By Bishop Paul J. Bradley, Bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan
“Come to Me, all who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you.” (Mt 11:28)
Summertime is the perfect time to re-engage, renew and be refreshed in our prayerful relationship with God and in our faith.
RE-ENGAGE
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Rom 12:2) As St. Paul urged the Romans, we should also realize the health of our spiritual lives depends on putting God at the center of our lives. If we have strayed from that relationship, or if it’s grown a bit cold, now is the perfect time to re-engage with God through prayer and practice. We need to hear the beautiful invitation Jesus constantly extends to us to come to him to find what we need. There’s no better way to do that, of course, than by coming to Mass every Sunday so that we can experience God’s love through his word and the miraculous gift of the Eucharist. And when we do that with our sisters and brothers in Christ, those who are sharing our journey of faith, then we know we are never alone. I encourage everyone to use this summertime to re-engage your relationship with God. Your parish family is not complete without you.
RENEW
We’re all aware that many in our world dismiss the need for faith-filled lives, and may even consider God and faith as irrelevant. God made us in his image and likeness and he has placed within each of us a deep longing to be one with God and with each other. This can only be satisfied by deepening our relationship with God. As St. Augustine, wrote: “Our hearts are restless, and they will remain restless until they rest in you.” So, how do we find that ultimate rest? We need to renew and deepen our relationship with God. Maybe it’s by fitting in some quiet time for prayer at the beginning and end of each day; perhaps it’s by spending time with Jesus himself in Eucharistic Adoration, or just sitting quietly before the tabernacle. We could also renew our relationship with God through activities or from exploring a new pilgrimage site while on vacation. Whatever you choose, you will find that your faith and sense of reconnection to the Body of Christ will be renewed.
REFRESH
One of my favorite summertime activities is reading a good book while sitting by the water. Reading is a wonderful way to refresh our minds and souls and I recommend including among that reading The Lives of the Saints or other spiritual works to deepen our understanding of our faith and our relationship with God.
Have a few extra minutes? Read or listen to the daily Scripture readings. Brush up on the saints by subscribing to a daily email. Consider reading Little Talks with God by St.Saint Catherine of Siena or Meditations from a Simple Path by St. Teresa of Calcutta (aka Mother Teresa).
During these summer months, when our schedules become just a bit more relaxed, let us also be sure we do not relax our relationship with God and the practice of our faith. In fact, summertime is the perfect time to re-engage, be renewed and be refreshed. You will be rewarded abundantly.
