What if truly resting was actually holy? ⛺That’s exactly what Patrick Conley and Fr. John Paul Erickson explore in this deep, rich, and refreshingly countercultural episode of The Inner Life on Relevant Radio. 😌📖 Be sure to listen to the whole episode!
Father John Paul starts us off with an observation: Leisure, in its true spiritual sense, isn’t about Netflix binges or bottomless brunch. It’s about holy rest, that “seventh day” kind of resting… where we stop doing and start being with God.
Fr. Erickson links our burnout culture to the Exodus story. Yep, Moses vs. Pharaoh has something to say to your Google Calendar.
💼 Pharaohs, Profit, and the 21st-Century Exodus
Who’s Pharaoh today?
👑 The Culture of Profit: You are what you earn.
📱 The FOMO Monster: Have to be in the loop 24/7.
💔 People-Pleasing: Can’t say no. Must keep hustling.
😱 The Fear of Suffering: Comfort at all costs.
These pharaohs aren’t just out there. They’re also in here… in our hearts. 🫀 Jesus is the new Moses, leading us out through the Red Sea of Baptism into a life of worship and love.
🕊️ Leisure = Worship (Yes, Really)
According to Fr. Erickson, leisure’s purpose is love. 💘 Not just “self-care,” but true communion with God.
Think about it: God didn’t rest on the 7th day because He was tired. 😴 He rested to contemplate the goodness of creation, and we’re called to do the same. We’re not meant to veg out, but to gaze lovingly on God’s beauty, truth, and goodness.
The saints and even ancient philosophers got this: Contemplation is the highest human activity. Not doing. Being with God.
📞 Listener Shoutout: Leonard in California
Leonard, in his 40s and fresh off a master’s in Catholic Studies 🎓, calls in with a big one: “I’m restless… is it because I haven’t found my vocation?”
Father’s answer is profound 💬:
“There will always be some restlessness. Because only God fully satisfies.”
But he understands Leonard’s journey; his restlessness isa gift, a divine tug on the heart, pulling him toward his true calling: sainthood. Whether married, ordained, or single, vocation is about loving God and neighbor. Period.
😓 “But Isn’t Leisure Selfish… When There’s So Much Suffering?”
Fr. Erickson compassionately says: No. In fact, not making time for rest with God actually weakens our ability to love others well. 💔
He compares it to marriage:
“Even spouses doing great things can grow distant without quality time together… It’s the same with God.”
💡Leisure isn’t selfish. It’s relational. It’s giving time to the One who gave you time in the first place.
TL;DR
You’re not a machine. God didn’t make you to make bricks for Pharaoh. 🧱
He made you to love, to worship, and yes… to rest.
✨ Leisure is worship.
✨ Rest is resistance.
✨ Your worth is not in what you do, but who you belong to.
So, take that walk, read that psalm, sit in silence. 🎧🌿 Just be with the Lord. He’s not in a rush.
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