Editorial of Father Federico Lombardi, SJ Director, Vatican Television Centre &
Vatican Radio
Some vacation suggestions.
Over the
past three Sundays, when greeting French pilgrims, Pope Benedict XVI has made several
brief but important suggestions about how to spend our summer vacation. First of all,
he invited those of us who can, to use our vacation time in a way that helps renew
our relationships with others and with God. Interrupting the hectic and frantic pace
of daily life, we can take time to dedicate ourselves to others and to God. The Pope
even suggested we include a copy of the Sacred Scriptures in our suitcase. He also
invited us to contemplate the greatness, and admire the beauty, of creation around
us, recognizing in it the wonderful presence of the Creator. We need to observe
this magnificent gift, he said, with the same attention Jesus did. He knew how to
interpret the language and signs of Creation, which is a gift we must respect, protect
and care for, in the name of God, humanity and future generations. Finally, Pope
Benedict suggested that pilgrims and travellers apply their intelligence and curiosity
to discovering the monuments of the past – witnesses of culture and faith, as he called
them, examples of our spiritual roots and heritage. Cathedral and abbeys, in particular,
are places where beauty helps us feel the presence of God and inspires us to pray
for the rest of humanity, on its pilgrimage through the Third Millennium. The
enjoyment of friendship, reading, nature and culture helps to nourish and restore
our spirit. It gives us the strength to continue our journey refreshed and renewed.