THROUGH UNTRUE

Freedom is a catchword of our time, but regrettably, we think of it as merely the ability to do whatever we please. In a more profound sense, freedom encompasses our capacity to transcend the physical limitations of being human. For instance, while fish are confined to swimming and birds to flying, we possess the ability to move across the world without the need to walk or run. By exercising our freedom to overcome the physical constraints imposed by having only two feet, we have developed innovative means of transportation that enable us to traverse the seas faster than fish and soar higher in the skies than birds. With the intellect and willpower bestowed upon us by God, we have emancipated ourselves from the shackles of laborious work to relish the advantages of a tranquil and restful existence. God created us to be human beings, not human doings. We are not machines. Work is not our destiny and rest is a fundamental part of life. Our bodies and minds are not designed to work perpetually at maximum capacity. They necessitate regular periods of rest to recharge and rejuvenate. Neglecting this fundamental need leads to physical exhaustion, burnout, and a declining mental and spiritual well-being. In today’s Gospel, Jesus told His disciples, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). He was not glorifying idleness or inactivity. Rather, Jesus wants His disciples to seek rest, not as a means of escape, but as an opportunity to understand deeply what it means to be truly human. Jesus foresaw that His apostles would become so consumed by their work that they would attempt to accomplish more and more in less and less time. His words, therefore, are not just an invitation but an urgent command to avoid a common human affliction known as “hurry sickness.” In our contemporary culture, being always in a hurry or busy has become a status symbol. Consequently, we work harder and longer, plagued by a perpetual sense of inadequacy. We rush against the clock and multitask, wrongly believing that we are achieving more. But our brains, unlike computers, are not designed to focus simultaneously on multiple tasks. As a result, our efforts often yield mediocre outcomes. Consider the phenomenon of “eat all you can” restaurants. Why do many of us frequent them? This mindset of unlimited consumption is another manifestation of multitasking. By overindulging in food, we deceive ourselves into thinking that we have simultaneously consumed breakfast, lunch, and dinner in one sitting. We have equated pleasure with excess. When we are perpetually in a rush, we tend to neglect the presence of significant individuals in our lives. We make up for this by using social media to create the semblance of being “in touch” or “connected” with our friends and relatives wherever we are. But, as many netizens have realized, to wish to be everywhere at once is to be nowhere all the time. Social networking platforms merely make us visible but fail to make us truly present. We exchange trivial messages that seldom amount to real conversation. Jesus’s command to rest entails slowing down and reassessing our priorities. Rest is a form of recreation, something that “re-creates” or transforms us. Through rest, we can perceive life differently, experience greater freedom, and cherish the fleeting moments that pass us by.