Sabbath (or) Holy Joy, part X
Richard M. Wright
“As the sound of the playground faded, despair set in.” –Miriam, “Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)
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Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” –Nehemiah 8:10
C. S. Lewis once wrote that “joy is the serious business of heaven.” Perhaps we can also say “joy is the serious business of Sabbath”.
Nehemiah chapter 8 is the famous scene where after the Exile the people of Israel gather in Jerusalem and stand while Ezra the priest/scribe reads aloud the entire Torah. (It is in fact one of the readings for this Sunday – the third after Epiphany.) Although the text does not specify that the first day of that seventh month (Nehemiah 8:2) fell on Shabbat the chapter resembles strongly a typical Shabbat service at synagogue. Gathering. Standing. Hearing/reading Torah. Interpreting. Worshiping.
What struck me as I read this during my morning prayer time was the relationship between “this day is sacred (holy) to the Lord” and “do not mourn or weep… for the joy of the Lord is our strength” (8:9, 10). Holiness and joy – and (probably) Sabbath.
One arguably cannot discuss the theology and practice of Sabbath without reference to The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel. He writes: “The Sabbath is no time for personal anxiety or care, for any activity that might dampen the spirit of joy” (30). Although I do not entirely agree with how Heschel extends/elaborates this idea the basic principle is clear: joy is the serious business of Sabbath. In the introduction his daughter Susannah Heschel writes that “certain [negative] topics of conversation were avoided on the Sabbath” (xiv).
What sounds abstract – joy is the serious business of Sabbath – may in fact suggest some practical ways to keep Sabbath. What do you enjoy? What brings you joy? Where do you find joy? How do we live joyfully?
Hospitality and gathering with friends is a basic Sabbath practice. (“Send some to those who have nothing.”) Enjoying a special dinner or lunch with some of your favorite foods. (Our family now tries to plan and cook a nice “Sabbath dinner”. And we use the good dishes.) Play games. Uno… Cranium… Skip-Bo… and so on. Color and draw. Tell jokes. Have a family “talent show”. Go to the park and throw frisbees. Listen to or play music. Watch a movie. (Which gets us into somewhat awkward territory – how much one should [not?] spend money or use gadgets on Sabbath.)
There is – you see – a relationship between heaven and Sabbath.
