Summer of Faith

Some people pray on their knees for hours each day. Others eat only one or two meals per week. Some walk about dangerous neighborhoods and hospitals blessing people and giving hope in Christ. Those who are really devoted, enter the desert caves to live in extreme asceticism. Then there are those who climb up on pillars of rock and live. All do it to show their love for and faith in God. All do it because they heard the invitation of Christ to love God more than anything else in the world. What do you do to show your love for God?

Today is the feast of Saint Symeon the Stylite. At a young age he climbed up and live on a large pillar of stone for more than eighteen years. Then he lived in the desert before climbing another pillar of stone. All together of his eighty-five years of life he lived seventy-nine years living in extreme asceticism. He is revered for his absolute devotion to God.

Today we tend to see this type of faith as being unnecessary. In fact, I have found that every time someone desires to live without the comforts of the world, they are thought of as too extreme and are ridiculed even by friends and family. My, how times have changed! At least we still think of Saint Symeon as a holy man, and not some crazy rock dweller. Even many of our modern monasteries live with many of the comforts of the world.

I must admit there is a difference between today’s Christians and our ancient ancestors. Each day we read about the ancient martyrs who were killed ‘just because’ they refused to worship the pagan idols. They didn’t have to leave for the desert or live on rock pillars. ‘Just’ being Christian among the pagans was an extreme expression of love for and faith in God. Yet, they were willing to be tortured and many were killed. I dare to think most modern Christians would fail that test of faith, since we can’t even refuse Sunday sports to be in Church.

Now that summer is upon us, and our children are home from school, and our minds are in vacation mode, it is the perfect chance to ‘be a little extreme’ for Christ. Why not spend some of your vacation days visiting a monastery? If vacation is meant for family to grow closer together and to be refreshed from our hectic daily lives, what could better than a few days at a monastery in prayer? There are many spiritually focused activities we can focus our vacation time on this summer. Visiting monasteries is just one option.

What is more important, is that when you return from the monastery, you commit to a Live A New Life In Christ. At the monastery you will pray every day, more than once. When you return home, meet with your spiritual father and determine a ‘Prayer Rule’ for you to follow that will help you grow closer to God. You don’t have to climb up a stone pillar to live, to show your love for God. You do have to make changes in your life that might seem extreme now, but will help you love God more than you did yesterday and last year. For many, just committing to attend Divine Liturgy EVERY Sunday, PREPARED to receive Holy Communion will be extreme. It’s a good place to start this summer.

May God bless our Summer of Faith!