Read a previous article "The Graduation Season: How Personal Dreams Take Shape "

Summer Vacation: A Time for Personal and Spiritual Renewal

The signs of summer are all around us. Flowers are in full bloom. Beaches and parks are crowded. Insects are busy doing their work of pollination. Super-hero movies are attracting record crowds. Families are preparing for special trips by car, bus, train, or plane. Family reunions are taking place all over the country. Summer presents a unique opportunity for growth by providing leisure and rest. There is more time to read and to talk with people. There is more time to visit museums. There is more time to listen to music. There is more time to appreciate what God has made and what humans have made.

Ordinarily we think of spring as a time to plant seeds. However, summer can also be a time for planting “seeds” that nourish a passion for:
• God and spiritual growth,
• serving one another,
• awakening a fuller sense wonder.

None of these passions happen overnight. They require a long-range perspective of God, his creation, and our human role in the world.

Activities that Nourish a Passion for God and Spiritual Growth
Prayer, spiritual reading, and quiet time provide opportunities to grow closer to God. Making a resolution to spend 10 extra minutes in daily prayer can make a significant difference. Reading the Scriptures and biographies and autobiographies of saints provides inspiration to live a holier life. You can access background for the Sunday readings by clicking the “Gospel Reflections” or “Lectionary” link, which is located on the left-side of this page. Likewise you can access short biographies of the saints by clicking the “Saints” link, which is also located on the left-side of this page.

Reading classic spiritual books and writings can be a profound learning experience. Keeping a spiritual journal is a way to keep track of one’s spiritual progress. Here are some elements you might want to include in your spiritual journal:
• things you sense around you (observations)
• places you've visited and what you draw from them
• insights you've had along the way
• prayers you've prayed
• special things that others have written or said
• ways you've surprised yourself.

It is fitting and proper to conclude this section by emphasizing the most crucial activity of all: Make sure to plan moments of silence and quiet each day. This special gift allows freedom to listen to God and to use our choices as a vehicle of grace.

Activities that Nourish a Passion for Serving One Another
A recent article in “America” magazine offered advice for college grads. The advice really applies to all people—young and old. One piece of advice recalled the words of the best commencement speech in the writer’s experience. The speech was all of 16 words; “No exercise is better for the human heart than reaching down to lift up another person.” These 16 words are designed to nourish a lifetime commitment to serving others.

President Bush recently spoke at length about the important of volunteers in this country. Summer provides time to volunteer at nursing homes, libraries, day care centers, and day camps. Making an honest assessment of talents and then finding ways to use those talents can be life changing.

At Baptism we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to help and guide us to be open to God’s grace. Confirmation and the Eucharist continue to fill us with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we can live as closer followers of Jesus. The silent moments of each day allow us to get in touch with the Gifts of the Spirit. These are:
Wisdom is the gift of knowing the right choices to make to live a holy life.
Understanding is the gift of grasping the teachings of the Church.
Knowledge is the gift that encourages us to choose the right path to God and to avoid obstacles that keep us from God.
Counsel is the gift of prudence that helps us life as faithful followers of Jesus.
Courage is the gift that helps us stand up and defend our faith.
Reverence is the gift of confidence in God that inspires us to joyfully want to serve God and others.
Wonder and awe invite us to love God and not to offend God by our words and actions.

Activities that Nourish a Sense of Wonder
A sense of wonder allows us to see the world with new eyes. A starry sky viewed from a place away from city lights can lead to a sense of the immensity of God’s universe and man’s place in it. Watching a bird or butterfly from some distance can lead to understanding that each creature reflects something about God. Outdoor summer concerts and sidewalk art sales reflect the gifts that God has given to humans. When we really see not just look, when we really listen not just hear, God comes into our lives.

What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
1. At what time of the year do you start looking forward to and making plans for summer?
2. What are you plans for this summer?
3. What are some activities that will nourish your passion for God and spiritual growth/ your passion for serving one another/ your passion for a richer sense of wonder?
4. What books do you plan to read this summer?
5. Are there any new movies that you want to see this summer?
6. Describe your ideal summer vacation? Are you alone or with others? Do the vacation plans involve traveling? Are these summer plans an entirely new experience or are they something you have done before?
7. Read and discuss “The Judgment of the Nations” (see Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus is reminding us that what we say is less important than what we do. How do you respond to the poor? In what way do compassion and hospitality demonstrate that we truly grasp the meaning of the Gospel? That we truly are willing to reach out in love and service to people all over the world?
8. Closing prayer.
Dear Jesus
The school year is over.
We have learned many things
about each other
and about our school subjects.
Thank you for letting us
be the people we are.
Thank you for our teachers
and all the hard work they have done.
Please help us have a summer vacation
that encourages personal and spiritual renewal.
We will be glad to see each other next fall.
Amen.

Connecting to Faith First® Legacy Edition
Theme: Jesus Teaches Us about Serving Others
Kindergarten, chapter 8
Grade 1, chapter 19
Grade 2, chapter 15
Grade 3, chapter 18
Grade 4, chapter 18
Grade 5, chapter 20
Grade 6, chapter 19
Junior High, Mystery of God, chapter 12
Junior High, Church and Sacraments, chapter 8
Junior High, Morality: Life in Christ, chapter 6
Junior High, Jesus in the New Testament, chapter 1
Special note: The biweekly Current Events articles have also been useful to supplement high school religion classes.

Connecting to Faith First® Original Edition
Theme: Jesus Teaches Us about Serving Others
Kindergarten, chapter 8
Grade 1, chapter 19
Grade 2, chapter 15
Grade 3, chapter 18
Grade 4, chapter 18
Grade 5, chapter 20
Grade 6, chapter 19
Junior High: Liturgy and Morality, chapter 10
Junior High: Creed and Prayer, chapter 16
Special note: The biweekly Current Events articles have also been useful to supplement high school religion classes.