To achieve a vibrant overall health, we need to provide balanced care to all areas of need. God is present in every aspect of our life and desires to bless us in each.
When we don’t know how to take care of ourselves, neither can we take care of others; thus, God cannot utilize us to our fullest potential, to care for the least of Jesus’ sisters and brothers and fulfil our life’s mission.
One of the best indications of our spiritual wellness is the degree to which we have achieved “holy indifference”.
If we fail to take care of ourselves according to God’s design and the way He cherishes us, He will warn us by sounding the alarm of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Other than illnesses, another clear alarm is our utter physical exhaustion and tiredness to the point of losing interest in other people or things, having feelings of pessimism and resistance, and suffering from emotional turmoil. We cannot afford to ignore these symptoms and we need to pay attention to them and proactively take care of ourselves.
To conclude, being able to master how to balance “doing” and “being”, as well as our physical, mental and spiritual needs, is an important foundation for us to build a healthy spiritual life. Such is a critical lesson in our life.
Reflection
Now, examine your reasons for neglecting, intentionally or unintentionally, certain needs in your life.
In your heart or subconsciously, are there reasons or perceptions that lead you to believe that the Father only cares for certain aspects of your life but not others?
Today’s Prayer
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
主耶穌感謝祢賜我智慧懂得有秩序均衡身心靈的需要。在修道生活上，每個月的個人退省，在將臨期、四旬期有三日的退省；在暑假有八日的大避靜，感恩修會有足夠的空間給我們返回生命的根源，補充個人的不足及軟弱，投靠主耶穌基督促使我有能力去關愛弱小者。。。感謝主，贊美主。亞孟!
慈愛的天父
認同我們要不斷、終身學習如何在存活和工作上，以至身心靈都能取得平衡和健康。過往的執著、自以為是，令我背負的包袱越來越沉重，從今以後會引以為戒，要常常返回源頭—-天父處，讓活水和愛充盈我，使我有力前行，生活符合天主的聖意。因我們的主耶穌基督。亞孟。
It’s easy to know our physical needs as our body will send us signals like feeling hungry or getting tired and it’s not difficult to resolve. Spiritual needs are not easy to detect or the majority fail to recognize their importance especially when we have so many distractions. Even if I am aware of their significance, I am unable to lead a balanced life most of the time as I have a lot of addictions. Grateful to our Lord that instead of giving me what I want, He gifted me with my needs!
God, please help me to persevere in leading a balanced life and not to waste what You have prepared for me.
相信大家年幼時，也曾在體育課堂中玩過「平衡木」的玩意，不少人當踏上這平衡木上時，總會感到難以平衡，甚或從這處跌下來，因而出現恐懼感。原因是缺乏了那份專注力，若能集中精神，留意自己身體狀態，便會在平衡木上前行。
同樣地，「靈修」也是一種專注的培養，當我們能夠「靜下來」，拋開雜念，注意自己當下的心境狀況，呼吸節奏，漸漸地便可進入「心靈平衡」的靜修，讓自己能夠接觸到自己的內心深處，去經驗生命的存在，這是窮一生不斷學習的一門學問。
主，請讓我們在靜下來時，能夠仰望祢、接觸祢……，並在祢內認識到自己。
上主,我要繼續學懂平衡心態,請給我力量去克服困難,.不要放棄我的渴求
仁慈的天父，請讓我學會任何時刻都不忘依靠祢，仰賴祢的慈愛，活出健康豐盛的人生。亞孟。
父，求祢引導我知道那些是我被忽略了的需求，並教我不只是用自己的方法去解決一切，凡事懂得向祢求助，凡事都依賴祢。以上祈禱，是靠主耶穌祢的聖名而求，亞孟。
身心靈平衡的生活，要如何達成呢?
主！求祢教我在生活中學習以祢為中心，學會在工作和存活中取得平衡，放下執著，用平心去迎向種種挑戰，倚靠祢！
全能的阿爸父，
認罪是人類最偉大的地方，
悔改是天父最喜悅見到的。🙏🙏🙏
天主，我很希望能在這退休生活中，完全按照祢給我的「計劃」去生活。過去錯過了許多祢的召喚，求祢寬恕這悔改的心。
請指導我在生活上如何規劃出有節奏的秩序，獲得平衡。祢的牧扙和短棒是我的安慰舒暢。(詠23：4）
求祢引領我，看顧我。