Gotta Get Away!

Thankfully I am going on a vacation soon…it will be with family so I’m sure it will probably be busy as well as fun. But hopefully I will be able to relax a little and enjoy some much needed time away from the daily grind. I have been so caught up in work that I’ve spent little time with my husband, myself or God lately…and I think the saying is true that “all work and no play make Jack a dull boy” (and Michele a dull girl!). While that saying may be best known from coming from Jack Nicholson in the movie “The Shining” based on the Stephen King novel, it actually is considered a proverb, (or according to the dictionary, a saying popularly known and repeated that expresses a truth based on common sense or experience.) In this case we all know that it’s true that when we work too hard for too long we become bored or boring and worse yet, tired, grouchy and frustrated – in short, not our best selves!

In fact, the Bible has several references to God wanting us to rest, from his commandment in Exodus to observe the Sabbath (based on His example of resting the seventh day after creating the world) to Jesus’ teachings reflected by his own actions in the Gospels. In yesterday’s Mass reading, Jesus went on a mini-retreat with his disciples: “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. ” (Mark 6: 30-34)

We all need a break from being over-worked and overwhelmed so we don’t get burned up and burned out…a vacation, a retreat, a sabbatical, a rest. Whether you are lucky enough to get away on an island vacation or visit the beach, or just take a hike or sit outside somewhere and have a cup of coffee or gaze at the stars, everyone needs a change in scenery, or at least to take a break from doing what’s routine. God thought it was important enough for us that He Himself took a break…and we all know His workload was far heavier than ours! “People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” (from same passage) It doesn’t sound like Jesus or the disciples got too much of a break…but at least they did get away if only for awhile…enough to regroup and go back out and continue their ministry of healing, giving, teaching, loving…as we are all called to do.

Today let’s pray that we do what is needed to rest and regroup, if only for a short while, so that we can go back out and do the work God calls us to do, to serve Him and others.

p.s. My blog will be on vacation next week too! 🙂 Thanks for understanding!