Adoration. Time to rest and recharge.

I’m Martha.  To the core.  Last Sunday’s reading reminded me to step back and work toward Mary’s take on life.  I get so caught up in what needs to be done:  the feeding, the cleaning, the laundry.  I don’t stop.  It’s time to stop.  Step back.  Take that deep breath.  Our pastor’s bulletin message on Sunday was so right on target with Martha and Mary and how busy our lives are.  That busy-ness leaves us all leaning toward living like Martha with no time to try Mary’s approach.  No wonder we are so tired.  We don’t stop.  We don’t seek.  We don’t rest.  Let’s rest.

Excerpts from our pastor’s bulletin message last week:

Rest is not just good for the soul. It is also good for the body. In our Christian tradition we
believe that the body is something of value. Genuine spirituality is concerned with the care of the
body as well as the soul. Rest is one way that we can accomplish this.
Medical science has demonstrated that the effects of rest are significant, indicating the great
role that rest can play in our physical and emotional well-being. Lack of rest and relaxation is
associated with inattentiveness, inability to concentrate, impulsivity, moodiness, learning difficulties
and health problems. On the other hand, rest, quiet time, and meditation have been shown to have
positive effects on the body. If you must have your blood pressure checked, take a couple deep
breaths first, think of a special place in the mountains or at the beach. Imagine yourself in the arms
of the Lord. These kinds of meditation may help you stay off blood pressure medication and
anti-stress pills.
St. Thomas Aquinas is known of the saint of moderation. He taught that all things in moderation can be good. A little wine, a little food, a bit of time of laughter, etc. are all needed in life. Only
when one or more of these things get out of balance is there sin. I hope that this summer provides
you an opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, maybe an outing to the beach or a taking in
a ballgame. But, may it also be a time to reorder priorities so that the important things don’t get
forgotten.