Memories of a school retreat (originally posted on Reddit)

I had a life changing experience at a school retreat but not in the way you might think.

This was many years ago when Ireland was a very religious country. Our retreat was led by an enthusiastic young priest who played the guitar and wanted to inspire us to change the world. He was actually a nice enough chap and he led us through a couple of days of prayer and soul searching. Then towards the end he put a challenge to us "Do you want to accept things the way they are like a humble mouse or do you want to go out there and make a difference like a a roaring lion". We were young and impressionable and most of us got caught up in the wave and said "Yes we want to change the world. That is what God wants us to do."

There was one student though. He wasn't from a privileged background and he wasn't a star in class but he was the lone voice who spoke against the wave of enthusiasm that the rest of us got caught up in. "I don't agree." He said. "I think it is OK to be an ordinary person and just do the best you can to live a good life. I think that is what God wants us to do."

I was too young to immediately recognise the wisdom in what he said but the young priest wasn't. He was dumbstruck and clearly shaken. He wasn't able to continue the retreat after that so it sort of of dissolved leaving us all to think about what had happened.

More than four decades have passed since that day but I still remember the wisdom of that 15 year old. I have long since given up on whatever religious faith I had but that message still speaks to me: It is OK to be an ordinary person and just do the best you can.

Originally posted on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CasualIreland/comments/12zqwg6/anyone_else_do_those_religious_retreat_dos_days/

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