Vacationing with Christ

by Aaron Jubar

The dog-days of summer are upon us! Now is the time of year when everyone and their family takes a much needed summer vacation. But before you jump in the car and head off to Wally World, don't forget to take Jesus along with you.

Did We Forget Anything -- Or Anyone?

Growing up, my family executed meticulously planned vacations with the greatest of ease. Itineraries were extremely detailed, even down to the 3-minute bathroom breaks. Like most families, mine thrived on the anticipation leading up to our annual road-trip, and after the vacation was underway we exhibited enough enthusiasm to make Clark W. Griswald proud. Unfortunately, yard and housework leading up to our departure didn't receive as much attention as packing.

When the day of departure would finally arrive we'd all pile into the Suburban and as he pulled out of the driveway my Dad would ask the ages-old question, "Did we forget anything?" Looking into the rearview mirror, he would see three faces already buried in comic books and munching on peanuts.

Amazingly, we rarely forget items on our list of things to take on vacation. In retrospect, however, I realize that we fairly consistently forgot something (or someone, actually) that is very important -- Jesus Christ.

But We're On Vacation!

Like many Catholic families, we made it to Sunday mass regularly, participated in church events, prayed at dinner, and in general, led good Christian lives. When we traveled though, only occasionally would we attend Sunday mass in an unfamiliar place. Once in a while, if it fit into our itinerary, we'd stop for mass. But most of the time, church didn't factor into our frantic vacations.

Vacations are times to relax and enjoy our being away from work and the hustle and bustle of daily life. We sleep in, stay up late, and eat food to our hearts content. Most of us simply don't think about church when we're out vacationing, or if we do think about it, we usually don't put forth the effort to make it happen. Let's face it -- going to mass on Sunday doesn't rank up there with jetskiing as the number one vacation activity in people's minds. In fact, I bet Jesus would love riding a Seadoo (it sure beats having to do that "walking on water" thing).

Making Time for Mass

There are many reasons why we don't make it to mass during a vacation. Sunday mass may not fit into the schedule, there may not be agreeable times to attend mass, and of course, there may not be a Catholic church near to the area where you are vacationing.

Here are some helpful hints to aid you in making church a part of your family vacation.

First, while you are planning your trip, take some time to search for a Catholic church using a phonebook or the Internet. Don't just rely on the chance that you will pass by a church near your hotel. There could be one right around the corner that you wouldn't have known was there if you hadn't bothered to check before the trip.

Second, many churches will post their service times near the door or on a marquee. Try not to let the "I didn't know what time mass was" keep you from attending. I suggest you opt for an afternoon or early evening mass, which will allow you to sleep in and still have most of the day and the entire evening to relax.

Third, if you can't find a Catholic church, then try something new. Though you may have searched ahead of time, you may not be able to locate a single Catholic church within a hundred miles of your vacation spot. (This can happen quite often if you and your family are the type of people who don't vacation in the middle of heavily populated areas.) No problem -- just keep an eye out for any Christian church. By attending a non-Catholic service you will have the chance to experience something new and different, while still gathering in the presence of Jesus Christ. Also, you might just learn how much alike Catholics and Reformed Christians can be.

By planning ahead and taking some time out of your busy summer vacation to celebrate mass you will gain the peace of mind that comes from being in the presence of the Lord. Enjoy this last month of summer to the fullest. With the events of the past year and the current state of the economy we all need some time to kick back and relax. I mean, after all, even God rested on the seventh day.

Life Applications:

Where do you vacation? Is it the same place frequently, or do you travel to different locales?
What do you do about attending mass when you are away from home?
Have you ever experienced a mass or service at another Christian denomination?

Copyright 2002 by Aaron Jubar
All rights reserved.