WITHDRAWING FROM THE CROWDS
People who do a lot of caring work for others, known in our
circles as ministry, need to do a lot of self-care, too. They also need to
withdraw periodically from active ministry so as to be able to do more.
Known to us pastoral counselors as “regression at the service of the ego,”
sometimes the priest, brother or sister or any lay caregiver needs to “regress”
to an earlier developmental stage to strengthen oneself to meet the challenges
up ahead.
The Lord was hemmed in from
all sides. The only way out would be the Lake of Galilee. He asked for a boat
at the ready in case the crowds press on further. There was a time to heal, a
time to listen, a time to preach and teach, and a time to pray and to be alone.
Jesus did all of the above.
Somebody said that some
priests (and nuns) behave as if they were the Messiah, always on the move,
always on the go, always huffing and puffing their way to the next task, unable
to sit still, unable to quiet down and reflect. Well, he has got bad news for
them. The Messiah happened to have already been born, and He is not any one of
us.
The issue of boundaries is
hard for Filipinos to understand. Our sense of space is very different from
that of Westerners, particularly Americans. We live in very close proximity to
each other. Many families, for various reasons, not necessarily economic, sleep
together in the same room. The famous “boodle fight” that army men and women do
is a clear example of this type of porous boundaries. No wonder it is difficult
in many cases to define the area that is for common use, and that which is
reserved. Just look at our streets and thoroughfares. They are as much streets
as extensions of living areas of people who encroach on every available space.
But physical boundaries is
not primarily what I am reflecting on today. I am more referring to
psychological and spiritual boundaries which the Lord Himself observed. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How often do you go for some form of
self-care? How do you feel about caring for yourself?
Just as You took time to withdraw and be alone to quiet down, help
me to do the same, Lord, so that I may be able to give more in service.
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