Catholic Mission In Canada

With summer here, we look forward to a little rest and relaxation. While our “daysof rest” find their roots in God’s example of taking time off after the great work of creation, they also mark Israel’s liberation from bondage in Egypt, and remind us that we, too, are no longer slaves. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states boldly that the Sabbath is “a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money” (no. 2172). Observing the Sabbath gives us the chance to nurture our families and cultures, our social and religious lives (no. 2184). 

Pope Benedict XVI encourages Christians to take extended “sabbaticals” (from “Sabbath”) or vacations. He recalls St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s insight that excessive activity in every kind of occupation (even “church work”) often leads to “hardness of heart” (Angelus prayer,

August 20, 2006, and July 17, 2005). Vacationing helps us find the right balance between interior renewal and work. We regain our physical and spiritual wholeness, and see goodness and divine providence in the world. We rediscover that we are creatures uniquely capable of, and open to, God. Our spirits are lifted, and we praise and thank God more readily. 

Pope John Paul II, noting Jesus’ invitation to “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while” (Mk 6: 31), thought particularly of families, who often endured a grinding pace, especially in big cities (Angelus prayer, August 1, 1999, and July 23, 2000). Both popes expressed concern for those in greatest need of refreshing themselves who, for one reason or another, would be unable to have relief (Angelus prayer, July 8, 2007). 

This summer, then, get the most out of your vacation, by thinking of it as a sacred duty befitting a beloved child of God.

Antal and Christine are a married couple. They are co-founders and codirectors of STEP—The Science of Theology Engineered Professionally—a theological consulting company.