13th  SUNDAY after PENTECOST: Luke 13:10; 26 August 2007
John D. Lane - Trinity Church; Staunton, VA

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

As it says in the Bible and as we Anglicans like to think, quoting of course from The Book of Common Prayer, “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.”

I left New Orleans, the Crescent City, twenty years ago. At that time, even wild  New Orleans still had ‘blue laws’, ordinances that forbid stores from being open on Sunday, the Christian sabbath. Only shops that were considered essential were allowed to open, pharmacies for instance, and there only the prescription department. A doctor who was a parishioner of mine reported that her daughter desperately needed new pantyhose for some event on a Sunday evening. She went to the pharmacy, found pantyhose, and presented it to the clerk. “Sorry, ma’am you can’t buy that on a Sunday.” Almost defeated, the doctor was about to provoke what she knew would be a useless scene, but then a light bulb went on. She calmly took out her prescription pad and wrote, “1 pr pantyhose.” The pharmacist rang it up, and the doctor left happy.

In the city, the largest hardware store was called Harry’s Ace. It had taken over the space given up by a large supermarket. Harry was frustrated by the blue laws, and began a campaign to allow his store to open on Sunday. Getting nowhere working through channels, Harry sued the city of New Orleans, arguing that, since he was Jewish, and Sunday wasn’t his sabbath, he was being persecuted for his religious beliefs. I wrote to the New Orleans Times-Picayune that though I, a member of the clergy, was a devout supporter of the sabbath regulations, I understood Harry’s problem. I proposed that he, a Jew, be allowed to open on Sunday–provided he did not open on Saturday, the Jewish sabbath. For some reason–might have been that hardware stores do the bulk of their business on Saturday–Harry didn’t think my idea solved his religious problem. When we left, sabbath laws were still in effect in New Orleans, and few stores were open here in Staunton on Sunday.

Unlike some of the things that we get overwrought about, which politicians are quick to  exploit, keeping the sabbath holy makes up a full 10% of what my Baptist friends sometimes call ‘The Big Ten,’ the Ten Commandments. As far as I know, there are no murderers attending Trinity Church, no thieves, but we certainly have our share of those who covet their neighbors houses or cars or incomes. And I’m absolutely sure we have a solid majority who violate the holiness of the sabbath every single week. In short, God considers the sabbath to be very important. It was created on the seventh day, when God rested from his labors. Coming at the beginning of Genesis, it is an ordinance that is much older than the Ten Commandments themselves.

Bizzy and I moved to Charlotte in 1972, less than a year after we were married. I remember reading at that time a number of articles and even a couple of books about the coming ‘problem of leisure.’ The work week, many sociologists and ‘futurists’ predicted, would drop to 30 hours, or in some cases as low as 20 hours. What were people going to do with all that extra time? Most of us are still waiting for the problem of leisure to rear its ugly head. Those who are still working are more and more harried, and the cliche’ statement of many retirees is “I’m busier now than I’ve ever been.”

Now of course blue laws are a quaint piece of history, done away by a combination of the weakness of the churches, corporate greed, and consumer frenzy. Though we attended college only a few miles from each other, Bizzy and I didn’t meet until we were both in New York. I was a seminarian and she was working on Wall Street. In our dating lives, we often walked together along the sidewalks of New York. So I was touched a few years ago, when I saw a couple in their late 20's walking towards me on Second Avenue at night deep in conversation. As I drew closer, however, I saw that they were both on cell phones, talking to completely different people. Ah, romance!

We were up in New Hampshire on vacation, and I had arrived early at the court to play doubles with three other men. I sat down to meditate, then heard a woman on the other court talking into her cell phone. She made about four calls during her ten minute wait, and was probably pleased at her own efficiency. Cell phones pop open at fancy restaurants: “Sorry, I’ve got to take this.” No, you are not sorry! And no, you do not have to take this! You need to get a life!

There is the story of the Vermont farmer many years ago who, after many years of holding out, finally got a phone, on a party line. An old friend came to visit, and they sat out on the porch enjoying a beautiful day. The phone rang. After ten seconds or so, the friend said, “Is that your ring?” “Eh, yup.” Again, ten or more seconds went by. “Ain’t you gonna answer it.” “Nope.” “Why not?” “I got that thing for my convenience.” I had a parishioner in New Orleans who had the bell removed from her phone. How’s that as a solution to annoying phone calls?

We have a friend in New Hampshire named Lyndell, who actually lives and works in Northern Virginia and has two little kids–talk about frenzy. A couple of years ago, he told Mary that sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and let it out slowly. We now call that process “doing a Lyndell.”

Yes, we do have a problem of leisure, but for most of us it’s because we don’t take enough. Some years ago, someone asked me what the congregation of Trinity Church was like. I remember replying, “The bulk of our members have discretion over the use of their time. They often work very hard, but it’s on schedules that they control.” I repeat that this morning because I think for many of us the problem of leisure is of our own making. “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.” That’s not one of the Ten Suggestions. It’s the oldest and perhaps most important of the Ten Commandments. It’s most important because we need to take the time to build and keep alive our relationships with God and with one another. Frenzy, over-scheduling, “Sorry, but I have to take this,” does not leave time for relationships. Sabbath is not only a day, it’s a concept that can be put into effect every day. Someone recently sent me the following from comedian George Carlin, and I will end with his words:

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.