in a world so needing tolerance among diverse groups.
So beautiful! It’s a shame how often things get yanked out of context or distorted, but thank you for this beautiful reminder of what perfection means in the eyes of Jesus. Still don’t think I’ll be able to live up to it, but it’s certainly something worth focusing on during Lent!
I feel called to face all these parts of myself for which I am ashamed and offer them to Jesus in prayer so that they no longer come between Him and me. I also hope to discover the qualities I would like to nurture to grow closer to Him.
Often my enemy lies “within me” my set of rules, My system and ideas that when I can’t see in the other can lead me to judge him/her. I need to forgive myself first and can only I appreciate the other and accept the other as she/he is .
This week, as I ponder, I hope to forgive myself and the same time to be able to accept the limits of the other. Being perfect is not what I think is but acceptance of me and the other as the Lord asks from me. Thank you. I hope to continue reflecting more these days..
Thank you very much for the beautiful pictures, inspiring writings and soul touching music of the 1st week retreat.
It reminds me of a particular time in the relationship between me and my oldest daughter Susan. My younger daughter was horrifically killed by a drunk driver. Susan and I had totally different ways of dealing with the grief. Our relationship was extremely volatile. She finally moved out of the house. I didn’t see or hear from her for three years. But I knew she was okay through mutual friends and family.
At that time I made a conscious decision to keep loving her, she is my daughter no matter what. Finally after three years I was inspired to send her a card telling her how much I valued and loved her. I didn’t know how she would take it, would she rip it up and throw it away? But I just sent it because my heart told me to. She called about two days later, crying and saying she didn’t know I felt that way about her. She is back home and we have learned to respect each other’s feelings and opinions.
It taught me the great lesson that people can have differences but you can still love them and I try to practice that in my “wider” world and be tender with people too.
I know that God is calling me to be more tolerant of others, and to love even those that I find hard to love. I often make excuses for myself; I’m tired or I just need a break from work. I know that it true, but I have so much anger for someone that has hurt one of my family members. I know that I first have to have the desire to love this person. I need to ask God for the grace to accept and love her, and the wisdom to know how to approach her.