I am way too busy…I have no time…I am up to my neck in everything…and the busy time of year hasn’t even begun. Deep breathe and pray. We have all experienced a day or week (month or year) like this in our life and during this time we can feel like the proverbial hamster on the wheel. A couple of Fridays ago, I commented to a parent waiting pickup their children “Aren’t you glad it’s the weekend.” I was met with an almost audible groan and slumped shoulders and this parent listed the litany of activities and things that needed to be done between 3:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon and 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning. Listening to the grand list made me groan.
Our faith tradition invites us over and over again to take pauses in life: a few minutes, a few hours, a few days and every once in a while a few months to reflect, rest and renew the eyes of our heart to see the wonder of God’s blessing that surrounds us in our lives. It is funny what we are willing to sacrifice to our busyness—we begin with sacrificing prayer and connection with God, we follow by sacrificing time with family and friends, we offer on the altar of sacrifice our time in exercise and healthy eating and we then end up burnt out, crabby and empty of life with the wonderful excuse of “I was too busy.” Yet, we know from experience, when we do pray, spend time with family, eat and exercise and the other activities that rejuvenate the body, mind and soul we seem to “have” enough time for all those busy things in our life.
How do we circle around to remember to pause and take time in our lives especially in our busyness and our routine forgetfulness of the need for pausing? The answer is very simple and believe it or not the answer is very natural…find a friend who will hold us accountable. Yes, it is the advice that every diet program gives, every exercise program, every relationship program and even every spiritual direction program offers and it is not new. “After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit.“ (Lk 10:1) God understands the need for community, companionship and support.
As a Catholic priest, I too seek out the spiritual direction in my life, taking time on a monthly basis to pause and talk about the health of my spiritual life as well as the many other aspects of ministry that cause me anxiety and worry. After years of pooh pooh-ing the idea, I now have a good friend who checks in with me weekly and to ask about my exercise time. Still working on the diet thing… because it is one small step at a time. The point is, when we choose to pause and do the work and actions that feed the body, mind and soul we are happier and healthier in our call to serve God and neighbor.
It is the joy of finding and discovering the generosity of time given. When we take time to pause, each short moment and each hour brings a fuller knowledge and understanding of how we are called to serve God through our brothers and sisters utilizing the talents God gives to me and to each of in the call to serve.
It has been one of those weeks…but…when I have taken the moment of pause, the breathe of pause and the prayer of pause, my Heavenly Father has been present, inviting and offering to me and to us all the joy of peace that is only found in Jesus Christ.
God Bless,
Fr. Mark