Sabbath reflections - Take 1

As evening falls on a Sunday, I think about the gift of keeping Sabbath. It is a holy blessing to have a block of time that is different from all other time. Today has been that kind of day for me - a day rooted in worship, grounded in family conversations, nourished by a nap, and filled with a lot of quiet reflection.

The first psalm speaks of those who meditate on God's Torah, which is a primary Sabbath activity. "They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither." (Psalm 1:3)

To keep Sabbath is to stay rooted in God's mercy. It is the choice to leave the world's management to God, at least for one day in seven.

This is a counter-cultural idea in our driven, obsessive, anxious society. It is downright subversive to the politicians who want to post the Ten Commandments on public walls (where they can further ignore them). Really now. Why is it so hard to sit still? To cease production? Are we so afraid of the Final Rest that we're going to postpone it as long as possible?

Today I'll take my cue from poet Wendell Berry, who longs for the "dumb life of roots." And I'll take my nourishment from Another.