The Heroic Minute Challenge: Day 7: St. Josemarie Escriva and Rest

I have to admit that today’s Heroic Minute was challenging for me. After all, it is Sunday morning – probably my favorite time of the week. Even God himself rested on Sunday. Surely that doesn’t mean that I can’t sleep in, just a little…..The wise St. Escriva addresses the concept of rest in his book The Furrow saying: While St. Escriva didn’t exactly say that we should forgo the Heroic Minute on Sundays, I think that his explanation of setting aside our regular daily tasks in order to return to them refreshed and renewed is wise advice.  I have always found that the Sundays which I use to catch up on laundry, house-cleaning, errands and other daily tasks leave me feeling frustrated and exhausted on Monday morning. Sundays should not be used as the dumping day for all the undesirable tasks that we procrastinate finishing during the week (you know those…for me it is scrubbing the toilets).  Instead it should be a day spent truly resting, praying and gathering our resources to begin the week ahead.  Here are a few ideas for keeping Sundays Holy, restful and fun:Begin your morning by reading the Sunday Mass readings. It is amazing how much more meaningful the Mass and the homily will be if you have prepared the readings in advance.Enjoy a special treat with your family after Mass – for years, our family stopped for donuts and coffee every Sunday after Mass.Gather with friends and extended family for an afternoon meal. This was a family tradition when I was a child and even now the smell of sauce and meatballs reminds me of Sundays. Do something fun with others – take a family walk; go to a museum; catch a movie; sit at a coffee shop and people watch – try to make