Work to live not live to work

I am sometimes reminded of the many two-week vacations that our family would take almost every year. The making of these fond memories consisted of packing up our 1972 Palomino popup camper, loading the family of five into our brown Ford pickup, and traveling west, usually to Colorado, Wyoming, or some other beautiful state. By the time my two siblings and I were nearing graduation from high school, parts of the camper were held together with fishing line, silicone caulking, and whatever else could be found to get the job done. It was simple, but it built memories. I think I also speak for my two siblings when I say that it wasn’t just the camper that made these times so memorable; it was because we all worked together, each having a role in making sure that packing, meals, and everything else ran smoothly.

 

Sundays, vacations, and other times of rest are essential to a fulfilling life. Scripture tells us that God created the world in six days and then rested on the seventh. God then paused, looked at what he had made, and saw that it was good. Having been created in God’s image, we reflect Him in many ways, including our need for rest, relaxation, and the enjoyment of each other’s company. Unfortunately, our capitalistic society tends to suggest that a person’s value is contingent upon how much we can accomplish or how much money we can earn. Keeping busy is sometimes considered the highest virtue. People sometimes begin to feel the effects of this when their own self-worth begins to diminish because they cannot do as much, rather than recognizing their value as a child of God.

 

In his book, “Leisure as the Foundation of Culture,” Joseph Pieper argues that true culture does not arise from labor, but from leisure. We do not live to work; we work to live! Leisure is not mere idleness or rest. Rather, it is a state of contemplativeness that allows one to experience truth, beauty, and the divine that is all around us. It is through leisure that we begin to understand God and all that He has created more deeply. We begin to appreciate creation for the mysterious way that it reflects the Creator. In a world filled with the distractions of deadlines, quotas, technology, and social media, weekly days of rest and extended vacations can be invaluable for fostering individual health, family unity, and greater harmony.

 

In a world continually calling for our attention and our energy, we should ask ourselves: Am I living a balanced life? Do I experience life as a never-ending sprint or more as a marathon? Am I only able to see the needs right before me? Or am I able to take the time to look at the world around me? Would my spouse or friends say that I am living a balanced life? If I am retired or not able to get around well, do I recognize my worth as a child of God without being able to do as much as I used to do? Or am I inclined to feel self-worth only when I can fill a particular need?

 

Consider the parable that Jesus told his listeners, which many will hear at their Mass or service this Sunday. The rich man, who produced a bountiful harvest, placed all of his energy into replacing his barns with larger ones so that he could store grain for years to come. Yet, the night his life was demanded of him, everything was lost because he did not store up the kind of treasure that matters to God. Although we will never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul on the way to the cemetery, the passing of someone rich in the grace and peace of Christ is the finest pearl that one could ever ask for.