The picture above is from my honeymoon last year in Antigua. Yes, my wife and I are coming up on our 1st Anniversary-feel free to send us a gift! All joking aside, I cannot believe it has been a year since the last time I took a real vacation. After the non-stop planning and running around associated with the wedding, it was such a relaxing, wonderful experience. Between working a few jobs and completing my Master’s degree and my wife working about 50-60 hours per week, it was the first time we got to spend alone together; it was our first vacation.
Usually when we think of summer vacation, we think of unplugging and shutting ourselves off from the world. We go camping or head down the shore (I’m a Wildwood/Cape May kind of guy), fly to the Carolinas, or take a cruise. Whatever your vacation desires are, I bet “growing in holiness” isn’t on the top of many people’s priority lists. Vacation=taking a break from every day life. True, but it cannot = a break from faith.
I can’t think of a more perfect time to grow in our faith than when we are free from the noise and chaos of our everyday lives. Vacation can almost be a mini retreat experience. We do not have the distraction of work, school, or rush hour traffic. We make our own schedule and do what we want to do.
If you are like me, there are some must haves during my vacation. First, I enjoy walking on the beach first thing in the morning. If I am up for the walk, I can certainly find a local Church for daily Mass. (just go to masstimes.org and type in a zip code to find a church!) What better way to start the day than by giving thanks to God for the opportunity to have a vacation?
Second, I always bring a book or two. I have now made it a habit to bring at least two spiritual books with me when I travel, just in case I get bored with one. I am not saying that we all need to be reading the Summa of St. Thomas Aquinas or the entire Catechism (Although, if your up to it go for it!). What I am saying is that by opening our minds to some spiritual reading during our vacations, the Lord can sometimes speak to us more clearly—especially without the many distractions of life. What we learn may even help us when we return home and take up our everyday tasks and occupations.
Finally, I need to pray. It is so easy to pray when we are at the beach or even on a hike. When we surround ourselves with God’s wonderful creation, how easy is it for us to say, “Wow, God is great,” or “Thanks for making this world so beautiful.” By doing this, we really begin to experience God’s presence everywhere. We may even begin to realize that we cannot escape Him and He truly is with us wherever we go. So go! Take a vacation!
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