Living Sundays

Last year I read a book called, Look What Happened While You Were Sleeping by a Friend of Medjugorie.  The author has been following Our Lady’s messages for the past 20+ years.  He admonishes us to Observe the Sabbath.  He says we should not be working or paying others to work for us. This includes eating out, entertainment, shopping, etc…He says it is not a coincidence that the Indianapolis 500 and the Super Bowl are on Sunday.  If God wants it, satan wants it, too!  He goes on to say if the power goes out on Sunday, they wait until Monday to call the power company.  He only travels as far as one tank of gas will carry him, so as not to fill up on Sunday.  He even suggests scheduling surgeries such that the gravest take place on Monday, with the hope of being out the following Saturday.  He acknowledges the need for some staff always, but says it can be reduced significantly.  He says that our prayers to end abortion and other such prayers cannot be heard until we start observing the Sabbath.  He notes that even the phraseology has changed regarding the Sabbath.  It used to be called the Sabbath, then the Lord’s day, then Sunday, and now it is called the weekend. 

I thought about this book a lot and have been waiting for the right time to encourage you to read it or at least embrace the spirit of the message.  I am too ignorant about much of what the rest of the book entails…global warming, the UN, education and the like, to really make heads or tails of it, but I think it is a good place to start.  It has been the impetus for many changes in my life.   

I will no longer do laundry, shop, or workout on Sundays.  I spoke to a priest about eating out on Sundays; he suggested eating out on Sunday is not sinful if your motivation is to enjoy the time with your family.  However, if you're eating out three times a day, then it is likely sinful because it is probably a result of laziness. I still feel conflicted about this practice.  So, if someone invites my family to eat out on Sunday, we will accept.  We just don't initiate.  I'm not saying this is a perfect resolution, but it is the one that has worked.  This mentality (of giving God what is His) spilled into other parts of my life, as well.  I pulled a cute little “Happy Easter” bunny out of my landscaping that I paid good money for a few years ago, because Easter is about Jesus!  Not about a bunny!  Just as Santa Claus has overrun the meaning of Christmas, the Easter bunny may be one of Jesus’ pets, but not the other way around. 

As we were driving to Christmas Mass this year, it occurred to me that the empty streets should not just come once a year!  They should be like that every Sunday!Everything should be closed and people should be at Church or with their families. 

Come with me on my “Living Sundays” journey!  If you have not been as blind as I have, you should have said something!  If you have, let’s open our eyes together and reclaim Sundays for our Lord, our families, and for those who need to be refreshed.  We are responsible for each other.

Dear God, Thank you for giving us a day to fill our cup up and rest in Your Presence.  You know us so well; You are our Creator.  You know our need for rest and our need for You.  Give us the wisdom to live Sundays as You intended from the beginning.  Thank you for knowing us better than we know ourselves!  I love you.  Amen.