Jesus offers an invitation: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
The Word in other words
The effects of modern technology may two-sided. Home appliances may shorten time spent in cooking, washing, cleaning and other household chores, but this "saved" time is often wasted in front of the television and the computer at home. At the office, plenty of productivity time is lost answering e-mails and reading facebook posts and messages. Mobile phones give digital access to social networks and real-time news. But this ubiquitous accessibility of technology causes constant stress, which disrupts relaxation and recovery. It encourages gadget addiction, which eventually hampers real social communication and personal encounter.
As if people in today's hectic world are not strained enough from the pressures of family and career work, many are yet faced with mounting and seemingly never-ending workloads. We are expected to balance the demands between our jobs and ourselves. We are torn apart between wants and needs. Oftentimes personal creative projects are overtaken by practical concerns. When unchecked, many stressed people suffer from burnout, feeling depleted and devoid of interest. They often don't see any hope for positive change, nor do they find any exit from their stressful situations.
Jesus invites the burdened to come to him, because "his yoke is easy and his burden is light." How does this apply to the modern predicament of work overload? Jesus offers a change of mentality. His gospel allows us to reassess our priorities. Do we live in order to work or do we live for bread alone? Can't we switch of our gadgets without feeling left out and take time to meditate and pray? A healthy holistic spirituality entails taking care of our soul and body. Jesus seems to tell those who are trapped in the web of modern entanglements to adopt healthy ways of eating, exercising, and sleeping. Take a daily break from technology. Even Jesus himself took him to pray and be alone after his public ministries. Hermann Hesse, a German poet and novelist, once wrote, "Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself." In this inner sanctuary, one may find God.
- Fr. Simon Boiser, SVD (Hamburg, Germany)
