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Summer is here. We may well find ourselves tempted to let our thoughts wander toward dreams and fantasies of things that were, could have been or might yet be.

Those fortunate enough to be able to take some time off to enjoy something of a vacation now are not necessarily more blessed than those for whom this is not possible this year, as it may once have been or yet may be. It is indeed a great blessing to have the time and resources to get away from a work routine, if only for a little while.

Yet, experience shows that not everyone who goes "on vacation" really gets much of a break.

Hilarious movies and sitcom episodes have been scripted around people who run into all sorts of mishaps while trying to get away for that break. This can happen to any and all of us -- though without the humor -- if we take our worries and anxieties with us on our "getaway."

Many folks find it difficult to sleep and relax, whether at home or away. It does not help much -- and can even make the tension worse -- just to hear someone say, "Why don't you just calm down?" It's not that easy. If anyone needs special permission, however, to take time off, there is actually strong Scriptural support for this. God Himself, we are told in Genesis, rested on the seventh day.

This account of creation is an ancient liturgical hymn to encourage God's people to take time to thank God for our blessings. We Christians traditionally observe Sunday, the day of the Lord's resurrection, as our Sabbath, refraining from hard work and taking the time to rest in the Lord.

For many people, Sundays have become just as crowded with cares and concerns and some of those super-active "vacations" where you come home more exhausted -- and a far cry from enriched -- than when you left. What's the point of that?

The fact is, we need to have "down time," periods in which we choose to do nothing but just be present to God and one another. If we are not doing that on a regular basis, chances are we will not be very likely to do it while "on vacation."

Taking "time out" takes a little bit of discipline and practice. We know that from personal experience. Unless each week we make plans to attend a particular Mass, set the alarm for a particular time, figure out when and where to do breakfast or brunch and decide how to involve our families and friends in our Sunday worship and recreation, chances are much more likely that this precious time will be wasted on some screen or at some mall. In some cases, it might be the gravitational pull of the bed itself that makes the decision for us.

Those who are homebound or in a hospital may feel especially at a disadvantage. One might imagine more exciting places to be, but sitting in traffic on the way to a crowded place of amusement is not one of them. Heading out on a Sunday or off-day to visit someone who cannot get out will most likely take you on a far less congested route -- where not everyone is going -- and bring real relief, as well.

The soul needs refreshment much more even than the body. Although people seem to be more conscious of this than in the past, it is possible to become dehydrated more quickly in the hotter weather. Usually, by the time we feel thirsty, we are already dehydrated.

This rule is even more applicable to our spiritual life. We cannot abstain from the bread of life and expect our souls to revive and thrive.

Of course, God is present wherever we are, and one need not be in a church all the time to pray. Nor need prayer be something that is burdensome. After all, it is always God who invites us into the conversation. Our job is to relax and let the Lord speak to us.

It is fine to come to a church and attend Mass, because that is like a spiritual water fountain through which God pours out grace on us, washing away our sins and untwisting our tangled thoughts and desires. But we have to be willing to drink.

Just as we observe the practice of saying "grace" before meals, a good summer practice each time we have a beverage or feel the need for one is to remember to ask God to give us of His grace to drink, to hydrate our souls.

Those of us blessed with the gift of being able to "drink in" some beautiful scenery or a refreshing breath of air during this season can enrich our connection with the Lord by remembering to thank Him. Those of us less physically (or financially) mobile can pray for our more active sisters and brothers, that they treasure their blessings -- and we can all count the blessings of our faith in a God who is always where we are.

(Follow the Bishop at www.facebook.com/AlbanyBishopEd and on Twitter @AlbBishopEd.)[[In-content Ad]]

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