The Anglican Bishop of Shrewsbury has called on Christians in the Diocese of Lichfield to take stock,
count their blessings and relax.
In a letter for August editions
of parish magazines, pew sheets and websites the Rt Revd Mark Rylands questions whether the British value rest and relaxation.
He says: “We feel guilty when we’re not working and we’re suspicious of anyone who lifts their nose from
the grindstone for too long. In France, the whole country basically shuts down for the month of August and everyone heads
for the beach or the mountains. While the number of public holidays in Britain is eight; on the continent it’s ten or
eleven. Despite working more hours, it is debatable whether our country is any more productive. Indeed, Britain has one of
the highest records for workdays lost due to sickness in Europe.”
He
adds: “We were not, however, designed to be forever on the go. Fast paced lifestyles and little sleep rob us not only
of energy but also of relationships. This seems to be a particular danger in the Church where it is all too easy for work
and ministry to become the other woman or man in a marriage. We rob ourselves, however, when we desire autonomy or when we
imagine we are indispensable, declaring that we can manage alone, that we don’t need anyone or anything else to help
us. As Charles de Gaulle once said: ‘the graveyards are full of indispensable men.’”
And he said Christians should follow Jesus’ example of drawing aside, stepping out of the rush
and away from the demands laid upon him: “He knew of his need to find peace and to reconnect with his Father, gaining
spiritual energy and sustenance in solitude. Exhaustion is a fact of life. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that even young people
grow tired and become weary. He tells us that the remedy for weariness is rest, waiting on God, waiting to be filled with
his strength. So if the prophets recognised the need for spiritual refuelling and Jesus prioritised time alone with his father,
how much more do we need it?
“We need to relearn this.
I need to relearn this! More than that the world needs us God’s people – his Church – to model a healthy
rhythm of work and rest for we live in a world that is a long way out of balance. In our society, young and old seek oblivion
in alcohol; anti-depressants are amongst the most prescribed medications. People are yearning for real rest as the lie of
consumerisms’ ability to satisfy in any meaningful way is being exposed. This deep recession gives us an opportunity
and a choice. It could mean that we go on blindly working harder and harder to obtain the things we have grown used to possessing;
or it could mean a time to take stock and count our blessings for what we enjoy – what Archbishop David Hope called
an opportunity to model a lifestyle of ‘enoughness’”.
He
added: “As a creator of community, the church is called to model the true worth of human beings as men and women made
in the image of God. Making room for the marginalised and the newcomer, providing opportunities for people to meet, relax,
play together and strengthen friendships, is a wonderful way to help people belong and feel cherished. In these simple acts
we proclaim good news to our neighbours: ‘you have great worth, regardless of how much or how little you accomplish.
You have value because God is your Father and, in Christ, you are loved as his very own.’”
