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Building the Kingdom Workshop: The Spirituality of Recreation
Is there a spirituality to recreation? Fifty-five young adults came to Agape Village on Saturday, 10 November 2018 to find out more. Rev Fr David Garcia, OP spoke on the duty to rest and the theology on why God rest. He explained how rest or leisure is important for our souls.
The highest form of leisure is when the soul is in contemplation on our relationship with our Creator (especially during Mass). Thus, rest is a basic human right that protects our dignity as persons, it frees us from the temptation of idolising work.
The choices we make in our recreation are attempts to connect our faith and life.
Whether it is learning a new skill, going for a movie, shopping or other forms of recreation, we seek to connect our faith and life through our leisure time. While we should take pleasure from our recreational activities so that we continue to ‘recreate’ ourselves, the choices we make in our recreation can be a moral decision. These should be free from wrong pleasure and addiction.
Fr Garcia also spoke about the virtue of rest. He emphasised that leisure need not just be about being with others. It should encompass an element of solitude which helps us be in tune with God such that this becomes a preparation for our communion with others.
During the workshop, there was also time for quiet reflection. Participants had the opportunity to share in groups. “What do I like about free time?”, “Why did God rest on the seventh day?”, “Do I put worship and prayer at the centre of my leisure?”, “What activities in leisure can I start that make me a better person and a better child of God?” These questions Fr Garcia encouraged participants to probe deeper into their relationship with God through rest.
The workshop helped participants better understand the need, beauty and higher purpose of rest. The participants added that it has helped them evaluate their current forms of recreation. Many also shared how they would now be more serious about their time for rest and to seek to recreate such that they can contemplate more and deepen their relationship with God and others.
This workshop titled “Building the Kingdom Workshop: The Spirituality of Recreation” is an event organised by the Caritas Singapore Young Adults committee. The Caritas Singapore Young Adults committee supports Caritas Singapore in integrating faith and social responsibility among Catholic young adults. Email [email protected] to find out more.