by Rev. Carla Aday, Executive Minister
“The seventh day is like a palace in time with a kingdom for all” wrote the Jewish mystic Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Sabbath, the seventh day, was distinguished from all of the other days because on this day God created “tranquility, serenity, peace and repose.” Rather than doing more, we are invited to revel in the joy of life on the seventh day. In our culture that prizes busyness, it can be challenging to carve out time to pause; to savor the sacred beauty and wonder of life. How do we find time for worship, for family, for renewing our souls? Where is that “palace in time” in your life?
Sabbatical is based on the word “Sabbath.” I eagerly await the sabbatical that the Personnel Committee has approved for me from June 1-Sept 1. I am tempted to read every new theological book, research every new church trend and visit every cutting edge faith community. But I am trying to remember what Heschel said, that the Sabbath is a time to discover a “palace in time.”
When I begin to talk about sabbatical, my husband gives me a funny look. “I’ve worked for 35 years and I have never had a sabbatical” he says with words that are tinged with anger and dripping with envy. His resentment is understandable. We all long for freedom, the same freedom that those ancient followers of God sought when they escaped slavery in Egypt and fashioned a new way of life with God that included “Sabbath rest” every seven days.
I am grateful that my husband supports my sabbatical journey and even more grateful that our church sends its pastors out every seven years to renew. Heschel writes “Labor is a craft but perfect rest is an art.” My prayerful hope is that my time of sabbatical will not only restore me, but also empower me to faithfully lead our church to connect with the sacred one we name God.
Your prayers for a safe journey are appreciated. I begin with the last section of the pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain, following in the footsteps of St. James and millions of pilgrims over thousands of years. I will also spend time volunteering with Mediterranean Hope, a refugee resettlement arm of the church with outposts in Sicily and Lampedusa. (Learn more about Mediterranean Hope here: http://tinyurl.com/med-hope) There will be time for reading, family reunions, prayer. But more than anything, I pray that all of us will glimpse a bit of that “palace in time” where all are included in God’s kingdom.
Carla
