A Different Schedule - May 29

Today’s Reading: Matt. 14:22-36

We have arrived at summer, or at least at Saint Stephen’s version of summer. From a programming standpoint, our office hours are condensed, and the Rev. Katherine Harper is now on sabbatical.

This means you will receive a reflection twice a week instead of three times a week (when we are able to write) until she returns in September. Sally and I had hoped to continue writing on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but as always, plans can change. That's the rhythm we hope for this summer.

We have been writing on the same days for a few years now—long enough that I sometimes find myself revisiting themes, and the very same readings from two and four years ago that I have written about before. In some ways, it is refreshing to embrace a different pace.   So changing the days is a welcomed and fun change.

As I read today's Gospel, I am struck by where Jesus is and what he is doing. Before he walks on water, before he calms the fears of the disciples, before he continues teaching and healing, he goes up the mountain by himself to pray. In the midst of a demanding ministry, Jesus creates space for silence, solitude, and renewal.

Perhaps that is a reminder for us as well.

Our culture often celebrates constant productivity. We can begin to believe that every moment must be filled, every problem solved, every opportunity seized. Yet Jesus seems to understand something we often forget: rest is not the opposite of faithful work. Rest is part of faithful work. Time spent reconnecting with God, with ourselves, and with those we love is not wasted time. It is often the very thing that allows us to return to the world with clarity, compassion, and courage.  In this coming Sunday’s Old Testament reading (from the story of Creation), God rests on the seventh day.  That is a part of the cycle of creation. 

Summer invites many of us into a different rhythm. Vacations, slower schedules, time outdoors, evenings on the porch, meals with friends and these moments may seem ordinary, but they can become sacred if we receive them as gifts.

So as our parish enters a slightly slower season, my prayer is that each of us might follow Jesus up the mountain for a little while. Not to escape the world, but to return to it renewed.

John+

Question for Self-Reflection:
Where in your life might God be inviting you to slow down, rest, and reconnect so that you can return to your work and relationships with renewed strength and joy?