HOMILY FOR SATURDAY: 4TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY FOR SATURDAY: 4TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
THEME: STRESS
BY: FR. KARABARI PAUL
‘Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.’
Jesus was able to handle stress because He knew the importance of rest. In the Gospel of today (Mark 6:30-34), He could see that so much was happening that the disciples didn’t even have the time to stop and eat something. So “he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a alonely, and rest a while.”’ So Jesus and the disciples got on a boat and went to a solitary place.
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Sometimes, we can think it is unspiritual to take time off, especially if it means saying ‘no’ to some great opportunities to serve others. But, as this story shows, God knows when we need to take a break and slow down. Rest is so important that God included it in the Ten Commandments. God instructed us to have a Sabbath, a day of rest, because He knows that as humans, we need regular breaks to rest and restore our physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. If we burn out because we have overworked, said ‘yes’ to too many things, or not given our minds a time to switch off properly, we are going to limit our usefulness in our relationships, and in our workplaces. We need to be regularly setting aside time for rest and recreation.
In this part of the world, we spend every month of the year working so hard and saving money. And when we are ill because we have failed to take a break, we spend the money we have saved in a year treating ourselves. God desires that we work. But He also cares about our health and vitality. The word ‘recreation’ means ‘restore, refresh, or create anew’. When we take time out to do the things we enjoy, we feel refreshed and restored to do the things we have to do. Paul tells us that God has richly provided ‘everything for our enjoyment’ (1 Timothy 6:17). So let us make sure we are taking time out to enjoy the things God has provided for us, rather than pushing ourselves to the limit and becoming stressed. However, taking a break is not a call for laziness. It comes after working. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. God bless you and your household always through Christ Our Lord Amen. You have the assurance of my prayers. Good morning.
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