Sunday, July 02, 2006

Vacation from God?

I heard an inspiring Life on the Rock today on EWTN radio. They were discussing vacations. How often do we arrive home from a vacation longing to take another vacation?!

Jesus said,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." (Mark 6:31)

Jesus knew that rest and re-creation is important to the human spirit. But if we return from a vacation worse off, spiritually, than when we started, what good is that?

Crisis Magazine has an article on Monastery Vacations in France. The author, Mary Jo Anderson says that the cost for staying at these monasteries range from $20 to $35 per night, with meals, although additional offerings are welcome.

About.com has an article on monastic vacations in the U.S. and England. The one in Devon, UK is the only English monastery to be restored to its original purpose after King Henry VIII disolved the monasteries after his break with Rome.

It might be worth it to truly unwind in the timeless spiritual atmosphere of a monastery or retreat house for your next vacation.

At the very least, go to Masstimes.org before your next trip, and find a church near your destination. Take time to get up early one morning and go to daily Mass. Don't make your next vacation, a vacation from God.

3 comments:

Matthew said...

$20-35 is all? Wow, that's cheap. I'd go if I lived in France, but I don't.

Unknown said...

I think that is a great suggestion!

Staying in Balance said...

Moneybags--the about.com article quoted rates that were higher, but still sounded quite reasonable.

My friend and I just went away at a retreat house/spa type place and it was very restful.

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"Slavery ended in medieval Europe only because the church extended its sacraments to all slaves and then managed to impose a ban on the enslavement of Christians (and of Jews). Within the context of medieval Europe, that prohibition was effectively a rule of universal abolition. "— Rodney Stark

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