I grew up with “blue laws.” Maybe you’re not familiar with this idea. A "blue law" is a type of law, “designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on shopping." In my hometown, if we wanted to buy anything we had to cross the village limits and go into Chicago where ‘blue laws” were not enforced. Since my hometown was dry, the sale of alcohol was never an issue; but “blue law” enforcement would have taken care of that too. Eventually, most communities and businesses began repealing these restrictions under the constitutional guarantee of church-state separation. In addition, few communities wanted to miss out on the tourist and tax revenues that could come from Sunday sales. I suppose there must have been “blue laws” in Annapolis.
Nowadays, I think “blue laws” are a thing of the past. There are probably a few municipalities who have chosen to continue this tradition that dates back to colonial times. Now days it seems that we’ve gone to another extreme. Sundays are a day when men, women, children and families are on the run all day: to the mall, going to the movies, participating in sports events, traveling, partying, boating. Observing the Sabbath - taking a day of rest and inactivity - has a whole new meaning that’s radically different from Puritan days, even different from what I remember.
As Unitarian Universalists, we share in the Abrahamic traditions, yet we almost never refer to our Sunday as a Sabbath; maybe we should if only to remind ourselves of the need to rest, to take a break, to step away from the daily routine and show gratitude for what we have and share. Ringwald writes: “The calm confidence, joy, and dignity of observant Jews, Christians, and Muslims on the holy day are striking. The mystery remains as to why only a minority accepts this gift. The Sabbath remains the dessert most people leave on the table.”
This month’s theme at UUCA is “Sabbath.” I’m not suggesting that we go back to a bygone observance; I know that striking a Sabbath posture not part of our way of faith wouldn’t work; most of us would meet quite a bit of resistance from family, friends and in our work places if we pronounced a Sabbath moratorium on all activity.
There is another way to be mindful. You probably won’t be surprised to hear from me that I think your Sabbath should start with coming to UUCA! Actually, there are many who arrive at church by nine and leave at eleven or noon; who spend most of that time in an engaged, disciplined, restful mode of easing into the day - mindful and grateful for their life, relationships and faith.
What does Sabbath mean to you? Do you have a day of rest? See you Sunday?
Take care and see you soon,
Fred
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