The Holiness of Rest

Many people have talked about vacations this summer or days off. There is something holy about rest.

In Genesis the narrative tells us that creation took place over seven days. The ancient Jewish people often used numbers symbolically. The number six was the number of evil; seven was the number of completion. The writer of Genesis was telling us, with the seventh day being rest, is that rest is a part of God's creation, therefore good. Later, in the Decalogue, the commandment of keeping holy the Sabbath also reminds is that rest is holy.

Rest is holy because it gives us a chance to take it slower and put things into perspective. Often, when we go, go, god, we burn out and don't breath enough to put things into perspective.

Rest is also holy because it quiets us down and enables to listen to other people and listen to God.

Work, of course, is important and good. Rest, however, is also good. We ought to delight in it and know that the rest we take is, in and of itself, a holy thing.