Keep Christ in Vacation: 6 ways to let God join you

It’s Spring Break time and summer is just around the corner. If you’re like me, you are thinking about beaches and mountains. You are envisioning kayaking, fishing, swimming, hiking, and relaxation. It’s vacation season. It’s time to get away and relax. Vacation planning, at least for me, includes finding a house sitter and a dog sitter. We can’t always take our dogs with us on vacation since we have multiple dogs (7 to be exact). I often feel guilty when I walk out the door and leave my furry family members us. I began to be convicted that this is how we, as Christians, treat the Lord during vacation season. We pack our luggage, load the car, and lock the door behind us…. leaving the Lord at home with the dogs.

As I finalize the last-minute plans for Spring Break (and Diet break! No calorie counting during vacation) with my best friend, I have been contemplating how we often neglect Christ while on vacation. My best friend and I began to talk about how to fit in Mass during our Spring Break, even though we are going on a cruise and will be on the road driving. It is possible. Here are some suggestions how you can keep Christ in Vacation as well:

1.) Talk to the Lord: St. Paul tells us in I Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing”. There is no greater opportunity to pray and talk to the Lord as a family than road trips! With all that windshield time in the car, it can be the perfect time to pray the rosary together as a family. We may often become intimidated when we consider praying and saying grace before eating a meal out in public. What will the people at the table next to us think? What will the waitress think? These thoughts are often ways Satan convinces us that we should keep our faith private and within the confines of our home and not out in public. That is the very opposite from what the Lord tells us to do.

When I go out to eat with my husband and daughter we always pray before meals just as if we were at home. Grace before eating is just a regular occurrence at our house. I remember one time, however, we prayed at a restaurant before eating and when I looked up the waitress was standing there with a smile on her face and patiently waiting for us to finish before she poured our drinks. It was in that moment that I realized we should never take for granted that something as simple as a prayer in a restaurant before eating could encourage someone or have an impact on someone.  If we are obedient to the small things, the Holy Spirit will handle the big things. (If you are struggling in your prayer life, this is an excellent opportunity to increase it or you can try these 5 ways to persevere in prayer).

2.) Look for Him in the small things: Speaking of small things, you can easily find Jesus during your vacation in the small things. As you walk through the hotel door, hold the door open for someone with luggage in their arms. What about the employee at the check-in counter? Smile and be kind to her. When you receive your key and walk away, say something such as “have a blessed day” as opposed to “thank you”. The simple change in a few words could be an encouragement to someone. I have found it a habit, oftentimes, to ask my waiter or waitress if there is anything I can pray for him/her about when I pray. Most people will not pass up an opportunity for prayer, even if it is something simple. You may not always be able to pray for them at that moment since they are working. However, I will write down their first name and their prayer request on a notepad, piece of paper, or even in my notes section of my phone while they are standing there. This shows them you are serious about praying for their needs and that they are important. This is a small way of being Christ to those around us.

3.) Go to Mass: Vacation does not mean a break from Jesus. When my husband and I went to Hawaii for our wedding anniversary a few years ago, we made sure to do some research into local parishes and Mass times. We attended Mass during our vacation and were encouraged to see that a few other couples on their honeymoon or anniversaries were attending Mass at the same parish. You never know how much of a blessing or vessel of grace you may be to those around you simply by showing your love for the Lord and including Him in your vacation. It’s also a great way to socialize with the local people and get to know other members of the universal family of the Catholic Church. If you are looking at a place to attend Mass while on vacation, try this site. If you are looking for the TLM locations and times, try this link. You can also try this site for TLM locations and times. 

4.) Look for Him in the landscape and nature: One of the greatest vacations of my life was recently when my husband and me took almost 4 weeks and drove across country. He had just returned from 18 months being deployed with the military overseas, so we took off across the country by ourselves. We explored the snowy Rocky Mountains (while not so much enjoying getting stuck in the snow), visited the beautiful Garden of the Gods and Arches, drove across the desert and the plains, ate seafood on the pier in California, stood on the edge of the breathtaking Grand Canyon, and floated down the Riverwalk in San Antonio. The wide array of scenery reminded me of the power of God. I remembered the Lord telling us in Sacred Scriptures, as I looked at the massive Rocky Mountains, that if we had the faith of a mustard seed then we could move mountains. I certainly didn’t move the Rockies that day, so it challenged me to grow more in my faith. As I looked out over the ocean in California, I was reminded of when Jesus walked on the water. When we were driving through the deserts and enjoyed the magnificent Petrified Forest, the Lord took me back to Egypt and the Israelites in the desert. He remined me in such a barren and empty place, he could rain down bread from heaven if he chose to do so. He could cause water to gush from the rocks if he needed to do so. Take your Bible with you and read it. Allow the Lord to reveal Himself to you through your vacation surroundings when you open the words of Sacred Scripture.

5.) Include pilgrimage sites in your travel plans: I love to map out our vacation plans and research Catholic pilgrimage sites. One of my favorite parts of vacation trips is visiting pilgrimage sites. I spend a lot of time on Google searching for places to venerate relics or places where I can adore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament during Adoration. I have found some of the most amazing and breathtaking opportunities for us to encounter the Lord are discovered in the midst of Spring Break and vacation. If you're looking for some pilgrimate sites, do some research on your own or try this list of pilgrimage sites in the United States. (Some of these may not be accurate or updated, so make sure you check before going but I have used this list and it has been quite reliable.)

6.) Talk about the Lord with others: How often do you talk about your pets to each other while riding in the car? What about other friends and relatives? The subject of various conversations certainly changes with each mile on the road. Topics of the chatter can include pets, siblings, parents, friends, co-workers, supervisors, or even the neighbors. How often is the Lord the topic of conversation? We can easily fill our time chatting about everyone except God when He should be the main topic of the talk. Tell your children some of the things the Lord has done for you lately. Ask them to identify some blessings they have experienced within the last week or two before you left for vacation. As you continue with vacation, ask your children to tell you how they see the Lord in various ways during your trip. (you may actually be surprised at their answers)

When you pack those bags, purchase those tickets, make those reservations, and lock the door behind you, make sure you have not locked the Lord behind you as well. Don’t leave Christ at home. Keep Christ in vacation.