The Highway to Holiness: All Work? No Way!
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
Not only might it make Jack dull: it might cripple his attempts to be happy, healthy,
even holy.
Make no mistake. Growing in holiness - making real in our own lived the love of the God in whose
image and likeness we are created - is serious business. It requires hard work; it requires
discipline; it requires self-examination; it requires commitment.
As Francis de Sales would say, it requires devotion.
But Salesian spirituality also recognizes the value of relaxation, of taking 'time out,' of
'catching your breath,' of making time for play. In fact, relaxation is not only valuable: it is
necessary!
Francis de Sales claims: "It is actually a defect to be so strict, austere and unsociable that one
neither permits oneself nor others any recreation time."
The Introduction to the Devout Life (1609) contains ample evidence of the "Gentleman Saint's"
appreciation of the important role that recreation plays in the pursuit of a fully human,
God-centered life. He says: "From time to time we must recreate in mind and body."
He continues: "To take the air, to go for a walk, to enjoy a friendly chat, to play music, or sing or
hunt...are such honest diversions that the only thing needed to utilize them well is simple prudence,
which gives to all things their rank, time, place and measure."
Salesian spirituality recognizes the need for balance. Too much work, too much 'productivity' is
counterproductive. Our minds, says Francis, "must not always be kept on the stretch." De Sales tells
us that "salt and sugar are both excellent things, but too much of either spoils the dish."
We frequently overdo work; we sometimes overdo fun. Ironically, some of the things that we do to
relax simply add to our stress. Francis claims: "If you spend too much time on games they are no
longer recreations but occupations." Again, remember that "salt and sugar are both excellent things,
but much of either spoils the dish."
Our Lord Jesus Christ spent virtually all of his public ministry meeting the needs of others:
healing, teaching, feeding, challenging, forgiving.....in short, working. But the Gospels that
document Christ's work ethic also clearly document those times when he withdrew from his activities
to rest, to renew, to rededicate himself to doing the Will of God.
Ask yourself: in the midst of your daily responsibilities, do you find ways to strike the balance
between work and recreation? In the midst of your busy life, how much time do you actually take each
year, each week, each day to deal with tension, to address your stress, to prevent burnout? How
faithful are you to refreshing your body, your mind, your heart, your soul?
As you travel along the highway of life, remember to pull over every now and then. Use the rest
stop; check out the scenic overlooks. It will not only help your reach your destination in one
piece, but it will allow you to actually enjoy the trip!
|
