A Theology of Vacation

Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Jeremiah 23.1-6 Psalm 23 Ephesians 2.13-18 Mark 6.30-34

In case you haven’t noticed, our pews are a less crowded these days than they are normally. The collection basket is a little less full. There are often more visitors here with us than usual, while many of our regular parishioners are not. It is summer, which for many people means one thing: vacation time! For about another three weeks or so, we are in the midst of the biggest travel time of the year, when school is out and the sun is shining and the beach – or the lake – or the campground – or the long-distant family – is beckoning. Of course, these summer days are not the only time for vacations, but it is when we notice it the most. And, believe me, vacation is a good thing. So good, in fact, that Jesus himself encourages us to get away.

If you read the gospels carefully, you’ll notice that Jesus has a regular pattern of active ministry that is balanced with time spent away from the crowds, time spent either by himself or with his disciples. Most of the time, when Jesus goes away by himself, he goes away to pray, and that prayer, that communion with his heavenly Father, helps to guide his future ministry. But sometimes, the time away is not just for prayer, like in today’s gospel. Jesus tells his disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6.31). Jesus knew that sometimes, we just need to take time away simply to rest, to relax, to rejuvenate our bodies and spirits, to refresh our minds for the work and ministry that lies ahead. In the example of today’s gospel, this attempt to get away for a while to rest was not very successful, because the crowds followed Jesus, and they actually got to his destination before he did. But the lesson is there – spending time away to rest is a necessary part of the rhythm of life.

And that rhythm is really a balance that Jesus tries to teach us – a balance between active ministry and quiet contemplation, a balance between business and rest, a balance between work and leisure. Our time is valuable, but sometimes the most productive way to spend our time is by not being outwardly productive. Sometimes the best way to spend our time is in rest and relaxation, knowing that this time of rest will then lead us back into the active world and the work that awaits us. For me, my ideal vacation is one where there is no sightseeing, not a lot of travel, and not a packed daily agenda – instead, my ideal vacation is a time of quiet and rest, reading a good book, taking a slow, leisurely hike in the woods, away from civilization. We need that time away to reconnect with ourselves and with God. We need a chance to slowdown, to spend each minute deliberately, not rushing from one thing to the next. We need a place to leave tension and stress behind us. Vacation can be holy, even Jesus went on vacation. But he would be the first to tell us that vacation cannot be an end in itself – it must always lead us back into the active work of our daily lives.