“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other…as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” —Nelson Mandela
“Compassion is the language of God. Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone, even when they do not love us.” —Pope Francis
In these times, compassion is a word that is heard frequently in many spaces as a necessity for building community, but what does it actually mean to live compassionately?
The wisdom present in our world’s diverse religions provides humanity with inspiring and practical ways to embody compassion in daily life. In fact, there is a distinct convergence around compassion as each of these faith traditions regards it as intrinsic to how human beings should interact with each other. While some regard this virtue as a divine mandate or a path to enlightenment, several interpret it as a collective responsibility because of the way it powerfully connects individuals, communities, and even nations.
Join us for a weekend retreat that will explore several transformative teachings on compassion from an interfaith perspective, including Christian, Jewish, and Islamic viewpoints alongside touchstones from Buddhist and Indigenous traditions. Through contemplative prayer, writing prompts, group dialogue, and other creative exercises, participants will spend time engaging in ways to embody compassion more fully in their lives and self-expression. There will also be ample time for personal reflection in between presentations for deepening one’s experience with the spiritual practices of compassion considered throughout the weekend. Rituals woven into the retreat will create opportunities for participants to experience self-compassion while also envisioning how they can cultivate it in their encounters with all of Creation.
Please bring along an open mind and heart for this journey! A journal and comfortable shoes will make great companions for this weekend. Guided by Gordon Creamer.
Meals and lodging are included. Check-in begins at 4pm. There will be a brief welcome session at 5:30pm, followed by dinner at 6pm. The retreat begins after dinner at 7pm on Friday and concludes after lunch at 1pm on Monday. Mass will be available Sunday and Monday mornings for those who wish to attend.
Gordon Creamer, MA, creator of the Mission Bridge, currently serves as Program Director at Well for the Journey, a spiritual wellness center in Lutherville, MD. As a creative and contemplative builder, he has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various assisted living, skilled nursing, and hospice communities. He earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Currently, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute. Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media and formats. He also participates as a peer group leader in the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation’s Transforming Community Program. His passions include uplifting the journey of adults, individuals with memory impairment, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as fostering support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion, end-of-life doula, and Reiki practitioner, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing, expanding, and flourishing. For more information, visit TheMissionBridge.com.