Jesus is Lord of Work Days, Too: Matt. 12: 1-8

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“For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.”

The Book of Genesis makes clear that when God set aside the seventh day of the week as a day of rest it was as a blessing. Ask anyone who works rotating shifts, extended work shifts or the night shift, and they'll tell you what a blessing rest can be. As a group, they are more accident prone, tired, sicker, more irritable, impatient and depressed. Our biological clocks are programmed to work at peak efficiency during the day and attempts to reverse this pattern are counter productive.

To some degree, these health problems are also present among the 9-to-5 work force because today's employees are yoked to their jobs by the cellphone, Blackberry, voice mail, call waiting and Instant Messaging. In this 24/7 business world, overtime is expected by management and workaholism is viewed as a badge of honor. Working on Sunday is commonplace.

I wrote a book some years ago on workaholism. Most of the copies were bought by wives to give to their husbands. Men didn't buy the book for themselves because they did not see their obsessive, compulsive behavior as a problem. They saw it as proof of their ambition and a way to get ahead.

Pope Benedict XVI warned about the dangers of excessive work and misplaced priorities when he said, "Numerous occupations often lead to 'hardness of heart.' They are no more than suffering for the spirit, loss of intelligence and dispersion of grace."

Having said that, the Pope went on vacation. As the leader of the world's one billion Catholics, the Pope has the kind of job that would tax anyone, much less the constitution of an 80-year old man. But he does not allow his work to become all-consuming. He keeps his priorities straight through daily prayer and reflection.

Jesus is not just the Lord of the Sabbath; He is the Lord of every day of the week. We need daily prayer to keep our priorities straight. We need the Sabbath as a day of holy leisure. I'm going to quit working on this reflection and go outside to enjoy this wonderful sunny day that the Lord has made.

Friday, July 18, 2008

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At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath: and his disciples being hungry, began to pluck the ears, and to eat.

The Pharisees seeing them, said to him: Behold thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days.

But he said to them: Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and they that were with him: How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the loaves of proposition, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for them that were with him, but for the priests only? Or have ye not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath, and are without blame?

I tell you that there is here a greater than the temple. And if you knew what this meaneth: I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: you would never have condemned the innocent. For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

Ignite your world!

Bob Larranaga