Dion Zairus Peter A Dano
10 - Maximilian
Reflection Paper
In this time of escalating hardships, I was very overwhelmed by stress and depression. At some
point, I needed to relax and disconnect myself from it, but I couldn’t figure out how. I tried all
sorts of relaxations, but anxiety and anger always caught up with me. That was before the retreat
happened, and everything came to light. Not only was I taught how to relax: Reconnecting with
nature. But also how to achieve peace through a life of prayer. The venue and especially the
speaker played a big role in the program, making sure the activities went smoothly, and I am
more than grateful to them. Here I will share my experience, my favorite moments, and the
heartbreaking events that laid the foundation of change in the classroom of Maximilian.
There were numerous activities in the retreat, emotional and groundbreaking alike. But the
occasion which touched me the most was the Unmasking activity. Not only did it allow me to
face my fears, but also recognize what I truly am in the face of others. The activity diminished
my anxiety and self-doubt, and allowed me to open my eyes to the truth. Here I learned an
important lesson: only by advancing based on others’ perception can we truly improve ourselves
Throughout the retreat, connecting with God through reflection and prayer was a common
occurrence. However, what allowed me to indulge in it was the process of reconnecting and
disconnecting. By disconnecting with materialism, and reconnecting with nature, I was fully able
to bask in God’s presence in the treat and receive His Grace in the venue. It enabled me to mend
my relationship with my family and friends. But most importantly, my connection to God is
slowly but surely reconnecting.
Brother Nick was an exceptional speaker, and delivered his intentions with ease. While he
presented the topics with full description and understanding, he also made us reflect on it and our
lives. Given that Brother Nick was a certified friar, he was also very experienced and had
participated in countless retreats. Amidst the retreat, he often shared his life stories and insights
about life, mostly about how he became religious and coped with being single forever. What
inspired me the most about his stories was that the lonely friar was immensely happy, and he
decided to share this happiness with the rest of us in the retreat. Through him, I discovered that
no matter how many wounds are in your heart, the only thing that matters is that we are happy,
because God created us to do so.
The most important lesson I learned was to balance work and life. If for example, I focus too
much studying, eventually I will forget to enjoy myself, disconnect with technology, and talk
with my loved ones. Simultaneously, the more I play games, the less I am able to work on my
studies. Each second I spent at the venue, I slowly regained peace and tranquility. There were no
cell phones, no games, no notebooks, nothing, Just me, God, and nature, and I allowed myself to
flow with God’s grace, free from materialism. It didn’t require the speaker to speak for me to
understand the lesson: Success didn’t matter if I wasn’t happy about it.
The retreat was closely related to God, and the CFP subject by Tr. Ellen. After going through
Catholic processes like confession, it was as though God was slowly strengthening me and
binding me together. In CFP, we were taught that becoming true human beings meant acting as
relational beings. All of these activities and processes were responsible for rebuilding our
relationship with others and achieving our inner peace. This was the thing that I failed to notice,
and what drove me to desperation and anxiety. I could only acquire grace by connecting with
others.
This retreat was the best one I ever had. It extinguished all of my worries, wounds, burdens, and
shortcomings I carried in my life. Understanding the light of truth, I can only now believe in God
for me to heal and grow stronger. This memory will be forever embedded into my mind
wherever I go, along with the lessons. I will allow myself to receive in God’s grace as I recite
this prayer:
Heavenly Father, Lord of Eternal Peace and Salvation. I humbly come before you in times of
uncertainty and depression. Forgive me for failing to recognize the harm I did to my friends and
family. I am sorry for sinning, willingly or unwillingly, against others. I truly repent for not
taking in your advice and ended up torturing myself. At the same time, Thank you so much for
this year’s retreat. I am truly grateful for the lessons you have bestowed upon me and my loved
ones, and I will never forget the descent of your Holy spirit upon us, O Lord. Grant, I graciously
pray, that by stepping upon the perilous journeys of life, you may stay by our side and guide us.
Assist us in resisting the temptation, and avoid the devil’s snares. Send forth your spirit upon us,
that by its mercy, we shall be given strength to conquer the adversities of our journey. And
throughout our lives, may our bonds be unbreakable and may we move closer to the loving will
of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In his name, we pray, Amen.