Leisure: The Secret Weapon of the Spiritual Life

When was the last time you truly felt at rest? Sr. Mary Grace, Sr. Ann Immaculée, and Sr. Marie Veritas kick off the Lenten season by exploring the theme of leisure as the secret weapon of the spiritual life based on Joseph Pieper's work 'Leisure, the Basis of Culture'. The Sisters explain the differences between true leisure and mere entertainment and emphasize how leisure, grounded in a childlike spirit and a deep relationship with God, can lead to a life of hope and fulfillment. 

Snippet from the Show

 The answer is not in us doing more, but in us being more.

Shownotes

Quotes 

At first sight, it seems that something, almost anything, must be done about our situation. But it is the genius of Pieper to see that this activist, busy motion is the wrong starting point. Before we can pretend to do anything about the present, we must know what we are, what the world is, and yes, what God is. Construction of a civilization that knows little or nothing of these deeper realities can only make things worse.”― Fr. James V. Schall 

"Leisure is not the attitude of someone who intervenes, but of the one who opens himself, not of someone who seizes, but of one who lets go." ― Joseph Pieper

"Leisure has had a bad press. For the puritan it is the source of vice; for the egalitarian a sign of privilege. The Marxist regards leisure as the unjust surplus, enjoyed by the few at the expense of the many. Nobody in a democracy is at ease with leisure, and almost every person, however little use he may have for his time, will say that he works hard for a living curious expression, when the real thing to work for is dying."― Roger Scruton

"We are not simply to devote ourselves to politics and economy, or to making a living, however valid these are in their own spheres. Pieper is quite aware of these things are elementary in human life, they're part of life. But he recognizes that when every human is defined in terms of utility or pleasure, The enterprise of knowing what we are loses its centrality in our lives. There are things beyond politics, and without which politics cannot be politics."― Fr. James V. Schall

"At first sight, it seems that something, almost anything, must be done about our situation. But it is the genius of Pieper to see that this activist, busy motion is the wrong starting point. Before we can pretend to do anything about the present, we must know what we are, what the world is, and yes, what God is. Construction of a civilization that knows little or nothing of these deeper realities can only make things worse.”― Fr. James V. Schall

Leisure versus Entertainment

Leisure engages the whole person. 

Examples of Leisure:

• Creating  Art
• Creating or listening to good music
• Reading good books
• Creative writing
• Going for a walk in nature

Examples of Entertainment:

•  Binging on Netflix or other shows
• Excessive sleep
• Playing video games excessively
• Doom scrolling on social media
• Gossiping
• Gambling

Challenges of the Week

• Read the most recent issue of the IMPRINT magazine (Winter 2024: Rest) from the Sisters of Life.