If someone offered you a few hours of ‘free time,’ would you take it?

I know I would! But we have to be careful about always seeking ‘free time.’ What matters is how we use our time, not just whether it is “free” or not!  

What is “free time”? It’s time where no one is telling us what to do, we don’t have any urgent  tasks that need to be done, no children are tugging at our leg asking for a snack. We are, in effect, our own masters.

But ‘free time’ can be unsatisfying. In his encyclical on the Sacred Heart, Pope Francis writes:

“Amid the frenetic pace of today’s world and our obsession with free time, consumption and diversion, cell phones and social media, we forget to nourish our lives with the strength of the Eucharist.” (Dilexit Nos §84)  

What matters most is whether we are growing close to God. I’ll bet if you asked St. Mother Teresa, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Josemaria Escriva, or many other saints, they would say they were plenty busy! But by prioritizing prayer and adoration, they were filled with the strength they needed for their mission.

Don’t forget what Jesus said: “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” (Matthew 18:8) If your phone or your computer or your TV is causing you to waste your ‘free time’ on things that don’t matter, cut it out! Turn it off, unplug it, and spend 15 minutes in silent prayer.

More important than ‘free’ time is how we spend our time. And whatever we have to do to grow closer to Jesus is worth it.

PRAY WITH US AT 7 PM CT

Join us at 7pm CT for the Family Rosary Across America as we seek to grow closer to Jesus’ Sacred Heart.

And now, you can also join our Family Rosary Across America text group by texting “PRAY” to 914914 for updates and reminders to pray with us during this novena.

See you at the Rosary!