Enjoy your Sabbath

We live in a 24-hour society. Because we no longer depend upon the natural order of day and night, it can be a bit overwhelming just trying to remain focused on God. Before we realize it, another hour has gone by, and we have not finished the important project for work. We’ve been scrolling through the newsfeed on our phones clicking random links only to find out it was another case of clickbait. Hour by hour and day by day, we feel fortunate just to catch our breath.

For many, it is only after years of living in this way that we fully appreciate what has been lost. We catch a glimpse of our children, now grown with priorities of their own, and wonder, “Was it worth it?” It was not, but we can’t rewrite history, so we just keep plugging along. It can be discouraging to say the least, but it is never too late.

Today is Saturday, the Sabbath, a day of rest which most totally ignore. Oh sure, we may not go to the office if we work a traditional 9-5/M-F sort of job, but we don’t take the day to refresh ourselves. Even our weekend activities exhaust us, especially if we are parents with children in sports, constantly moving from one practice to another. The Sabbath is overly needed and yet overly ignored.

God knew long before scientists that the human body and mind needed time to refresh. We need time to contemplate our lives before it is too late, and we awake to find our children grown and out of the house without a notice from us. Take time today to sit for a while without a single thought of work or unfinished projects. Listen to the birds and other sounds of nature. Take a deep breath and close your eyes and ask God to speak to you.

We need quiet moments where God can speak to our hearts, without all the other sounds of 24-hour life drowning out His voice. Today can be that day if you allow it to be. Tomorrow is another day, and lucky for you it is Sunday. You can plan to be in Divine Liturgy and be rejuvenated by God in His House when you receive Holy Communion.