In order to grow towards wholeness,
accepting our brokenness
and gradually becoming more compassionate,
we need the power of the Spirit.
But we are humans
and we must also know the ways of our own bodies and beings…
Each one of us must find our own secret rhythm
of how to rest, relax and find re-creation
for each one of our bodies is different.
We need personal space and time.
God gave the Jewish people the Sabbath
as a day of rest.
Each of us must discover our own Sabbath,
our real nourishment…
We must learn
not just to free ourselves from tension and fatigue
on the Sabbath day, our day of rest.
We must also learn
as the mother must learn
in front of the never-ending needs of her children,
how to respect our energy
and relax in all the moments of our day
filled as they may be with arduous work
or often tiresome meetings,
and crises of all sorts,
and the hundred and one things that have to be done.
To do this we must discover how to harmonize
the active and the passive in us.
if we are just doers,
feeling terribly responsible and serious,
we will crack up one day.
We must nourish the passive part of us,
our hearts made for a personal love,
learning to listen to others,
to marvel at nature,
to rest a moment in the presence of Jesus,
to receive the love of those around us
and be nourished by their trust,
enjoying the little things of each day,
not taking ourselves too seriously,
accepting to become like little children.
--Jean Vanier
(from 1000 World Prayers edited by Marcus Braybrooke)
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