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The Caverns of Our Hearts: An Advent Retreat Guide on St. John of the Cross

/ Retreat Guides

What do we really want? We live in a world of competing desires. Every day we’re bombarded by promises to make us truly happy. If you just buy this product, or read this book, or try out this dating app, or start this diet program, or exercise more, then you will be happy. If your relationship with your spouse or with your children or with your friends were better, then your heart would finally be full. In and of themselves, these are not bad things. But will they fill our hearts? Is there a still deeper desire that nothing in this life can ever really fill? God, the great lover of our souls, wants to fill these caverns. In his writings, St. John of the Cross describes this process with unparalleled beauty and seeks to encourage his fellow travelers to cooperate with the Lord’s work as he seeks to bring them to union with himself. In today’s retreat, we’ll explore that teaching in the following stages.

  • In the first meditation, we’ll reflect on the foundation of St. John of the Cross’s writing: God alone.
  • In the second meditation, we’ll probe the importance of giving back even our deepest and holiest desires to the Lord.
  • Finally, in the conference, we’ll tie these two meditations together as we ponder how we can continually give God permission.

Now, let’s turn to the Holy Spirit, asking him to fill the caverns of our hearts with the fire of divine love as we begin this retreat. The Personal Questionnaire/Group discussion questions and the full text are available in the Companion Guide Book.  The Small Group Companion Guide has questions and quotations. Either download the PDF Companion Guide Book or purchase it. The Companion Guide Book is available for purchase as a paperback at Amazon. Note that this Retreat Guide includes only audio and print versions.

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What Are You Looking For?: An Advent Retreat Guide on John, Chapter 1

/ Retreat Guides

On Christmas morning, and on weekdays throughout the Christmas season, the Church’s liturgy invites us to delve deeply into the first Chapter of the Gospel of John.  John the Evangelist was an eye-witness of the events he describes. And since he was at the same time both the youngest and also the longest-living of the Twelve Apostles, he had a whole lifetime to contemplate the significance of those events. A meditative reading of his words, a lectio divina of John 1, therefore, can be a powerful way to live the season of Advent, which is designed to help us discover afresh the wonder and the meaning of the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that’s exactly what we will do in this Advent Retreat Guide, What Are You Looking For?

  • In the First Meditation, we will savor John 1:1–18—his famous prologue, which sets the stage for his entire Gospel.
  • In the Second Meditation, we will jump ahead to the end of the Chapter and consider the initial meeting between Jesus and his very first disciples—an unforgettable encounter that can help refresh our own relationship with the Lord.
  • And in the conference, we will reflect on one of Advent’s key players: John the Baptist. He was the first person to announce the Gospel by bearing witness to Jesus. By taking a closer look at how he lived his mission, we will get some practical tips on how each of us can live our own mission.

The Personal Questionnaire/Group discussion questions and the full text are available in the Companion Guide Book.  The Small Group Companion Guide has the questions and quotations. Either download the PDF Companion Guide Book or purchase it. The Companion Guide Book is available for purchase as a paperback at Amazon. Pause the video at any moment to go to the Companion Guide Book or continue to the next meditation.

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A Woman Clothed with the Sun: An Advent Retreat Guide on Our Lady of Guadalupe

/ Retreat Guides

During Advent in the year 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a native Mexican, St. Juan Diego, and asked him a favor. She sent him to the bishop with a request to have a Catholic church built on the hill where she was appearing—Tepeyac Hill—in present-day Mexico City. The bishop was skeptical. He responded to the petition with a request of his own. He asked for a sign to show that this request indeed was coming from God. When Juan Diego relayed this to Mary, she complied—she provided a beautiful, dramatic sign indeed. This sign made an incalculable impact on the evangelization of the Americas, an effect that continues to resound and spread even today. These events and that incredible impact are the subjects of this Advent Retreat Guide: A Woman Clothed with the Sun. š The First Meditation will unpack the events as they unfolded, showing how they echo the meaning of Advent. š The Second Meditation will explore the actual words of Our Lady in her conversation with St. Juan Diego, words that beautifully echo the meaning of Christmas. š The Conference will reflect on the symbolism present in the image itself, symbolism that can help stir up the spirit of Christmas in our souls.

The Personal Questionnaire/Group discussion questions are available in the Companion Guide Book or Small Group Companion Guide. Either download the PDF Companion Guide Book or purchase it. The Companion Guide Book is available for purchase as a paperback or in Kindle at Amazon. Pause the video at any moment to go to the Companion Guide Book or continue to the next meditation. Let’s begin by turning to the Holy Spirit, and humbly asking him to guide us in this Retreat.

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Alex Kucera

Atlanta

Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.

In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.

Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.

From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.

Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!