Remember The Sabbath

Here along our costal shores our community would easily be described as typically ‘WASP’ (white Anglo-Saxon Protestant). It often causes me to miss the multi-culturalism of London. However, last year I met a lady who is Jewish. She is helping to care for my friend who has MS and her parents lead their small and ageing Jewish community in a town not very far away.

But unlike with my 'wasp' community, I'm reminded to be respectful of the Sabbath and not disturb their holy day. And on a couple of occasions I have had to quickly correct myself when I've absentmindedly picked up the phone to call them on either a Friday evening or Saturday.

Today the Jewish community observes, even celebrates, Sabbath. The seventh day is a day of rest. 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' For one day in seven, work ceases. There are moral limits to economics, commercialism and consumerism.

Sabbath is not only a reminder of moral limits but also that we are all part of the order and rhythm of creation. For six days we are creators: active, involved and immersed in public life and civic society. On the seventh day the Jewish tradition reminds us that we are significant creations, part of the natural order. We are part of the world that needs rhythm, the harmony of work and rest, action and reflection, energy and renewal.

So the Jewish Sabbath is the reminder of our human dignity, and whatever our faith, it can be a reminder to others about our commitment to the cycles of life God created for us.

Without the rhythms of work and rest, activity and leisure, our health and well-being can suffer. Far too many of us become stressed out by our frenetic lifestyles. We push our mental and physical well-being to the limits and beyond. For one day, at least, we all need to stop, cease, reflect, celebrate, and then, perhaps, the other six days can also be different.

As Christianity becomes increasingly homogenised and marginalized, with Sunday shopping and people being forced to work, I'm grateful for the reminder I've received from knowing my friend.

So thank you, you’ve just reminded me to sit down for a moment to rest and renew. And this Sunday, when I celebrate my holy day, I shall think of you and smile.



And on the seventh day God finished His work, which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work, which He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all His work, which He had done in creation. Genesis 2:2-3

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