I have found it helpful to distinguish between living a life of Purpose and a life of Meaning. Let’s define each and explore tools we can expand on in the future.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesPepe RuizJuly 27, 2022Montserrat Jesuit Retreat HousePurpose in Life, Meaning in Life, Ignatian Examen, Spiritual Growth, Fr. Pepe Ruiz, SJ

Understanding Ordinary Time: The Difference Between Happiness and Joy

Joy abides because He who gives it to us is faithful and can never fail. -Joe Tetlow, SJ

Faith and Reflection, Christian Living, Personal Growth, Ignatian Spirituality, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesPepe RuizJuly 20, 2022Jesuit Community#ignatian, #ignatianspirituality, #jesuits, #spirituality, #joy

Reflecting on the Depth of God's Riches, Wisdom, and Knowledge

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!... (Rom 11:33)

Christian Living, Conflict Resolution, Faith and Reflection, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesPepe RuizJuly 13, 2022Montserrat Jesuit Retreat HouseGod's Wisdom, Spiritual Reflections, Christian Identity, Unity and Family, Fr. Roy Joseph, SJ

Embracing the Art of Being: A Retreat Reflection

An invitation to just "be" with the Lord. You may be surprised!"

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesPepe RuizJuly 6, 2022Montserrat Retreat HouseStillness, Retreat Reflection, Inner Reflection, Presence with God, Fr. Ron Gonzales, SJ

Meet Our Newest Team Member: A Journey in Ignatian Spirituality

Hi everyone! I’m Fr. Pepe Ruiz, SJ. I’d like to use this blog post to introduce myself as the new member of the Montserrat Retreat Center Team.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesPepe RuizJune 26, 2022Ignatian Spirituality, Spiritual Direction, Montserrat Retreat House, Fr. Pepe Ruiz, SJ, Meaning and Purpose

Doing The Next Good Thing

Several times recently, elderly people have written or said to me (an elderly people, myself): "I don't know why the Lord is leaving me here."

Discipleship, Faith and Reflection, Personal Growth, Relationships, Religious Insights, Spiritual Practices, Serving OthersGuest UserJune 1, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joyComment

What God Wants

When we hesitate to ask God for what we want, we are already not doing what God wants.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Prayer, Serving Others, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMay 26, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joyComment

Easter Light

We have all been told at various times in our lives to share openly what is on our minds and hearts. Especially when upset or angry, keeping things inside and letting them fester day after day is a temptation to avoid.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Religious Insights, Serving Others, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMay 18, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joy Comments

Throw The Net On The Other Side

You may have heard this definition of "insanity" often credited to Albert Einstein: "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result".

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual Practices, Serving OthersGuest UserMay 11, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joy Comment

Fulfillment: Already Here But Not Yet

"There's gotta be more...I think to myself” What is it that you seek? What are you looking for? When will you know that you've arrived?

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Serving Others, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMay 4, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joyComment

Think Of It This Way

Think of it this way: gravity holds me down. It holds everyone else down, too. But this is a personal matter: gravity holds me down.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual Practices, Serving OthersGuest UserApril 26, 2022Jesus, God, grace, gifts, love, enjoy, joyComment

Lent and Easter Season, Sorrow and Joy

First Lent, then Easter. Jesus told us: You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy (Jn.16:20). We sorrow at the awful grief that humanity inflicts on itself: genocide in Ukraine, millions of abortions, and little children living hungry and lonely.

Uniquely Gifted

One of the truths of our faith is that God relates to each of us uniquely. He speaks to me in a way unique to my understanding and does the same for all of us, wherever we are on our spiritual journey.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Relationships, Religious Insights, Spiritual Practices, Serving OthersGuest UserMarch 31, 2022Jesus, God, Lent, grace, gifts, talents, loveComment

Comfort Zone

If you are reading this, you are probably comfortable. Along with technology, you likely have access to the physical necessities of life, like food, shelter, and basic medical care.

Christian Living, Comfort, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMarch 23, 2022Jesus, God, comfort, Lent Comment

Thy Kingdom Come

Fr. Ron Gonzales reminded us of the Our Father in his blog "Thy Will Be Done." Here's some thoughts about what we say just before that: "Thy Kingdom Come."

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Spiritual Practices, Religious InsightsGuest UserMarch 16, 2022Jesus, God, divine will, peaceComment

Peace I Leave You

Jesus said, Peace I leave you. My peace I give you. We might ask: How do I know I've accepted His peace? Here are some measures to start with.

Comfort, Christian Living, Conflict Resolution, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Relationships, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMarch 10, 2022Jesus, God, peace, violin, music, harmonyComment

Thy Will Be Done

These four simple words we quickly say every time we recite the "Our Father" without giving much thought to its significance. But can we agree that God's will is good for us, and correct, and life-giving, and perfect even when I don't know what God's will may be?

Comfort, Christian Living, Conflict Resolution, Personal Growth, Faith and Reflection, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserMarch 3, 2022Jesus, God, divine will, peaveComment

God, Me, and the Galaxy

In the morning, my computer screen fills with the image of a far-away golden galaxy, swirling with stars. The image makes me feel how tiny I am, a fleck in the cosmos. And that makes me marvel that God should care about me.

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual Practices, Serving OthersGuest UserFebruary 23, 2022Jesus, God, Cosmos, galaxy, precious, dignity, human, loved Comment

It's Complicated

If you use the social media app: Facebook, there is a place that designates our "relationship" status. I'm either in a relationship with a person often named or left blank. However, one of the more honest phrases often used is "It's complicated".

Christian Living, Faith and Reflection, Ignatian Spirituality, Personal Growth, Religious Insights, Spiritual PracticesGuest UserFebruary 16, 2022Jesus, God, Holy Spirit, Father, relationships, friendships, Facebook, retreatComment

While Waiting, Watch

As we begin going back to Mass on Sundays, we might remember the practice of the apostles and the earliest disciples. After Jesus was gone and the Holy Spirit came, the first thing they did was go together to the Temple every day and meet in their houses for the breaking of the bread.

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