I see the debate over Easter trading is hotting up again this year as it seems to every year. The question of whether people should be able to buy and sell commercially on religious holidays is nothing new. Despite the fact that around half New Zealand’s population might declare themselves Christian in some sense or other doesn’t change the fact that most of them are prepared to shop on Sundays.
At the heart of the matter as I see it, there is the question of Sabbath. If Christians shop or work on Sundays then they are essentially Sabbath breakers and the arguments against commerce at Easter fall flat.
I have to confess that I am also a Sabbath breaker. I often head off to the shops on Sunday if I’ve had some inspiration about a job that needs doing or food that needs replenishing. But why? After all I’m supposed to take one day for rest and worship each week.
Interestingly, the same debate occurred at the time of Jesus. No work was supposed to be done on the Sabbath, even humanitarian. Jesus ignored such religious formality, reminding those in control that Sabbath was made for our benefit; it was not merely a rule to appease some god.
So if Sabbath is for our benefit, why do we ignore it in weekly life and then complain bitterly when secular shop owners want to open up at Easter? The reason is simple: we want the ideal to be part of society, but I observe many Christians not wanting exercise Sabbath personally.
I wonder if there is some misconception going on, some idea that Sabbath is incredibly boring because we cannot do anything. This is not true. We do different things. Sabbath is about rest and worship with family and friends. Sabbath is a day set apart for physical, spiritual and emotional recovery.
The western world has become obsessed with leisure, yet at the same time has the highest rates of depression. We love to hate work, yet it’s where we spend most of our time. So I find myself wondering if we need a new view of life. Work is good and we should work hard. Yet we must also rest physical, worship spiritually, and recover our souls week by week.
There is a belief that we can do this in bits and pieces while on the run. We can’t. That’s a path to burnout and, like depression, also seems to be a western disease.
When I was growing up, shops weren’t open on Sundays – and I’m not that old. We were taught as kids to rest on Sunday, play for sure, but be creative with family and friends. Worship wasn’t part of my life back then, but Sabbath was still part of its rhythm.
Despite what the shops do, perhaps 2008 might be a year in which you choose to take Sabbath. It was made for you. Attend to your body, mind and soul. Don’t ignore any of them.
© Digby Wilkinson 2008