By Melanie Rigney
July 15, 2011
Memorial of St. Bonaventure, bishop and doctor of the Church
Although Moses and Aaron performed various wonders in Pharoah's presence, the Lord made Pharoah obstinate, and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land. (Exodus 11:10)
I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. (Psalms 116:13)
(Jesus told the Pharisees after they criticized the disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath,) “I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 112:7-8)
Piety
Lord, I love resting in Your arms. Remind me that everyone does… and to leave the judging to you. May I show others the same mercy you show me.
Study
What does the sabbath mean to you?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to the biblical commands of solemn rest on the seventh day, and reminds us of God’s own desire to rest and be refreshed. “Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian life,” the Catechism says.
Don’t you just love that special time with God on Sunday? Perhaps it comes when you share in the Eucharist. Or maybe it’s the Great Amen. Or maybe it’s the music or the readings. I attended an early-morning, stripped-down-no-music Mass for several years. Frequently, my special time came during Holy Communion, as I knelt in one of the front rows, hearing the whispering of “The Body of Christ” by the EM and reverential “Amens” by the recipients, accompanied by the soft shuffling of feet and the sound of the baptismal font water burbling in the back.
The problem is that all too often, that moment of awe and wonder ends quickly, sometimes even when the celebration is continuing. We notice who doesn’t bow before receiving the Eucharist. We notice who sits on the pew before it’s time, and who ducks out before the final blessing and song. Then we complain on the way home about the way that young woman in front of us was dressed—certainly not Church-appropriate—and about how noisy the kids behind us were. By the time we change our clothes, we’ve changed ourselves—out of the sabbath’s time of “reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and mediation which furthers the growth of the Christian life.”
In short, we forget just who it is who’s lord of the sabbath.
Action
You’ve got a day or two. Make plans now to observe the coming sabbath in a manner that’s pleasing to God… and truly refreshing to you.
