Reflections - The Sabbath

Reflections #36

The Sabbath or Shabbat

He must increase, I must decrease

My all-time favorite movie is the ‘Chariots of Fire’. I have borrowed the note below from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire for this reflection.

Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British historical drama film. It is based on the true story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice.

The film's title was inspired by the line, "Bring me my Chariot of fire!", from the William Blake poem adapted into the British hymn "Jerusalem"; the hymn is heard at the end of the film. The original phrase "chariot(s) of fire" is from 2 Kings 2:11 and 6:17 in the Bible.

When Eric Liddell accidentally misses a church prayer meeting because of his running, his sister Jennie upbraids him and accuses him of no longer caring about God.

Eric tells her that though he intends to return eventually to the China mission, he feels divinely inspired when running, and that not to run would be to dishonour God, saying "I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."

The two athletes, after years of training and racing, are accepted to represent Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics in Paris.

While boarding the boat to France for the Olympics, Liddell discovers the heats for his 100-metre race will be on a Sunday. He refuses to run the race, despite strong pressure from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic Committee, because his Christian convictions prevent him from running on the Sabbath.

A solution is found thanks to Liddell's teammate Lindsay, who, having already won a silver medal in the 400 metres hurdles, offers to give his place in the 400-metre race on the following Thursday to Liddell, who gratefully agrees. Liddell's religious convictions in the face of national athletic pride make headlines around the world.

Liddell delivers a sermon at the Paris Church of Scotland that Sunday, and quotes from Isaiah 40, ending with "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Abrahams is badly beaten by the heavily favoured United States runners in the 200-metre race. He knows his last chance for a medal will be the 100 metres. He competes in the race, and wins.

Before Liddell's race, the American coach remarks dismissively to his runners that Liddell has little chance of doing well in his now, far longer, 400 metre race. But one of the American runners, Jackson Scholz, hands Liddell a note of support, quoting 1 Samuel 2:30 "He that honors Me I will honor". Liddell defeats the American favourites and wins the gold medal.

The British team returns home triumphant. As the film ends, onscreen text explains that Abrahams married Sybil and became the elder statesman of British athletics. Liddell went on to missionary work in China. All of Scotland mourned his death in 1945 in Japanese-occupied China.

Some of the greatest movies of our time are real life stories. They inform us of values and of man’s achievements against all odds.

I was completely taken up by the movie ‘Chariots of Fire’. Since seeing the movie, I began running very frequently to stay fit. In fact, I ran from the movie theatre to the suburban railway station to catch my 6.43.

In Bombay, people are always running. Not quite sure why that is so. Is it because they have long distances to go? Is it because they have memorized the fast train timings (5.13 pm)?

They know that if they make the 5.13, the journey will be more comfortable. They will meet their card playing friends. Others hope to finish their assignment of the evening – cutting the vegetables in the train for the evening dinner. Yet, others finish their knitting work.

People in Bombay (now Mumbai) work to the second. Their life revolves around the timing of their preferred train and bus. When trains are missed by seconds, the wait for the next Borivali fast train, ten minutes later, can feel eternal; the surge of crowds that ten minutes wait can generate, infernal.  

On Sundays it is much easier to travel by any public transport, but not significantly better. Because some of the trains (Mega-blocks) and buses are taken off for scheduled maintenance work.  

Sunday in Mumbai is truly family time. Everybody wants to be out. The homes in Mumbai are so small that out-is-better-than-in. To the beaches, parks, movies, melas, shopping, visiting friends and relatives.  

The transport system in Mumbai enables these masses of movement because the transport is a stone’s throw away from anywhere, and it is relatively inexpensive and fast.

We can see Bombay’s Sunday family connection in the Shabbat commemoration. The below reference is taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat

Shabbat or Sabbath, is Judaism's day of rest and seventh day of the week. On this day, religious Jews, Samaritans and certain Christians (such as Seventh-day Adventists, the Church of God (Seventh-Day) and Seventh Day Baptists) remember the biblical creation of the heavens and the earth in six days and look forward to a future Messianic Age.

Shabbat observance entails refraining from work activities, often with great rigor, and engaging in restful activities to honour the day.

According to halakha (Jewish religious law), Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night. Shabbat is ushered in by lighting candles and reciting a blessing.

Traditionally, three festive meals are eaten: The first one is held on Friday evening, the second is traditionally a lunch meal on Saturday and the third being held later in the afternoon. The evening meal and the early afternoon meal typically begin with a blessing called kiddush and another blessing recited over two loaves of challah. The third meal does not have the Kiddush recited but all have the two loaves. Shabbat is closed Saturday evening with a havdalah blessing.

Shabbat is a festive day when Jews exercise their freedom from the regular labors of everyday life. It offers an opportunity to contemplate the spiritual aspects of life and to spend time with family.

For Muslims the day for spiritual contemplation and finding time for devotions is Friday, for the Jews Saturday, and for the Christians Sunday. It is all so well-ordered. To work for six days – for your bread – and on the seventh day – for the ‘Bread of Life’.

The words of John the Baptist come to mind, “He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:30). The true essence of Sabbath is in proportionality.

In Mk 2:27-28, Jesus declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

This declaration followed the incident (Mk 2:23-26) when “One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grain fields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?

Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”

In Mt 12:5-14, Jesus makes a further comment on the issue of his “picking heads of grain” on Sabbath: “Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent? But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.

“If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.  For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

“Moving on from there, Jesus entered their synagogue, and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”

He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?  How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored to full use, just like the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.”

These passages indicate only one yardstick by which to judge; just one rule for Christian to follow on the Sabbath, as John the Baptist said John 3:30, “He must increase. I must decrease”.

In all that we do on Sabbath, is Jesus increasing in our life? Is Jesus increasing in the life of those we are responsible for? Is Jesus increasing in the life of those who desire to experience the words of Jesus, “I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.” (John 10:10) Is Jesus increasing in the life of those who have not heard of Jesus? Is Jesus increasing in the life of those who are captive and in bondage, because we found time to take Jesus to them?

In all this, and much more that we can do on the Sabbath, have we on this day, decreased in storing up treasures on earth "where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” (Mt 6:19).

That is the simple mathematical test of honouring the Sabbath. Honour God by taking the attention away from ourselves and our weekly pursuits.

Sunday, 03 May 2020