Got Sabbath?

Since leaving the ministry I have had to reexamine my understanding of Sabbath. Kohlberg classifies the Ten Commandments as an example of the highest order of moral development, and right there is the admonishment to keep the Sabbath holy. One of Jesus’ run-ins with the establishment was over his understanding that Sabbath is made for humans, not the other way around. Following the premise that has been developed in earlier posts, Jesus embodied perfect human morality through his total communion with God. Therefore, Jesus comprehended the sanctity of Sabbath as was evidenced by his very life. Although the Christian gospels inform us that it was Jesus’ custom to frequent both synagogues and the Temple, I think it a stretch to try to draw from this that going to church/synagogue/mosque every Friday, Saturday or Sunday makes one a moral person. Indeed, Jesus’ remarks about Sabbath seem to point to the contrary. Returning to that seminal commandment, Sabbath is for both God and human. It is the moment when everything unholy and profane stops so that the purity of the Creator-creature relationship can be realized and experienced. Once again, our presumptuous stereotype of Sabbath being 11 AM on Sunday morning becomes increasingly absurd the more we think about it. Sabbath is a frame of mind; the spirit of the heart, so to speak. Whenever we stop, set aside whatever we are doing, and intentionally attempt to enter into Holy Communion with God, we are not only observing but are participating in Sabbath. The integral connection between prayer and Sabbath becomes, I think, quite obvious. So, the next time you’re wondering how this old world might ever put itself back on the right path, think Sabbath.