The annual Retreat of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ), Ghana Province, has officially entered its first full day with a call to simplicity, openness and a willingness to encounter Christ anew.
The call was made by Rev. Fr. Edmund Agorhom, SJ, director of the retreat, during the Eucharistic celebration on Monday, 24 August 2026, at the Our Lady of the Annunciation Novitiate, HHCJ, Nsoatre-Sunyani.
Reflecting on the day’s Gospel passage, Fr. Agorhom drew the attention of the sisters to the encounter between Jesus and Nathanael, highlighting the profound spiritual lessons contained in what may appear to be a simple conversation.
He noted that people often introduce themselves to others in different walks of life, but an introduction alone does not necessarily reveal the depth of a person’s identity.
For him, genuine encounter requires more than names, titles or outward descriptions; it calls for openness and authenticity.
Fr. Agorhum pointed to Jesus’ words about Nathanael as an indication that Christ saw something deeper in him. Jesus’ compliment was meaningful because Nathanael was a person who spoke his mind and was not afraid to express what he genuinely thought.
Nathanael’s initial response to Philip also demonstrated this openness. His reaction was marked by suspicion and questioning, particularly concerning whether anything good could come from Nazareth.
Fr. Agorhum, therefore, invited the retreatants to consider an important question: Can a conversation that begins with suspicion eventually lead to a fruitful encounter?
The answer, he suggested, could be found in Philip’s simple response to Nathanael: “Come and see.”
According to Fr. Agorhum, Philip did not attempt to overwhelm Nathanael with lengthy explanations, complicated arguments or excessive words. He simply extended an invitation to encounter Jesus personally.
He encouraged the Sisters to appreciate the power of simplicity in their own spiritual journeys.
“Come and see,” he repeated, explaining that the invitation was not about grandiosity or elaborate presentations, but about creating the space to encounter Christ personally.
He reminded the retreatants that, by responding to the invitation to participate in the retreat, they too had already begun to answer that call.
“All of us in this room are answering that ‘Come and see.’ We have come, and we are still here,” he reflected.
Fr. Agorhum encouraged the sisters not to approach the retreat merely as another activity on their religious calendar, but as an opportunity for a genuine encounter with God.
He urged them to allow the retreat to speak to their deepest selves and to be open to whatever God may reveal to them during the days of prayer, reflection and renewal.
He stressed that the spiritual life does not always depend on grand gestures or extraordinary experiences. Often, it is in simplicity, silence, honesty and openness that God makes Himself known.
As the Sisters begin their retreat journey, Fr. Agorhum invited each retreatant to consciously bring her whole self into the experience.
“Invite yourself, your soul, your spirit, regardless of what the case may be, to come and see,” he urged.
The invitation, he explained, requires the retreatants to put aside distractions, preconceived ideas and whatever may prevent them from fully entering into the retreat experience.
The first-day reflection therefore set the tone for the week-long spiritual journey: a journey not primarily about doing more, but about being present, listening, encountering and allowing God to work within.
The annual retreat of the HHCJ Ghana Province is being held from 23rd to 29th August 2026 at the Our Lady of the Annunciation Novitiate, HHCJ, Nsoatre-Sunyani, under the theme: “Transformed Through Consecration, Empowered for Mission as Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus
Through the invitation to “Come and see,” the sisters are being encouraged to enter the retreat with simplicity and openness, trusting that a sincere encounter with Christ can transform their understanding of themselves, their consecration and their mission as Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus.
By Sr. Emmanuella Dakurah, HHCJ (Catholic Sister Communicators network-Ghana, CASCON-GH)
