Rest

Dear Friends in Christ,

I spent the last two weeks on vacation. The time away with my family has been restful and renewing. It also made me realize that rest is, for me—and I suspect for most of us—a neglected virtue. That’s right, a virtue.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this idea, that rest is a virtue, sounds a bit wrong. Culturally, we are taught that it isn’t rest that’s to be commended but busyness. We are formed to believe that frenetic activity, working ourselves to the bone, doing without sleep and other necessities of life is what proves we’re worth something in this world. But that’s a lie. Hard work is good and holy, but busyness is not. Busyness is an idol. And it’s actually the rhythms of rest and renewal that empower us for good and holy work.

But rhythms of rest aren’t just functional, a way to recharge our batteries for the good stuff God is calling us to do. They are also necessary if we are to come to believe a fundamental truth of existence—that God is God and we are not. Resting teaches us that it is God who is of ultimate importance, and we exist as those who live not on our own ability, success, or net worth, but in the abundance of God’s goodness and grace.

And all of that sounds great. Who doesn’t like the idea of rest. But for most of us, rest doesn’t come naturally. It is actually a discipline we have to learn. The Book of Common Prayer has a beautiful collect for Saturdays that speaks to this reality: Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)

We rest to prepare for eternal rest. Which should startle us a little, because it means that if we don’t learn rest here and now we are missing out on preparing for the eternal rest God has promised. So learn to rest and learn to rest well.

The bad news is that this means we can’t wait until the next weekend, the next vacation, the next sabbatical, or the next time everything is perfect and peaceful in life to get on with it. Instead we have to learn to recognize the invitation God has given to us in our daily life, our weekly patterns, our personal and familial rhythms to embrace the times of rest on offer. To give thanks for the profound truth that God is God and we are not.

God bless,

Fr. Quinn Parman+

Photo by Studio Dekorasyon on Unsplash