By Marrick Kowalski
My phone vibrated as my long-distance best friend called me. It was time for one of our catch-up phone calls. “Hey,” I answered, and her familiar voice responded, “Hey! How are you?” The conversation flowed as if no time had passed.
The thing you need to know about our friendship is that we have spent more time as long-distance friends than we have spent in person. We met serving as missionaries in Ireland, and we clicked instantly. Being from different countries, we knew our time physically together was going to be short, and we knew, as we headed home from our year of service amidst a pandemic, that we were going to have to be intentional about our friendship if we wanted it to continue and to last. At first, it was easy – neither of us had a job, nor were we going to school; we had ample time to chat and even watch a TV show together.
As time went on, we both got jobs, schedules became fuller, and the one-hour time difference began to throw things off. We started going days and even weeks between calls. We still talked daily through text messages and memes, but the Facetime phone calls became few and far between. Now, both working odd hours in youth ministry, taking classes, and being present to the people physically around us, we are able to call about once a month.
In each season of our lives, we have a duty of the moment (as Catherine Doherty would say), a different place we need to be, and a different group of people we are called to serve. At this moment in our lives, my friend and I are called other places, but that doesn’t make our relationship less important or less deep. It requires us to recognize the need for intentionality and to take the initiative to build our friendship. The same goes for all relationships, but especially our relationship with Jesus.
During the summer months, it may seem that all the events, programming, and extra retreats that are offered to guide us deeper in our relationship with God cease. Mass times change and many community members travel or move out to the lake for the summer. This is a time to be intentional: intentional with those in our community and intentional with the Lord. This may be a time to find new ways to stay connected to your faith when you seem to have less guided support.
Wherever you may be this summer, it is still important to frequent the sacraments! One of the things I love the most about the Catholic Church is that I can find a “home” anywhere in the world. Whether the Mass is said in Portuguese, French, Russian, or at a different parish, Jesus is still present in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Although I recommend NOT sitting at the front when visiting a new parish for the first time – they may stand, sit, or kneel at different times than you’re used to. The important thing is to “do as the Romans do” and follow the lead of someone who looks like they know what they’re doing.
Wherever you may be this summer, you may not be attending certain events you may be used to attending (such as adoration nights, Bible studies, fellowship groups, etc.) Take the time you would regularly be at these events and have intentional time with Jesus through spiritual reading, tending a garden, or whatever else you can think to do with Jesus! If you’re part of a fellowship group, possibly try to meet online or have weekly message check-ins. It is still important to remain connected and accountable through the summer months.
Wherever you may be this summer, I encourage you to be where your feet are. It is easy to get caught up in the “I wish” and the “I miss” in the summer months, but I challenge you to be present to the people and the opportunities that surround you. Whether you’re hosting brunch, out camping at the beach, taking a family vacation, or staying at home while it feels like all your friends are on adventures, asking, “Who can I serve?” or “Who is in front of me right now?” can help our hearts and minds stay focused on what counts.
Although the summer months may feel disconnected from regularly scheduled programming, do not despair! The Lord is intentional with us, so we must be intentional with him. Jesus knows what season of life you’re in and what you’re able to give; He always multiplies what we give Him. If you are able to give 5 minutes, He accepts it with love. Just like my long-distance friendship, those five minutes every day mean the world to me. The random meme that made her think of me makes me feel loved, and every time we make the time to chat on the phone, it means so much more. Jesus takes our five minutes, and He looks forward to our phone calls. How are you going to spend your five minutes or your monthly phone calls with Him wherever you may be this summer?
Marrick currently works as the Youth Ministry Coordinator at Christ the King Parish in Regina. She spent two years serving with NET Ministries (one year in PEI, Canada and one year in Cork, Ireland), and misses being close to the ocean. When she’s not planning youth group, in the schools doing classroom visits, or running retreats, you can probably find her at a local coffee shop or at home working on her calligraphy technique.
