Come Away and Rest Awhile

My dear brothers and sisters,

Jesus once invited some of His first disciples to “Come away with me and rest awhile.” As we come to the end of summer, I hope you were able to find some time to relax and be renewed during this summer season with your family and friends.

My family has always enjoyed going down to the Jersey shore for our annual summer vacation. The beach, the boardwalk with its rides and snacks, fishing and crabbing, and seeing summer friends, were all things we looked forward to. And I fondly recall during some of those years going to daily Mass in late afternoon at the Christian Brothers residence in Ocean City, NJ. As a matter of fact, as I write this column, I am actually away for some time with my family and friends at the Jersey shore and then heading up to join a group of priest and bishop friends from seminary for a few days up in Newport, Rhode Island.

As an adult and having spent so much of my life in school or being involved in the administration of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, the summer always provided some welcomed extended down time for me. It gave me time to relax, rejuvenate, and extra time to be with Our Lord.

I have enjoyed some nice breaks this summer, but almost all elsewhere – I have to learn of vacation spots here in Louisiana and around our beautiful region! At the end of of June and into the early days of June, I was in Rome with family and friends, including so many new friends from here in New Orleans, to receive the pallium from Pope Leo. Those days were so enjoyable and being a pilgrimage, they were also truly uplifting, spiritual days. I was also blessed to visit some friends in Wisconsin to spend some time on Lake Michigan. 

Of course, Jesus’ invitation to “come away with me and rest awhile” is an invitation to grow closer to Him through prayer and the summer gives us time for that, too. Being by the water is very meditative for me, so I enjoy praying by the ocean and along the lake. Our Lord must have found speaking with the Father less distracting at a lake, too, as He spent much time on the Sea of Galilee where He called so many of His disciples who were fishermen.

Here in New Orleans, I have also been grateful for the slower pace of July and August as it gave me the opportunity for different unique pastoral activities such as visiting Camp Abbey, Project Lazarus, our Quo Vadis retreat for young men and also the Cenacle, our archdiocesan retreat house, to have Mass and lunch with some of our priests on retreat. Of course a visit to the Saints training camp added to the joy of the summer too!

The summer has also allowed me to visit with some of  the religious communities, as well as nursing homes and a state prison in our archdiocese. It is always so moving to celebrate the Eucharist at these places. I have no doubt, that I receive more than I give during these visits. The conversations are always uplifting, and the joy real. 

Throughout my months here, the chapel in my residence is a real blessing and oasis for me, a place where I am rejuvenated daily by resting with the Lord. I know that our Eucharistic Adoration chapels and churches throughout our archdiocese are likewise places where many come to spend time in daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and attend daily Mass. It is a great tradition to start if you have not yet taken advantage of praying before our Eucharistic Lord. 

The Eucharist is one of the fruits of our consecration to the Sacred Heart, and we have published on our website and in this edition of the Clarion a complete list of all our Eucharistic Adoration chapels and times for Adoration and Benediction in our archdiocese. Our Lord awaits you!  It is very heartening and I am truly grateful that so many already partake in adoration. If He was adored at each moment of each day somewhere throughout our archdiocese; we would receive abundant blessings from our resting in Him! 

Our Lady always shows us the way to her Son, as she rested with Him each day, even when she did not understand all that was going on in His life or hers, and even when a sword pierced her heart. Mary always leads us to her Son, who always awaits us. Be assured I am bringing you in prayer to Him through her as we celebrate together her Assumption in heaven on Aug. 15, and I ask you to do the same for me. 

Although I am sad to see the summer come to a close and am grateful for all the opportunities we all have had to spend more time with the Lord throughout this season, I pray that we will make time in the coming seasons too to “come away and rest awhile" in Our Lord’s presence.

Know of my love, prayers and gratitude for you!