“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy . . .” So goes the opening aria in George Gershwin’s 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. Summer is upon us now and easy it is—or is supposed to be! School is out; vacation time beckons. It is the season to put aside, as much as possible, the tensions and weariness of a busy year. To get out to the seashore or the mountains and lakes, or wherever you can find peace and tranquility and enjoy some sunshine and relaxation. Recreation means re-creating our lives in goodness and joy. A change of scenery is good for us and allows us to take stock of how we are living our lives.

Livin’ easy, though, is not synonymous with doing nothing. Refreshment and renewal are the fruit of engaging in important activities that our many ordinary commitments may preclude. Life’s obligations can be overwhelming at times, so it is good to have this time to spend with family and friends, to catch up on reading, to exercise, travel, and enjoy cultural opportunities that expand our horizons and make us appreciate how many good things God has given to the world.

Let’s not forget to use the summertime lull to renew our spiritual energies as well, by turning to God with greater devotion and fidelity. Prayer is both demanding and refreshing. Taking time to be with God and seek his inspiration helps us to reset our lives. Summertime travels are an opportunity to visit churches, shrines, monasteries, and pilgrimage sites. God has blessed various places that serve as holy sites where we can take stock and re-focus our attention on what is most important, namely our relationship with God.

Benedictine monks spend a significant part of their day in the chapel in prayer. They are praying for the whole Church, and for all mankind. They also dedicate hours each day to manual and intellectual labor. And they go on a day-long hike once a month. Taking in the beauty of God’s creation in the company of one’s brothers in Christ is a formula for spiritual growth and peace of soul.

Reading, too, is a great way to renew our love for God by deepening our knowledge and learning about new things. I wholeheartedly recommend the recently published Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, which has fantastic footnotes and explanatory essays. Biographies of the saints are also a wonderful way to learn about how God works in the lives of those who say yes to him.

This summer let’s use our vacation time to re-center our lives on God and to re-commit to strengthening our relationships with others. Living with God is livin’ easy.