Escondido, CA - With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Maxim, the Most Holy Theotokos Church of Orange County organized the first Lenten Retreat, camping on the grounds of the Monastery Sretenje in Escondido. A group of twenty pilgrim-adventurers, consisting of teenagers, children and adults arrived to the Monastery grounds at dusk on Friday, March 20, prepared with sleeping bags, tents, and excitement.
The monastery, located in a deep valley and surrounded by the echoing hills of Escondido and its gentle streams, made a peaceful impression setting a powerful tone for our retreat. The single monastic cell, in which His Grace, Bishop Maxim stayed to be with us, suddenly became surrounded by tents that looked much like forest mushrooms.
In the heart of a dark yet star-lit night, a campfire illuminated stories that sparked our youth’s fascination for the beauty of God’s creation. While bedding down for the night, our happy voices were only dwarfed by the sounds of birds chirping and frogs croaking.
We awoke before the ringing bell of the Monastery, excited for Divine Liturgy and Saturday activities. While the clerics prepared for the service, the adults prepared the meals, and the children hiked and explored nature. Divine Liturgy, presided by His Grace, Bishop Maxim, and assisted with five priests, Prota Lazar, Iguman Nektarije, Prota Milan, Father Jovan and Father Blasko, began promptly at 9:00am with the children and chanters singing the responses. Present at the Liturgy were also a family from Chicago, a visitor from Hawai’i and Serbs from the area. Almost everyone in attendance took Holy Communion.
The heart of our youth activities was the beautification of the Monastery grounds. After a quick snack, every child chose a young fruit tree and planted it in the future orchard. This reminds us of the spiritual fruits of withdrawing from the world and being in a Monastery. We went into the wilderness not to escape life, but to find it—and we found it in abundance! Each one of us became a builder of this Holy place. We cannot wait for our next opportunity to continue this spiritual endeavor. .