Jesus said 'Lighten Up': Matthew 11: 28-30

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:31:42 -0500

“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The economy may be limping along but most of us are running like mad just to stay in place. If our hours and pay haven’t been cut, and we’re lucky enough to still have a job, we’re probably working over time to handle the workload left by those who were laid off. Our 401(k)s have become 201(k)s and our vacations have become “staycations.”

We’re so beset with problems that one study showed the average two-income couple spends just 12 minutes a day talking to each other. And that was before the economy went on sick leave.

Even in good times, Americans work far harder than our peers in Western Europe - - they get an average of five to six weeks vacation time versus two weeks for those of us who get any paid vacation.

It’s against this backdrop that we read in today’s Gospel that Jesus wants us to lighten up. He wants to do the heavy lifting for us.

The Bible tells us that we need leisure time to achieve proper balance in our lives. God Himself rested on the seventh day and commanded us to set aside the Sabbath for holy leisure. He did so for our benefit. Long, leisurely Sunday afternoons surrounded by family and friends and time spent in church reflecting on the goodness of the Lord, are of great value precisely because they are so counter-cultural. They are opportunities to step off the treadmill and make sure all our hard work is in keeping with God's plan for our life.

The practice of holy leisure, “Otium Sanctum,” is a spiritual discipline in which we relax our grip on the things of this world in order to free ourselves from the galling yoke of materialism. It is not merely our bodies that need rest. Our souls do, too.

Finding Inner Peace John 14: 1-12

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:21:27 -0500

“Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me.”

If you're looking for trouble, you won't have far to go. Just glance at your checkbook, step on your bathroom scale, open your liquor cabinet or look in the medicine chest. You'll see troubles a plenty.

The trouble with trouble is that there is an inexhaustible supply. You can always find something new to stress you out. Just when you think your troubles are behind you, life presents you with another mess.

In today's Gospel, the disciples had begun to worry and fret as the time drew near for Jesus to leave them. Jesus sensed their mounting fear and tried to assure them that He would not abandon them in their time of trial.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you,” He said, “I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Jesus promised His disciples that He would stand by them. He makes the same commitment to His followers today.

When troubles threaten us, one of the ways our bodies react is by narrowing our focal plane. Our eyes and minds fixate on the problem to the exclusion of everything else. We lose our peripheral vision and the ability to see our way around the problem. The trouble looms large in our consciousness, like a dark cloud blocking overshadowing everything else. In this state of mind, we can actually worry ourselves sick.

But every problem comes with an expiration date. That's the day when we open our eyes, look about us and recognize that Jesus has come back for us. The risen Savior is standing by our side, ready to calm our troubled hearts.

Inner Peace and Serenity

Jesus said 'Lighten Up': Matthew 11: 28-30

Finding Inner Peace John 14: 1-12