(written in 2004)
We are walking towards somewhere endlessly. Sometimes, we have to stop and renew our ways. In that sense, making the retreat once in a while is a good way to refresh our inner and outer selves. Jesus also suggests in the Bible to 'go off to a remote place that we may take some rest. According to Catholic tradition, we call it the ‘Spiritual Exercises.
St. Ignatius of Loyola mentioned that the purpose of spiritual exercises is to get rid of selfish desires, overcome the ego, and rearrange life. The retreat is a very special time set aside for contemplation and an orderly spiritual life. Eating, sleeping, praying, and walking are under self-control.
The retreat is the time for tasting and pondering God's words more deeply. It leads us to remember the sole purpose and principle of life--doing everything for God's glory and in service for him only. In other words, it invites us to do God's will in every situation.
In Jesus' time, there was no such annual retreat for 8 or 30 days that bring us to concentrate on praying and exercising the spiritual life. His life itself was a prayer. Throughout his life, he tried to find some time to pray, but he often couldn't find time for himself because of the crowd. He truly toiled and moiled just to accept God's will when he prayed at Gethsemane. He sacrificed himself first as our parents do.
Nowadays, the situation is quite different. The house and the food are provided so that we can easily concentrate on exercising prayer. We, religious people, are blessed in many ways because much is provided just in the name of following Jesus. Anyhow, whether we are Catholics or not, it's good to make retreats or spiritual exercises to polish the inner self.
Our retreat master said that the retreat is something like walking again with new resolutions after taking some rest on the way forward. The second departure after some rest is different from the first one because we can be more aware and conscious of walking. In this way, useless and excessive desires can be overcome so as to fully serve the common good of people.
It is said that the retreat is like taking off the dust and earth from the shoes. As we go on walking, our shoes become heavier and dirtier because of the earth. When we just walk on and on, we sometimes forget to take off unnecessary things. The retreat means getting rid of such unwanted and unnecessary parts of life
During the retreat, we look at one point and try to concentrate all our heart and will, and mind on God's words. Looking back on our experiences and concentrating on one purpose, we can fully make use of all our energy and talent. Solitude is needed for such a powerful process of transformation.
When we don't realize we are no more than "a mist which appears for a moment and then disappears", we are naturally worried about many things. In fact, we have no clear idea what tomorrow will bring. Our life is going up and down like a swing or seesaw; it's both exalted and humbled. As you have already experienced, everything comes and goes. Climbing a mountain is surely one way to learn this perpetual movement of going up and down.
Walking towards the top, we can't but sweat always. Almost all the time, it's difficult to climb up, no matter how often we climb the mountain. Nevertheless, mountain walking is cheerful and refreshing even just to think of it. Walking every day refreshes not only the heart but the body.
During 8 days retreat at Yeoju, I enjoyed climbing for about 2 hours a day. Our retreat house there is surrounded by little mountains with pine trees, chestnut trees, acorn trees, etc. The ridges of each mountain are related to one another so we can continue walking as far as we want.
It's not huge like Mt.Jiri or Mt.Chiak, but being surrounded by range after range of mountains brings much simple joy to look around. Mountain by mountain like a folding screen, villages are scattered here and there. Walking hours depend on our choice of how many ridges we decide to go up and down.
It's good to follow walking courses in the mountains. Especially for me, it leads me to heal, peace, freedom, and composure. Walking becomes a way of prayer in the presence of the universe. Whenever I visit a little village at Yeoju, I feel I'm blessed. Everybody will feel easy and refreshed breathing the clear air without much pollution. Even though our days are filled with a lot of things to do, let's look up at the sky from time to time and take a walk around.
The Korea Times/ Thoughts of the Times? Feb. 28, 2004
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