Finding Sanctuary

Written by Christen Aquino

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” // Matthew 11: 28

I don’t know about you, but these words resonate within my heart.  In the fast-paced world we live in, my soul desires to find a deep, fulfilling, abiding rest.  Too often though, this idea feels like wishful thinking since there are a million things to get done, trips to be traveled, assignments due, meetings to be had, events to be run, and more; and it seems like the time to get it all done in is getting less and less.  Perhaps this is why Jesus’ words are more important today than ever before: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”  He knows just how whirlwind our lives are, and He is offering us a solution: that we would come to Him for an abiding peace and rest that only He can give.   
 
In my years of experience, youth ministry summers look like the total opposite of rest.  For example, this summer included two conferences, a mission trip, one weeklong camp hosted at Our Lady of Light and two weeklong camps hosted by LifeTeen in Georgia.
 
And yet, during all these conferences and camps, I often find more rest than I do during the rest of the year, because every day is centered around being with Jesus.  Daily Mass, praise and worship, adoration, opportunities for confession, talks and messages focused on growing in the spiritual life, small group conversation, and prayer.  All the chaos of life is stripped away, and I am able to focus on Jesus, present in the Sacraments, the Word, and in the community made up of our teens, our core team, and other ministers.
 
This summer Life Teen introduced our theme for the year: SANCTUARY.  While we’ve looked at this word and its meaning from various angles, the one that continues to most resonate with me, and our teens, is the idea of rest – rest from the world, from anxieties, from social media, from the demands we place on ourselves, etc.  The Eucharistic Jesus resides in the Tabernacle in the Sanctuary of our Churches and He dwells in the inner sanctuary of our hearts, if only we take the time to seek Him out and put Him first. 
 
I will always have a million excuses, but every day Jesus extends the invitation to come to Him so that He can give me the rest that He alone can give.  The question is, will I take the time to do so?
 
Challenge: Start small.  Set aside 5 minutes a day to encounter Jesus in the inner sanctuary of your heart.  Find a quiet place you will pray every day.  Read a passage from Scripture, listen to a worship song, or reading a writing from a saint and reflect on the words, asking Jesus how you can internalize them and make them present in your life.  The Hallow App has a great guided 5 minute meditation on Scripture or you can use the Sanctuary 30-Day Challenge.