How can we keep the fire of our faith burning brightly amidst the shimmering haze of summer distractions?
In an enlightening episode of The Catholic Gentleman, hosts John Heinen and Sam Guzman share a three-fold strategy for maintaining steadfast faith throughout the summer months.
Firstly, Heinen and Guzman emphasize the paramount importance of maintaining discipline in prayer. Amidst summer's distractions, the cornerstone of prayer can often be disrupted.
As Heinen warns, "When you allow your prayer time to get disrupted, everything else goes by the wayside."
A set prayer time, he insists, is a non-negotiable that fosters a robust spiritual connection throughout the day, regardless of the season.
Secondly, the hosts highlight the sanctification of time.
Summer, with its slew of activities and breaks from routine, often displaces the spiritual importance of Sundays and feast days. Guzman champions being "extra intentional about keeping Sundays Holy... in the summer it's easy to fall off of that bandwagon."
He emphasizes carving out sacred times throughout the day for growing your relationship with God and family.
Lastly, they underscore the transformative power of gratitude and living in the present moment.
Guzman eloquently illustrates, "If we can just embrace...all of these rich moments that God wants to bless us with, if we just pay attention and receive those gifts with wonder and humility, man, we will be happy."
Citing Bishop Fulton Sheen, Heinen agrees, "Pleasure is a byproduct, not a goal. Happiness must be our bridesmaid, not our bride."
A potent reminder that amidst summer's pleasures, our primary focus should be seeking the kingdom of God!
Watch as they provide a roadmap to explore a discipline of prayer, sanctify time, and nurture gratitude throughout the exhilarating summer season: