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Typically when we take a break from our work for vacation with friends and family, we make sure that there is ample time for rest.
Some of us might bring a novel or short book to read while on the beach, which can be a great way to unwind.
One option that we may not have thought of is to bring a biography of a saint along with us on vacation.
Vacation with the saints
Pope Benedict XVI recommended reading the lives of the saints while on vacation during a general audience in 2008:
The holiday period is without a doubt a practical time for taking up the biography and writings of a particular saint but every day of the year affords us an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with our heavenly Patrons.
He went on to explain why it is helpful for us to immerse ourselves into the life of a particular saint:
Their human and spiritual experience shows that holiness is not a luxury, it is not a privilege for the few, an impossible goal for an ordinary person; it is actually the common destiny of all men called to be children of God, the universal vocation of all the baptized. Holiness is offered to all; naturally, not all the Saints are equal: in fact, as I said, they are the spectrum of divine light.
However, sometimes we can think that saints are impossible to imitate and that we are not called to sanctity. Their lives are intimidating and we might even become depressed because of how far we are from their example.
Pope Benedict XVI urges us not to let their lives to discourage us, but to remember that we are all called to holiness in a unique way:
Moreover, a saint who possesses extraordinary charisms is not necessarily a great saint. Indeed, there are a great many whose names are known only to God, because on earth they led an apparently perfectly normal life. And precisely these “normal” saints are those habitually desired by God. Their example testifies that only when we are in touch with the Lord can we be filled with his peace and his joy and be able to spread serenity, hope and optimism everywhere.
As we consider what to bring with us on vacation, may we consider bringing along a biography of a saint to inspire us on the path of virtue.
And today we celebrate...