Do we take full advantage of our rest time? When we look forward to vacations or Sundays, we usually focus primarily on physical rest and entertainment. That’s fine, but what about our spiritual well-being? Does an hour in church on Sunday adequately address our need for spiritual renewal – particularly as it relates to our work life? Not too long ago I visited a workshop called Careers through Faith at St. Andrew Parish in Saline. This workshop is meant to help people who are struggling with their careers. Some may have lost their jobs. Others are burned out and unhappy in their current positions. While the workshop helps them with basic skills for job hunting, its primary purpose is to help the participants understand their skills and talents so that they can choose a career path that best reflects the purpose God has in store for them. It was a powerful experience to witness the participants developing a sense of purpose and confidence. But, it also caused me to wonder why we typically wait for a crisis in our lives before we turn to God for help. A key purpose in honoring the Sabbath is to proactively refresh our spirits and ask God for direction.

The following are five ways in which we can focus our energy to take advantage of the Sabbath:

1 Worship. Attend Mass in order to refocus our lives and to be strengthened to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord” throughout the week.

2 Reflect on the purpose of our work. Are we truly pursuing what God is calling us to do?

3 Search for balance. Are we striking the right balance between our work life and family life? Do we have different moral standards for how we treat people at work compared to how we treat people in our personal lives?

4 Service. Are there ways in which we can serve others on the Sabbath as well as at work everyday?

5  Family and friends. Spend time with family and friends. Forget about work for a while.

By focusing on these things we can better establish the balance that God desires for our lives. The Catechism teaches, “The Lord’s day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social and religious lives.” (2184) This commandment, like the rest, isn’t imposed upon us, as just one of the requirements to get us into heaven. It is for our own good and sense of peace in this life. The Sabbath was made for us; we were not made for the Sabbath. (cf. Mark 2:27)

For more information on Careers through Faith, contact me at my e-mail address above.