Hello everyone,

Happy summer to all my friends! So, are we having fun yet? When you think of the word "summer", what is the first thought that comes to your mind? For many of us, the first word that pops up when we think of summer is "vacation"! This is certainly true for me. Every year, when the summer months approach, there’s an imaginary banner with the word "VACATION" flying across from one side of my brain to the other (just like those planes you see flying high in the sky carrying a message with it). Anyway, for my next question: When you hear the word "vacation", what’s the first thing you think of? Most of us will probably think of "fun", "rest", "beaches", "relaxing", "enjoyment", "excitement", "adventure" and etc... Naturally, we associate these things with vacation. It’s a chance for us to get away from some of our routine obligations and busy demands in our life. It’s a chance to let our body rest, relax and have some fun.

It’s a good thing to take care of our body, but then, what about our spirit? Have you ever considered a vacation for your spirit? Yes, it may sounds funny, but it’s every bit as real and extremely important for your total well-being. Human beings are made up of both body and spirit. Because our body has many constant needs (food, water, shelter, etc...), a lot of times, we focus on satisfying these physical needs and quite often, we neglect to provide the proper nourishment for our spirit. It’s true, just as we need food, water and exercise to keep our body healthy and in good shape, our spirit also needs "spiritual food and exercise" to grow strong and healthy. As a matter of fact, spiritual health is even more important than physical well-being. Imagine a guy who spends a lot of time and energy to keep his body strong and healthy. He has lots of money, a nice house, nice car, sexy girl-friend, etc... yet he has never put any thought into cultivating his spirit. As time goes by, his soul remains deprived of its basic needs and it withers away. His spirit becomes so malnourished that even with all the earthly possessions he has, he still feels unhappy. There is a big emptiness inside of him that no amount of money nor personal achievement could fill it up. After all the good times and parties are over, loneliness still creeps in. Loneliness, what an awful feeling! Even when he’s surrounded by friends, he still feels lonely. He tries to hide it and pretends to have a good time, but deep down, he knows that these friends don’t really know who he is on the inside. Somehow, he’s not satisfied; somehow, he feels tired and weary. Somewhere deep inside of him, there is a longing - a gentle but steady longing for something, something more, something that will bring contentment. Perhaps he’s longing for a kind of happiness that will remain with him even after all the "funs" are over. Perhaps he’s longing for someone to really know and understand who he is and still like him as he is. But then, that’s a lot to ask for because sometimes, he couldn’t even understand himself. And so, this yearning keeps coming back to him, yet he doesn’t know exactly what he wants or what to do about it.

Dear friends, do you ever feel this way? All of us, at one point or another in our life will go through something similar to this, some of us more intense than others. If you’ve experienced conditions similar to these, then know that it is your spirit crying out for help. Your soul is so thirsting and hungers for "spiritual food" that it causes you to feel unhappy and unfulfilled. Now you might ask: what then are all the necessary "nourishments" for our spirit? I’m so glad you ask. Since we are made in God’s image, that’s why our spirit is also invisible like God. I believe that our spirit is the part of ourself which mostly resembles God. In order to "feed" the soul, we must come to the Source that created all souls - GOD! In simple words, spiritual nourishments are anything that will brings us to a closer relationship with God - our Maker and our Father. In order for our spirit to flourish, we need to seek God. He is the Source of all life, through Him, our life be sustained and enhanced.

There are many ways to take care of our spiritual needs:

Praying (having a conversation with God - you talk and God listens, then you be quiet and listen to what God says to you)

Reading the Bible & reflecting on it (this is when God talks and you listen in order to understand what He’s trying to teach you)

Receiving the Sacraments, especially that of the Eucharist and Reconciliation (the Body of Christ is truly the best nourishment for our spirit and Reconciliation gives us a chance to "come clean" with God and with ourselves, like giving your soul a bath!)

Going to a retreat (a vacation with God - it’s to spend sometime away from the daily routine, away from home, school or work to be with God. You spend this time to look back on your life, to discover how and where God has been with you in the past; find out what God is inviting you to do at the present time and, with God’s guidance, make new plans for your future)

Praying the Rosary (don’t just recite like a parrot but try to contemplates on each mystery, think of how you can relate to the life of Jesus and His Mother, find similarities between their struggle and yours, their strength as compared to your weakness; see their triumph and joy as your inspiration to persevere in your faith)

Reading spiritual books (lives of the saints, prayer guide, inspirational books)

Being in tuned to God’s presence in your life each moment of your day.

Well, these are some of my suggestions for a healthy spirit. I strongly recommend you go to a retreat this summer. Retreats are being offered world wide for all kinds of people every where. You can ask your local parish for references on retreats for youth. I’ve listed some information on different types of retreat. Please check them out and do make time for a vacation with God. I know it will be a very special and satisfying experience for you. It was awesome for me (time and time again). All it takes is a willing mind and an open heart. Won’t you come and see what treasure the Lord has in store for you?

Until next time, be happy in God’s love,