Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 

Summer Reflections
Hopefully this summer is a time of true recreation.  Have you ever looked more closely at the word, “recreation.”  It is really meant to “re-create” us.  Since we were created by God, true recreation time is a privileged time to be re-created in the Lord.  In fact this is why Sunday is such a privileged day.  On the seventh day the Lord rested and commands us to do the same.  But rest does not mean we just sit around.  True rest is resting in the Lord which is why we go to Mass every Sunday.  We must go because we need it, not God.  To think we don’t is foolish. 

nfortunately I’ve encountered people who think summer is a time to take a vacation away from Mass or church in general.  This is nonsensical.  That would be like a saint in heaven saying to God, “You know what? All this perfection and heaven and bliss is nice, but I’m gonna take a break, separate myself from you and go to hell for a while and maybe I’ll come back later.” Or it would be like a husband saying to his family, “I know you need me and I need you too, but I’m leaving to go start another family for a while.” Yes missing Mass deliberately is that serious.  Because of weakness and sin we need re-created constantly. 

Sunday Mass is where we are re-created, renewed.  Without the Mass we spiritually starve; without involvement in the church we are not fulfilled.  Deep down we all know this to be true.  Even the most perfect vacation here on earth is literally nothing - nothing! - compared to receiving Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. 

I always cringe when at a funeral I hear someone about grandpa, “Well now he’s in that big golf course in the sky.”  I want to yell, No he’s not!  Heaven is not some earthly vacation spot that just goes on forever.  If it is, I don’t want to go.  We will get bored playing golf for eternity.  I grant that people say such things to try and describe their hope that grandpa is happy, but again true happiness is not ultimately found in earthly things, but in God alone.  As St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless, Lord, until they rest in Thee.”  Heaven is the fullness of being in God and His will.  My authentic desires for Him are perfectly yearning and satisfied at the same in Him.  This is hard to imagine, which is why we sometimes put heaven in terms of earthly happiness.

At the same time, earthly happiness like golf or baseball or gardening is not bad nor does it need to be shunned.  Being re-created in the Lord does not necessarily mean our recreation has to be specifically spiritual. God created us to have a proper enjoyment of the things of earth, but they must always be seen in the light of God’s glory.  While the recreation of our souls happens through the Mass, there can and should be proper bodily recreation like sports or other activity.  When done well it does not stress us out even more (which sometimes can happen because we have anxious souls lacking peace no matter our environment), but helps us thank and serve God better. 

So true recreation in the summer is not self-indulgent leisure or a passive sliding through or mere absence of work.  We may take a break from certain forms of work by taking a vacation, but even there energy is used or work is done.  For some, gardening is recreational even though it involves work of some sort.  Even playing summer sports recreates but it still requires discipline.  The same is true spiritually.  Have we taken the time to plan for a vacation this summer?  Have we put as much effort and planning into our spiritual lives this summer? If not I invite you to make the adjustment.  Remember there is no vocation from your vocation.  So stay holy this summer so that you may be truly re-created and ready for Heaven when it comes.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Pfeiffer