“Rest opens up to man, subject to the necessity of work, the prospect of a fuller freedom, that of the eternal Sabbath (cf. Heb 4:9-10). Rest allows men to remember and relive the works of God, from Creation to Redemption, to recognize themselves as his work (cf. Eph 2:10), and to give thanks for their life and subsistence to him, who is their Author”  (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 258).

Vacation time is an invitation to discover that work is just one more dimension of our existence. One of the greatest temptations for business owners and managers is to idolize work, to try to find in their work the ultimate and definitive meaning of life.

The holiday period is a privileged time to make decisions about the purpose and objective of our professional activity. “ Where does this life of ours find its true and full expression? Today’s holidays tell us that everything we do and possess is a means, not an end.”  With these words, Paul VI encouraged us to rediscover the true meaning of holidays in his  Angelus address on August 15, 1963 .

But holidays are also a time to give voice to silence, a privileged time for the spirit, as Paul VI suggested in  his general audience of July 12, 1978 : “ Holidays should serve not only for physical rest, but also for spiritual work. And the more they lead us to grant ourselves a distraction, an absence and escape from ourselves, the more they should provide us with moments of interiority, of personal reflection, of active conscience, of the voice of silence, listening to the whole unfolding of our lives.”

Resting implies being tired. Tired from noise, routine, difficulties, sin… That is why, for the Christian manager and entrepreneur, going to the source is imperative. Sacred Scripture already offers us clues. Resting means:

• Resting in  the Lord: “ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”  (Mt 11:28)
• Rest from  enemies, including those of the heart, symbolized by Amalek in the Bible: “ Therefore, when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget”  (Deut 25:19).
• Resting to  enjoy God: “ The law of the Lord is perfect and gives rest to the soul”  (Psalm 19).
• Resting with  loved ones: “ And I know that when I come to you, I will come with all the blessings of Christ (…) so that I may come to you with joy and, God willing, enjoy some rest in your company”  (Rom 15:29, 32) .

And once rested, we return to the noble task of transforming the world into the Kingdom of God through our responsibilities as business owners and managers. Therefore, for the Christian business owner and manager, vacations are not only a necessary time to recharge, but also an integral part of considering business and management activity as ecclesial action, as social action.

May our Mother and the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, help us to live our holidays in harmony with the Gospel.

Have a happy and well-deserved rest!

Dionisio Blasco España is the Territorial Delegate in the Diocese of Malaga and a member of the Executive Committee of Corporate Social Action.