Holy Is This Time - #3

Judaism bequeathed two gifts to the church concerning the mystery of time. The first was the festival. The second was the weekly and daily rhythm of corporate and personal prayer. Judaism celebrated important festivals that connected its history with God's liberating deeds. Passover became a major festival time. It was the centerpiece of Jewish faith, a festival that memorialized God's saving deed. Once upon a time we can date, God acted to liberate Israel from the bondage of Egypt and the horror of slavery. Passover became an annual religious festival, a time when Israel reconstituted itself as God's cherished people.

Judaism also kept the Sabbath as a weekly imitation of the God who had rested on the seventh day. Every Friday night, when the members of the family came home, they gather to greet the Sabbath. The Sabbath is thought of imaginatively. Rabbi Samuel Dressner says the Sabbath is like a bride. Keeping the Sabbath enables Jews to maintain order and peace. There are six days for commerce and human affairs. The seventh gives order, meaning, and purpose to one's activities and work.

Years ago, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote a marvelous short book called The Sabbath. (This book is still available and well worth reading). He said that Christians had built majestic cathedrals at various times as testimonies of their faith and dedication to God. Jews, on the other hand,, he said, observe the Sabbath and use this special time in a way that is similar to building cathedrals - as testimonies of faith and dedication to God each week.

The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and continues throughout Saturday. The family gathers on Friday night and the Jewish Community gathers on Saturday morning at temple or synagogue. The synagogue continues to be a place of gathering for sacred study, prayer, and fellowship. The rest of the day is spent in visiting and in enjoying sacred study and companionship with others. At sundown on Saturday Jewish families bid farewell to the Sabbath bride and the Sabbath queen. This is a joyful farewell as Jews offer gratitude for the Sabbath presence. Thus the Sabbath is a time of domestic and community gathering. It is a time of peace. It is a sacred time devoted to relaxation, holy learning, prayer, and companionship. From sundown to sundown, not midnight to midnight - this is the way that Judaism calculates time.

Christianity also calculates time from sundown to sundown. This is why we begin to celebrate a great festival, a solemnity, and Sunday on the evening before. Oftentimes Liturgy of Evening Prayer is the first public prayer that is offered at sundown on the evening of the feast and Sunday. Sunday does not replace the Sabbath. Sunday is not the Christian Sabbath. The Sabbath is unique to Judaism. Sunday is unique to Christianity, the daughter religion. Sunday begins at sundown on Saturday evening and concludes with sundown on Sunday.