One sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’
On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
- Luke 6: 1-11
Today’s Gospel reminds us how importantly Jesus and his followers regarded the Sabbath. While this passage focuses on what Jesus does that the Pharisees and scribes think is unlawful, namely feed the hungry and heal the sick on the Sabbath, it makes me think of how far we’ve fallen from observing the Sabbath in modern times.
Jewish people who observe the Sabbath, or Shabbat, begin a day of rest and celebration that begins on Friday at sundown and ends at sundown on Saturday. Shabbat is observed in a variety of ways. Friends of mine always invite others to their home for a meal. It is a time for families to come together in the presence of God in their own home. Others observe a time with no television, no work, and no computer or phone use. They make sure all of their chores like shopping, cleaning, and cooking for the Sabbath are finished before sunset on Friday.
Mormons also observe the Sabbath Day, which for them is on Sunday, as a day of rest and worship. Practically this means that they don’t work or cause others to work by going out to eat, to the movies, or shopping. Instead, Mormon families attend church meetings, rest, read, and generally spend time doing family activities.
As Episcopalians many of us attend worship services on Sundays, but that’s about it (if even that). In “Keeping the Sabbath Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting,” author Marva Dawn, argues that the act of worship is only a small part of observing the Sabbath. Ms. Dawn develops a four-part pattern for keeping the Sabbath: (1) ceasing—not only from work, but also from productivity, anxiety, worry, possessiveness, etc., (2) resting—of the body as well as the mind, emotions, spirit—a wholistic rest; (3) embracing—deliberately taking hold of Christian values, or our calling in life, of the wholeness God offers us; and (4) feasting—celebrating God and his goodness in individual and corporate worship as well as feasting with beauty, music, food, affection, and social interaction.
When we look at keeping the Sabbath more wholistically, we can incorporate new ways to integrate a day of rest into our week. It makes sense to me that God would want us to take a day to renew and recharge, to take time away from the busyness of life and focus on God’s gifts to us.
More practically, what does it mean for watching Saints’ games on Sundays? For Mormons, this would be forbidden because a football game is forcing others to work on Sundays—the players, the coaches, the broadcasters, the food vendors, etc. In the way that Marva Dawn describes it, we could view it as “feasting,” in celebrating the athletes for their God-given talents and the social interaction that football viewing brings. But I think we need to be careful that we are not worshiping false idols. Our football heroes and rituals may be held in higher regard than what we might gain from honoring Sundays as a special holy day.
As we go into this next week, let’s think about ways we can keep the Sabbath more holy and wholly. Can we give ourselves a day of ceasing to keep busy and being filled with worry? Can we rest our whole selves so that we can be renewed and refreshed for the new week? Can we embrace what it means to be Christian, by providing examples to others of what it means to keep Sabbath? Can we feast in God’s goodness and celebrate all that He has given us and be grateful?
Musical Reflection - Sabbath Song - Laura Williams
Dear Lord, help me to follow your Commandment to keep the Sabbath holy and wholly. In your wisdom, you encourage us to take a day of rest, on which we shall do no work. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Help us to leave this world behind and find peace of mind. Amen.
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