Annemarie Paulin-Campbell's blog

After a break and at the beginning of a New Year, we are perhaps more inclined than usual to ask ourselves the question, what do I really want or what do I desire? It is a far more important question than we might realise. It is fundamental to our spiritual life. While we may have got the impression that desires are somehow bad or at least not very spiritual, in fact, discovering our deepest desires is the key to uncovering what it is that God desires for us.

The murder of Fr Lionel Sham, one of our most loved priests this past weekend is devastating. We are shocked by the senseless and vicious attack on an innocent man who selflessly dedicated his life to serving others. Our grief and outrage is a communal lament which must be expressed-a cry of anguish to God at the injustice of what has taken place.

As we try to juggle the demands of work, family life and other commitments we may feel a growing sense of anxiety that there simply isn’t enough time to do what we feel needs to be done.

Technology has given us more capacity, but our often undiscerning use of it has also limited our freedom. If for example we feel pressured to answer work e-mails on a Sunday or to do our internet banking at midnight as a way of fitting more in, we may never stop and step back long enough to get a sense of perspective on our lives. If we feel the need to work more or less continuously our sense of joy and peace will inevitably be eroded by exhaustion.

I read something last week which gave me pause for thought. It was that to rest is a commandment of God. The orthodox Jews take the idea of the Sabbath rest very seriously. The prayers which begin the Sabbath are a reminder that God worked for six days creating the universe but that on the seventh day he rested. In orthodox Jewish families no work is done from Friday evening until sunset on Saturday. It is time to go to the synagogue together; to enjoy a special family meal; to do things which are restoring like walking or reading or sleeping. They do not watch TV or answer the phone. It is a special day, the high point of the week which is guarded for the purpose of reconnecting with God, self and with family and close friends.

The popular spiritual writer Henri Nouwen wrote a little book called ‘Sabbatical Living’ about his experience of taking a year away from his usual work to spend time in prayer, reflection and writing books on the spiritual life. We may not be able to take a year out but we can incorporate aspects of sabbatical living. Sabbatical living is about a change of attitude. It is about stopping our frenetic activity long enough to recognize that in fact it is God, not us that is in charge. Paradoxically the more we have to do, the more important it is to take time to recover from the demands of the week and to allow God to restore and renew us through taking time to just be. It is also a time to celebrate; to recognise and rejoice in God’s gifts in our lives.

Perhaps we can begin by carving out a few hours of sabbatical time each week and using it in a way that leaves us feeling more connected with God and with ourselves. If we recognise that God who loves us wants us to be happy and to trust that our lives are in his care, we may be able to see times of rest as the graced space in which we surrender and allow our lives to be shaped by God.

On Tuesday millions of people around the world listened to the inaugural speech of Barack Obama. Obama has emerged in the perception of many as a charismatic leader on whom great expectations are being placed for the moral and economic upliftment of American society. As leader of the United States his policies will also have a significant impact on countries around the world.

In his somewhat sombre, yet inspiring inaugural speech, he exhorted people to take up the challenge to work for the creation of a more just and peaceful society. He urged values of tolerance, human dignity and care for the environment.