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How to Include God in the summer and during times of rest.
By Rev. Alexander Diaz
Summer is often synonymous with vacations, travel, longer evenings, and a more relaxed pace of life. For many, it’s a time eagerly awaited all year—a chance to break from routine, disconnect from work, spend time with family, or even rediscover oneself. But amid all this rest, how can we make sure we don’t disconnect from God?
Rest is a gift, not a luxury. From the very beginning of creation, God shows us its value: “On the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:2). Not because He was tired, but to teach us that rest is also sacred. In this fast-paced society that exalts productivity above all, summer can be a providential opportunity to relearn how to rest with God.
Jesus Himself rested after long days of ministry. At the end of the day, He would withdraw from the crowds to pray and also to share life with His friends: “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). He invites us to this kind of rest—not an escape, but a communion with Him, with ourselves, and with our loved ones. Rest is not laziness or wasted time; it is an opportunity to break routine and strengthen the soul.
St. Teresa of Ávila said: “Prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship, frequently conversing in secret with Him who we know loves us.” Why not make summer a school of this friendship? Walks in nature, spiritual reading, silent prayer by the sea (if you have the chance), or in a quiet chapel—any of these can be an occasion to encounter the God who doesn’t take vacations but who allows us to change our pace.
We live overloaded and constantly attending to everything and everyone, but we rarely have time for ourselves. It is important to take these moments to reflect on where we are and where we are going. Integrating God into our everyday life can be the starting point. St. Josemaría Escrivá reminded us: “Where your brothers and sisters are, where your aspirations, your work, your loves are, there is the place of your daily encounter with Christ.” Rediscovering God in the simple things—a sunset, a child’s laughter, a kind gesture—transforms vacation into a liturgy of the heart. A short prayer on the beach, some spiritual reading before bed, or a deep conversation under the stars: all can become prayer if our heart is open.
Summer is also a great opportunity to ask ourselves: What am I doing with my life? Where is my family, my faith, my vocation headed? Caught in the whirlwind of routine, we often postpone the important. Rest can become a time of discernment, of realigning priorities, of listening to God’s gentle voice, as Pope Francis said: “God does not speak to us with the noise of success or power, but with silence, the cross, love.”
To make the most of it: pick a good spiritual book; look for the local Sunday Mass, even while traveling; deepen your morning prayer; make a good examination of conscience and go to confession. In doing so, you’ll recharge your “spiritual batteries.”
In conclusion, summer can renew both body and soul. It’s not about adding obligations, but about living this time with awareness, faith, and gratitude. Including God in our rest sanctifies it and gives it full meaning. The psalmist expressed it beautifully: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:9). May this summer, with its light and calm, be an opportunity to reconnect with the God who also rests with us. Because, in the end, to rest with God is to truly rest.
