Worship and Evangelization Outreach / Gabriela Ross

Make time for some saintly inspiration during your summer

Summer is a great time to rejuvenate.

Maybe it’s going on vacation, gathering the family for a barbecue by the pool, or just sitting with a friend over an iced tea and slowing down long enough to share how life is going. This is also true in our spiritual life.

In the archdiocesan Office of Catechesis, summertime is greatly devoted to growing professionally and spiritually. Sure, there are projects that keep moving forward and questions that need replies.

But in a special way, the focus is on learning something new and nurturing the faith that God has given us.

After a busy year of ministry, this is not a luxury; it’s essential. As the saying goes, “You can’t give what you don’t have.”

Jesus often drew away to a deserted place to pray. So if rest and prayer were God’s invention, we should follow his lead!

Knowing that we are body and spirit, it’s important to care for our physical needs as we strive to nurture the spiritual. Making it a point to catch up on sleep, getting enough exercise and eating healthy food can go a long way to feeling re-energized for the mission that God has called us to.

Taking care of our mental health is just as important. Along with bodily and mental health, nurturing a contemplative spirit and renewing our sacramental life can be very beneficial during this time of restoration.

Sometimes we may fall into the routine of rushing through prayer—only to realize that it has been ages since we really shared our heart with God.

Maybe that means we make it a point to visit the sacraments, make a retreat for a weekend, start meeting with a spiritual director, or dive into the Catholic Church’s wealth of contemplative prayer practices. Whatever you’re able to do, take time to reconnect with God this summer.

No matter where we are in our walk with God, there is always room to grow. Age has nothing to do with our zeal for Christ.

I recently came across a list of about a dozen saints who lived heroic lives of virtue and died before the age of 30. It’s never too early—and we’re never too late—to choose to be a disciple of Jesus Christ through his holy Catholic Church.

Thankfully, the Church in her wisdom provides us with role models of holiness through the saints to inspire us in our call to become saints. Some of these saints have written spiritual advice that is still available for us today.

Did you know that St. John Paul II was inspired by the writings of St. Louis de Monfort on true devotion to Mary? And St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was changed when she read the life of St. Teresa of Avila? Saints beget saints!

As we take time this summer to be renewed in mind, body and spirit, let us take advantage of the Church’s many blessings—sacraments, prayer practices and saints—so we may more effectively share the faith with those we serve. If you’d like to know more about saints who inspired saints, there is a free e-book from Catholic author Brandon Vogt available at saintsfavoritebooks.com.
 

(Gabriela Ross is coordinator of catechetical resources within the archdiocesan Secretariat for Worship and Evangelization. She can be reached at gross@archindy.org.) †