Here’s an interesting expression: “A hole in my soul.” The musical group Aerosmith had a song with that title. Some of you may remember some of the words or perhaps you don’t because they are quite forgettable. Here are some: “There’s a Hole In My Soul. That’s been killing me forever, It’s a place where a garden never grows,…” and it goes from there. Many other pop musicians have songs and albums with that expression. Google this expression and see what you get.

Nevertheless, this interesting phrase connotes a real spiritual meaning. A hole in my soul expresses a lack of something in my spiritual life. Materially, one’s life may be replete with nothing missing, but deep down something more is needed. There is a hole in one’s soul.

Today’s Gospel describes a situation in which Jesus and his disciples are trying to get away to relax and regroup, but people kept coming because they wanted to hear Jesus speak. Jesus describes them as sheep without a shepherd. In today’s lingo, they were people with a hole in their souls. Spiritual hunger expresses that same reality.

Some people will go to great lengths to fill the holes in their souls, to satisfy their spiritual hunger. Those holes become more evident to us at special moments in our lives. For example, extreme civil unrest that we witness in our country may make us wonder what is really going on. In fact, these kinds of events can punch spiritual holes in our souls.

Many make false attempts at filling the holes in their souls. The obvious false attempts are forays into drugs and alcohol or unbridled denial. Others are a bit more disciplined and try to fill their spiritual cravings with contemporary forms of what is called spirituality but are really attempts at finding fulfillment in humans rather than looking for God, the source of all spirituality.

In today’s gospel, Jesus invites his disciples to go on a staycation, to go off with him and get spiritually replenished and refreshed at the true source of spirituality. All of us can use a good spiritual staycation every now and then. The examples of extreme unrest in our country can remind us of the fragility of life. The ever-increasing assaults on the value of Christianity may weaken our resolve. We cannot let that fragility, or those attacks overtake the spiritual core of our lives. A spiritual staycation gives us the opportunity to replenish the spirit so that God can reinforce and strengthen the reality of our lives.

The summer is a time to slow down a bit. Perhaps you can use the leisure of summer to go on a spiritual staycation and spend some time with God in prayer. Prayer is about God. A simple, but profound, approach to prayer comes from God himself. God said simply: “Be still and know that I am God.” There is a lot going on in that simple command.

So, if you feel like a sheep without a shepherd, if you are confused by so much going on in your lives, if you believe that God has left your life, then, it’s time for a staycation and reflection on those words: “Be still and know that I am God.” Let this celebration be a mini staycation in your relationship with God. Remember the words of our responsorial psalm: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. We use those words at a funeral. Let’s make sure that we also use them as we live each day that God gives us: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”