Rest is so important, so sacred that it is one of the first practices God recommends to us. The capacity to rest and to enjoy life go closely together and they are linked with the ability to worship God. To sleep, to snooze, to stop and enjoy watching the kids play, just to watch the world go by, these are all important ways of becoming happy.
Strangely enough part of our ability to rest comes with the ability to appreciate our work. No matter how humble our work is, it is only demeaning if we take the attitude that it is. Even if we don’t like our work, that doesn’t mean that we can’t try to do a good job and then appreciate that. When we have done that then we can truly stop and rest. My grandfather’s last job was as a cleaner but he took great pride in his work and was one of the most contented people I knew - and that contentment made him a very attractive person. At his funeral there were so many friends of all ages who said he was so good to them. His goodness consisted in the ability to stop and be, to rest with people and show interest in them.
Heavenly Father, Jesus called us to rest in his love just as he rested in your Love. Send us your Spirit so that we may let go of the cares that distress our hearts and minds. May we share your peace and love with each other. We ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear us.
Sr Kym Harris osb
