From the Desk of Deacon Joe Rafferty: A Summer Message

Summer: A Season to Grow in Holiness

Summer is a wonderful gift from God. It provides us with an opportunity to step away from our normal routines, responsibilities, and busy schedules. Vacations and moments of rest allow us to unplug from the constant demands of daily life and create space for something we often neglect—the care of our spiritual lives.

Just as our bodies need rest and renewal, so do our hearts, minds, and souls. The quieter pace of summer offers us an invitation to deepen our relationship with God and to become more aware of His presence in our lives. Holiness is not something reserved for a select few; it is the universal call of every Christian. It begins by opening ourselves to God's transforming grace.

The spiritual writer Thomas Merton understood holiness not as achieving an impossible standard of perfection, but as discovering our true selves in God. He believed that holiness is found in receiving God's grace, living with simplicity, and allowing ourselves to be transformed by His love.

Merton reminds us:

"Human nature is not evil. All pleasure is not wrong. All spontaneous desires are not selfish. The doctrine of original sin does not mean that human nature has been completely corrupted and that man's freedom is always inclined to sin. Man is neither a devil nor an angel. He is not a pure spirit, but a being of flesh and spirit, subject to error and malice, but basically inclined to seek truth and goodness. He is, indeed, a sinner: but his heart responds to love and grace. It also responds to the goodness and to the need of his fellow man."

— Thomas Merton, Life and Holiness

Merton's words remind us that although we are imperfect and struggle with sin, our hearts are created for God. We are capable of responding to His grace, His mercy, and His love. When we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, God begins to transform us from within.

The early Christians used the Greek word metanoia, meaning a profound conversion—a change of heart, mind, and soul. It is more than simply changing our behavior; it is allowing God to reshape the way we think, love, and live. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we become new creations in Christ.

Perhaps this summer, God is inviting each of us to experience our own metanoia. In the quiet moments of a vacation, while sitting on a porch, walking along the beach, praying in church, or simply enjoying the beauty of creation, listen for the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. Allow God to soften your heart, renew your mind, and strengthen your soul.

Holiness is not found in doing extraordinary things. It is found in opening ourselves each day to the extraordinary love of God. May this summer become a season of grace—a time when we allow God's mercy to transform us more deeply into the people He created us to be.

"Be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16)

May God bless you and your family with a safe, restful, and grace-filled summer.

Deacon Joseph G. Rafferty, Sr.

Principal

St. Charles Borromeo School

"Be who you are and be that well, in order to give honor to the Master Craftsman whose

handiwork you are."

— St. Francis de Sales