July 20, 2003
From a deserted place
On
Vacations & Resting
“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been
taking any longer.”
-The Lion
“I have never taken any exercise except sleeping and resting.
-Mark Twain
“To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of
civilization, and at present very few people have reached this level.
-Bertrand Russell
“He enjoys true leisure who has time to improve his soul's estate.”
-Henry David Thoreau
“If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself
a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without
knowing it.”
-Herodotus
“If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play at it, it's recreation.
If you work at it it's golf.”
-Bob Hope
Want
to e-mail Father Ralph?
Past Columns:
July 13: Nothing for the
Journey
July 6: God at Home
June 29: Going in Stages
June 22: Sommer in the Summer
June 15: Our Newest Priest
Ordained
June 8: The Feast of Pentecost
June 1: Beyond First Communion
May 24: Felicidades Manuel
May 18: Twenty Years Later
May 11: Bows for Peace
May 4: Upcoming Ordinations
April 27: One Heart One
Mind
April 20: Amazingly Graced
Days
April 13: Ashes to Palms
April 6:
God Embedded
March 30:
Pastoral Visits
March 23:
Turning Tables
March
16: Transfiguring Imagination
March
9: Beasts and Angels
March 2:
Lent and Imagination
Feb 23: Sorrow
Far and Wide
Feb 16: Saints
Feb 9: Columbia Lessons
Feb2: Giving At A Difficult
Time
Jan 26: Penny Power
& Catholic Schools
Jan19: Yet Another
Year
Jan 12: Stealing Jesus
Jan5: The Wise Still Come
From Afar
Columns from 2002
Last week I explained that there are parts
of the gospel I find hard to follow. But when I read THIS week’s
gospel (Mark 6:30-34) I felt like I was doing the right thing. You see,
Jesus invites his apostles to go away with him “to a deserted place
to rest a while”, and that’s why you don’t see me at St.
Brigid’s this Sunday. (I am going to mass this weekend -- there’s
no vacation from my relationship with Jesus.)
A vacations can be a wonderfully holy time.
Vacations break our routines and help us appreciate the gifts we have
-- in the people around us, in our abilities, in our “inner”
life, in the beauty of God’s world,etc. Simple things -- a window
fan, a beautiful view from a porch, the feel of sand between one’s
toes, the taste of ice cream, the energy of children, the warmth of grandparents
-- all seem different when on vacation.
Maybe that’s why Jesus invites his friends
to take a break and go away with him for a while. In the mist of the everyday
work, they could miss the gifts they had experienced. So I’m taking
some time this vacation to enjoy what God puts into my life. Thus I’ll
stop writing now. Why not join me and make your own list of things you
appreciate right here?
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________
PS. You can turn this list into a psalm-prayer by clickinghere.
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