This playlist is filled with ideas to help you slow down, celebrate, and just be with God during these summer months.
This summer we are embracing the idea of Sabbath time -- time apart from our everyday responsibilities and routines, given to God.
Time to rest. Time to rejoice. Time to refresh.
May the offerings below help you move deeper into prayer, rest, rejuvenation, and relationship this summer.
(You can find more Prayer Playlists for adults HERE.)
Why not take a deep dive into praying the Psalms this summer?
There are 150 Psalms altogether, so you could pray through all of them in a few months by reading a few a day.
Here are some Psalms that are especially meaningful for summer prayer:
And here are some more Scripture passages for summer reflection as you rest in God:
Here are some blog posts with great ideas on how to embrace summer spirituality:
The Summer Day, a reflection on Mary Oliver's poem by the SALT Project.
Honoring the Sabbath, Honoring Creation
Keeping God Close in Summertime
Four Ways to Recreate This Summer
From Franciscan Media:
Tips for Savoring Life's Precious Moments
Here's what the Bible Project has to say about the Scriptural idea of Sabbath.
Father Mike Schmitz talks about the difference between striving and abiding: Are You Busy Doing the Right Things?
From Ascension Presents: We've All Forgotten How to Celebrate.
Our Transfiguration Parish Staff takes you through our favorite Prayer Styles in this video series on our YouTube page.
Michael W. Smith, Breathe
Needtobreathe, Testify
Audrey Assad, New Every Morning
Audrey Assad, Show Me
Matt Maher, Alive and Breathing
Steve Angrisano, Table of Life
Steve Angrisano, My Soul Is Thirsting
Steve Angrisano, A Rightful Place
Kari Jobe, Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)
Brian Doerksen, Enter the Rest of God
Here are some things to reflect on during your prayer time. They can also serve as journal prompts.
- How can you open yourself to receive the graces and gifts that God wants to shower on you?
- Take a moment to write down the gifts God has given you in a spirit of gratitude.
- How do you experience Sabbath time? In other words, time that is separate from your normal busy routine -- time not to work, but to pray and rest.
- What helps you feel at peace, rested, and in the presence of God?
- What's one prayer style you'd like to experiment with this summer?
- How you do experience a feeling of abiding with God, just being with God, with no need to do anything special?
- What's one ritual you could add to your summer routine to help you grow in your spiritual life and relationship with God?
Here's a 10-minute audio meditation on self-awareness from God In All Things: Who Am I?
Summer is a great time to embrace the Ignation Examen prayer to reflect on your day (or a longer period of time).
You might like to try one of these versions:
10-minute audio from God In All Things: Taken, Blesed, Broken, Given Examen
18-minute visual Prayer of Examen from Fuller Studios
Here's a one-minute reflection: Reflecting on This Summer Day.
Three-minute retreats from Loyola Press:
Download this Find Your Slow Summer guide from SALT Project, full of suggestions for making the most of summer spirituality.
Click HERE for the digital verson.
Click HERE for the printable version.
Take your pick of ideas to mindfully mark these summer months:
Ten Tips for an Ignatian Summer
How You Can Have an Ignatian Summer
Just for fun, check out these 10 Hilarious Catholic Jokes from Father Casey at Breaking in the Habit (fair warning: these are MOSTLY PG!).
Spend an hour with Drawn Into Friendship: An Interactive Art Retreat from the Jesuits.
God In All Things is offering an Ignation Prayer Deep Dive live 3-week course twice this summer via Zoom.
Pray As You Go has a series of 25-minute audio meditations on creation and nature: The Earth Sessions.
Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House has a great selection of recorded retreats available for purchase, including:
Called and Chosen (featuring Fr. James Martin, SJ and actor Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the series The Chosen)
Saying "No" to Give a Deeper "Yes"
The Whole Language (with Fr. Greg Boyle from Homeboy Industries)
(You can find more Prayer Playlists for adults HERE.)