IYKYK

If you’re not familiar with this texting abbreviation, it means “If You Know, You Know.”

According to USA Today, this abbreviation is used in relation to an inside joke or reference for a certain group. The slang denotes an insider perspective: You understand (or get) the reference if you're a part of what the original post is talking about. The term is often used in social media posts and as a hashtag.

Maybe it’s embarrassing to admit this, but I only just learned what this abbreviation means. I’m old, and my children have all moved out. What can I say?

But, as I’ve written about before, I work at a Catholic retreat center, so I think about Catholic retreats a lot.

When I recently tried to tell some people about how powerful and life-changing a spiritual retreat can be, that texting slang popped into my head. IYKYK. If You Know, You Know.

If you have ever paused your regular life and went away somewhere special to spend a little time focusing on your relationship with Jesus, away from all your daily distractions, I don’t have to tell you about how refreshing and life-affirming the experience is. IYKYK.

For anyone who has NEVER taken the plunge, however, I strongly urge you to make 2025 the year you will go on your very first Catholic retreat. Call your parish office and ask someone to help you find a place near your home where you can turn OFF everything else in your life for a short time and turn ON your relationship with the Lord. Locating a suitable retreat is not hard to do. It is definitely worth the little bit of effort to find one!

I promise that if you do, you will “join the club” of folks who KNOW how powerful this spiritual exercise can be and how much it can change your life for the better.

I recently heard a man boast that he and his wife have been on 50 ocean cruises. While that certainly is impressive, imagine if they had gone on 50 spiritual retreats instead! That would really be something to boast about! IYKYK!

There are several different kinds of spiritual retreats: preached retreats, private retreats, directed retreats, guided retreats, silent retreats. There are men’s retreats, women’s retreats, married couple retreats. The list goes on and on. There’s a retreat to fit just about everyone.

Here’s an excellent article that dives into the details of several different kinds of Catholic retreats. Just click on the link below.

https://uscatholic.org/articles/202106/10-retreats-to-restore-your-soul/

Ok, now, go find a retreat to attend! No excuses!