The Sabbath day has been celebrated since the time of Moses and has been considered a holy day ever since. It is considered an ancient and sacred tradition held on the seventh day. The Sabbath celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. It enables us as humans to appreciate the creation of man and be grateful for what God has done for us every day.
The purpose of the Sabbath is to give us a certain day to pause and breathe. It can be directed towards God, a sacred day to worship and honor him. The importance of Sabbath is to create a routine—a ritual practice of rest and to engage with our surroundings. We should keep the Sabbath day holy and try to feel God’s constant presence. It can be done with mundane activities, such as reading, writing or doing a puzzle. Start small; dedicate 2-3 hours a day, taking baby steps and increasing it to the whole day. If you have never practiced Sabbath, be patient as it is something that takes practice—Sabbath keeping isn’t considered an art.
Sabbath is something that should be practiced at least once a month. It really helps clear the mind and cleanse the soul. As said by Yankoski, “This is the power of the antidote of Sabbath: to remind us that life is a gift, that the world is a gift that we are most emphatically (and most jealousy!) not our own gods, that we are not responsible for fashioning ourselves out of stone.” Sabbath keeping really is important regardless if you are Jewish; it was something God did at the end of his creation work; he rested. The Sabbath is also a way to connect with God; it is a day to put all your burdens and anxieties unto him and pray. It is also a day to relieve what the ancestors of the past used to do on the Sabbath.
The Sabbath can be experienced with other people as well. Resting is not just something you do by yourself. When you are among others, your social battery is constantly going. Doing Sabbath with others can be beneficial; you can discover new things about them and yourself. It helps you be more down-to-earth and humble, and can open your eyes to how to improve your empathy and charity. Eventually, when the Sabbath ends, you can reflect on how it went—ways to make it better or make it memorable. Sabbath always finds a way to teach us something new. Make the best of your Sabbath, give thanks to God, spend it with others and rest for a while.
Photo courtesy of Pamela Carta