THANK GOD, IT’S SUNDAY!
Today
is actually a Friday. Perhaps we are more accustomed to make the usual
exclamation in gratitude for the last day of the workweek. But we are
grateful to the Lord most especially for the “sabbath,” for His day (the
“Lord’s Day”) — for Sunday.
In the Philippine context, probably the only thing we don’t hold on
Sundays are rallies and demonstrations. The malls and the badminton
courts are open for our enjoyment. It’s a great day for family and
friends, for visits and hobbies, for worship in church, and recreation
in sports.
Hopefully we are able to maintain, in the midst of all these, the
primacy or the supremacy of the human person and, of course, that of God
as the “Lord of the sabbath.” This is what Jesus Christ emphasizes, as
we see in today’s Gospel episode.
Laws and directives, do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations, and so on —
these are all useful and even essential. (Can you imagine badminton
without the rules?) But let us never forget that all these are at the
service of the human person, and not the other way around. It’s a good
point for self-examination. For instance, is our Sunday recreation
truly a “re-creation,” in the sense that it replenishes our energies and
restores our health? Or do we always end up even more tired and
unprepared for the following day (no wonder, the “Monday blues”)? Also,
are we already
so caught up in the office rat race, often working overtime, always
rushing to beat deadlines (formula for burnout!) — to the point of
sacrificing family life and health?
Today’s saint, Camillus de Lellis, who turned his back on gambling (he
was addicted to it!) to embrace a life of dedication and service to the
sick, may serve to prick our consciences. And the Lord Himself, of
course, who rested on the seventh day (so to speak). Surely we can use
some spare time to praise and thank God, to rest and recreate ourselves,
most especially on a Sunday. Fr. Martin Macasaet, SDB
REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you spend your Sundays?
Lord Jesus, help me to put order into my days so that I may spend my Sundays more meaningfully with You.
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