Fr Robert Hendrickson

Dear Friends in Christ,

One of the things I appreciate about places with harsh weather is that sometimes you are forced to slow down. Snowstorms are a great example where sometimes, in New Haven and in Denver, we just were not going anywhere. For a while!

Heat has a similar impact here sometimes. It forces you to take breaks, to seek shelter, to remember to hydrate! It forces you to rest sometimes.

In our fast-paced world, rest is often mistaken for laziness, and relaxation is treated as a luxury rather than a necessity.

Yet, Scripture tells a different story. From the very beginning, God models rest for us. After creating the heavens and the earth, God rested on the seventh day—not out of exhaustion, but to delight in what was good.

This divine pause sets a pattern: rest is sacred, built into the rhythm of life itself.

As followers of Christ, we are not called to endless striving, but to live in the grace and peace of God. Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Rest is not a break from our spiritual life—it is part of it. When we allow ourselves to relax, we are acknowledging our dependence on God. We are trusting that the world will keep turning without our constant effort.

Rest also restores us for service. Sabbath is not only about ceasing work, but also about being re-centered in God’s presence.

Good relaxation—whether through prayer, nature, creativity, or quiet—allows our souls to breathe. It reorders our longings and reminds us that we are human beings, not just humans doing.

To neglect rest is to ignore a divine command; to embrace it is to honor God’s design. As Christians, resting well is not just good for us—it is a way of living faithfully, with joy, balance, and trust. So as the heat sets in, let’s not neglect the chance to rest and to rest well.

Yours in Christ,

—Fr Robert