INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE

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PART III, Chapter 31: Lawful And Praiseworthy Pastimes And Recreation

Sometimes it is necessary to relax our mind and also our body by some kind of recreation. Cassian says that one day a hunter found St. John the Evangelist holding a partridge in his hand. He was stroking it by way of recreation. The hunter asked how such a great man like him could spend his time in such a silly and mean amusement. St. John asked him: “Why don’t you carry your bow always bent?” “For Fear,” replied the hunter, “lest remaining always bent it loses its power to stretch when I need it.” “Do not be surprised,” retorted the Apostle, “if I relax somewhat the concentration and attention of my spirit to take a little recreation so that soon after I may apply myself to contemplation with greater earnestness.” Without doubt it is a vice to be so stern, rude and unsociable as to allow no kind of relaxation either for oneself or for others.

To go out in the fresh air, to go for a walk, to take part in cheerful friendly conversation, to play the flute or other musical instruments, to sing to the accompaniment of music, to go hunting are all such suitable relaxations. In order to make good use of them, we need only ordinary prudence which gives to everything order, time, place and moderation.

Games in which success serves as a reward and recompense for competency and skill of body or mind are recreation good and permissible in themselves. Such are the games of tennis, ball, pall-mall[1], tilting at the ring, chess, draughts. We must watch against excess, either as to the time spent on it or as to the amount of money we play for. In fact, if one spends too much time, then it is not relaxation but occupation. We relax neither the body nor the mind, instead we are weighed down and confused. After playing chess for five or six hours, we are quite worn out and tired. If we play tennis for a long time, it does not refresh the body but crushes it. Now, if the stakes for which the game is played are too great, then the emotions of the players become unbalanced. Moreover, it is unjust to gamble for too great prices for competencies and skills, of so little consequence and so useless, as are the skills of games.

Above all, take care, Philothea, that you do not attach yourself with fondness to all these games. No matter how honest a recreation may be, it is wrong to put one’s heart and affection into it. I do not say that we are not to take pleasure in playing games while we play. Otherwise we will not refresh ourselves. But I do say that we must not set our affection on them in order to desire them, be taken up by them and be eager for them.

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[1] Pall-Mall. An obsolete game played from the 16th century in France and Italy.

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