The Spiritual Exercises Of An Eight Days' Retreat

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Excerpt from The Spiritual Exercises of an Eight Days Retreat But few people in the world understand what a spiritual retreat means. To separate one's self from family, friends and business in order to treat with God in holy solitude on the affairs of eternity, on the world which is to come, seems to the majority of men useful at most for religious. Have, then, people of the world not to think of religious truths? Are these subjects for the devout only? Can a man of the world say, "I am perfect, what more do you want of me?" Well, suppose he might say so: this conclusion would only be the result of a serious self-consideration. Now this serious self-consideration of one's soul is the work, the object of a spiritual retreat. Is it asking even the business man too much to lay aside for a few days his daily cares to settle the only necessary affair for which alone he is in the world; to see to and consider his eternal interests? Moreover, will not our very temporal affairs draw profit from the retreat? Is it not true that patience, freedom of mind, and self-control are great elements of success? Are there not moments in the lives of business men, when there is the greatest need of resignation and courage in order to avoid falling into despair? This courage, this confiding hope is the fruit of a spiritual retreat. It is true, we have at times in parishes the ordinary public mission exercises - excellent indeed as far as they go. But are the fruits thereof complete?