By Deacon Roger Carr-Jones, Marriage and Family Life Coordinator
At this precise moment, which form of rest do we most desire this summer: physical, social, emotional, spiritual, or creative? Do we find it easy to move away from ‘doing’ so that we can rediscover ‘being’ through the gift that a holiday, in whatever form, takes?
We might find these words of Pope Leo helpful in discerning the purpose of a holiday, “Summer can be a providential time to experience the beauty and importance of our relationship with God and how much it can help us to be more open and welcoming to others’ .
The Bible speaks very highly of rest and relaxation, which are two qualities that seem in short supply in the modern world. Politicians, who enjoy a long summer recess, imply that if we are not working then we are of less value, whereas, as God knows, rested minds and souls work better.
In Genesis, it says, “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” God did not decide to go on a vacation; it was simply that he stopped creating. Instead of God “doing” more, He “ceased” from doing. God is a Divine Being from which the doing stems!
So, are we good at taking a holiday from ‘doing’, so that we can experience life as ‘being’, or is this something we fear? As Christians, we need to rest in God at times, including on our holiday, so that we emerge more relaxed about life, expectations and the future. We do not need to earn rest; instead, we need to savour its many flavours.
For some, accepting and inhabiting the word ‘holiday’ can conjure up a variety of emotions. How often do our thoughts of rest and relaxation get lost in sea-storm of other anxieties and stresses? Do we fall into the temptation to cram in too many things? God knows of our need for mental, physical and emotional rest, qualities that should lie at the heart of being on holiday. If so, we emerge happier and better able to discern our onward journey.
As a parent, I always wanted to be doing things, so much so that in the end everyone got tired and exhausted. Even now, I find it extremely difficult to simply sit back and relax when we go away as a couple. That move from doing to simply being for me is something of a struggle, as I fear giving myself permission to rest.
Rest though can be the most elusive aspect of a holiday as our secular world sees our value stemming from work and busyness. Busier is not always better. Instead, rest is not a luxury; it is a necessity in our lives. It might be worth reflecting, as the holidays approach, whether our planning allows enough time to simply rest and be!
What, then, does being on holiday mean for you? Is it a break from the daily routines to live differently, or does it become a time of increased ‘doing’?
Perhaps much depends on our personality, or the stage we are at in life. We have a friend in our weekly prayer group who likes to remind us that God made us human beings, not human doings!
When we accept that we can rest and relax then we begin to notice the ways in which we are more receptive and open to recognising God in others, not least in those whom we have been given to love.