PART III – A DAY OF REST
Already at the dawn of creation, the plan of God implied Christ’s cosmic mission. This Christocentric perspective, embracing the whole arc of time, filled God’s well-pleased gaze when, ceasing from all His work, he “blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” (Pope John Paul II , Dies Domini, #8).
WORDS TO LIVE BY
In the Book of Genesis, when the story of creation is told, we learn that God fashioned a day of rest. “And on the seventh day, God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all the work that He had done.” So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from the work he had done in creation (Genesis 2:2-3).
In order to fully grasp the meaning of Sunday and to appreciate how the call to spend it well is so profound, we must re-read the great story of creation and deepen our understanding of the theology of the Sabbath. God created everything from nothing, and found all that was created to be good. He called the world, us humans, and Sunday itself good. From the beginning until now, we are summoned by God Himself to keep holy this day.
FOR REFLECTION
What does it mean to you personally that we are created with the built-in need for a day of rest? What are some of the ways that you rest from your work?
YOUR COMMITMENT
On your calendar – the one hanging on the fridge or tucked in your purse, backpack or briefcase – mark each Sunday as a holy day and plan at least one particular way to observe it as such. + Blessings!