Come Away and Rest a While: The Tradition and Fruits of Going on Retreat
By John Graveline, Director of Parish Life
March 1, 2026
“The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’”
Mark 6:31
Transfiguration: A Time of Transition
In last weekend’s Gospel, we listened to St. Matthew’s account of the temptations Jesus experienced at the conclusion of his time in the wilderness between his baptism and the beginning of his public ministry. This week’s Gospel recounts St. Matthew’s version of Jesus’ Transfiguration, also at the threshold time in Jesus’ mission as he begins to move from the life of an itinerant preacher to embarking upon his road to Jerusalem to meet his destiny, which will culminate in his Passion and Cross. It is very common to face temptation and doubt whenever we move from one stage of the spiritual journey to the next. Perhaps this is why at these transitional stages, Jesus (and his disciples) hear the voice of the Father, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17, 17:5) When this one truth—that we are loved unconditionally—is the bedrock of our identity, nothing can shake us.
Taking a Long View: The Roots of Retreat
Bishop Untener, who pastored the Diocese of Saginaw during its own transition time after Vatican II, wrote a well-known prayer that began, “It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The Kingdom of God is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.” Jesus knew the importance of taking a step back to reflect upon the meaning of God’s plan in our lives and where our lives are called to be part of God’s overall plan. He fasted and prayed in the desert, he went off in solitude to pray, he invited his disciples to rest with him, and he even invited a select few to accompany him to the mountaintop to glimpse his glory. This is where the Christian spiritual tradition of retreat finds it roots.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Mark 46:10
What is a Retreat?
A retreat is time that we spend away from our day-to-day life to be with God, either alone or in a small group of disciples. Our lives are filled with to-do lists, work to be accomplished, and appointments to keep. A retreat is time where all those things are put aside to focus exclusively on our relationship with God. There is no other agenda. Sometimes, people become frustrated on retreat because they go for rest, enlightenment, or other pre-conceived good reasons; but retreat time with God is something that we undertake for its own sake. Good fruit like refreshment, spiritual uplift, etc. may happen, but they are always a gift of God (Grace). It is always in some sense a surprise. We cannot manufacture spiritual fruit. We can only create the atmosphere where we are open to whatever gifts God has for us. Even if we don’t immediately feel the fruit of retreat, we take comfort that time spent in loving dialogue God is always fruitful, even if we don’t experience it on a conscious level. The important part is showing up with an open heart.
“Where you come from is gone, where you thought you were going to never was there, and where you are is no good unless you can get away from it. Where is the place for you to be? No place . . . in yourself right now is all the place you got.”
Flannery O’Connor, Wise Blood
There are solitary silent retreats, couple’s retreats, youth retreats, men’s retreats, and women’s retreats. Some retreats are one day, others a weekend. Some retreats last a week or even a month (such as the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises). Retreats can be nearby; others can be a distance away either in secluded areas or oases of stillness in the midst of large cities. Our bulletin right now has opportunities for many different retreats in the near future. I would like to encourage you to give some prayerful consideration this Lent to registering for a retreat this year. If you don’t think that you can afford the time away from your busy schedule, then I would encourage you even more to consider scheduling some retreat time in the near future. Spouses, consider giving your husband or wife the gift of time away for communion with the Lord either together or alone. If you have questions about how or where to schedule a retreat, I would be happy to help you.
A Turning Point
Hearts and lives can be transfigured when we take the time away to focus on our relationship with God. This is not to say that every retreat will be a life-defining experience. God’s grace is always a free gift. However, I have met so many people during my ministry whose lives were completely redirected through a retreat with the Lord. This is also my experience after a retreat when I was a teenager. It wasn’t an instantaneous and transcendent occasion, but an unmistakable turning point that slowly reoriented me, leading me toward decisions that ended up changing the trajectory of my life. When we place our time and undivided attention in Jesus’ hands, he can and does work miracles.
May this Lent be a time for us to renew our baptismal commitment to live in communion with God and neighbor in love. One of the most powerful experiences that we can have of turning from sin in our lives, seeking the guidance of divine wisdom, and fostering a deep, intimate friendship with Jesus is time away on retreat. My prayer for all of you is that you may soon experience this unique opportunity to grow in faith, hope, and love though retreat with the Lord.
John