Please read the passage before the commentary.
It is Labor Day, and Jesus has entered a synagogue on the Sabbath. He has asked the question of what the Sabbath means. On the Sabbath is Jesus allowed to “work” by healing a person with a withered hand?
The Sabbath is a sign of God’s way of being. God rested on the seventh day of creation. God gave us the Sabbath rest because of our dignity as humans. We are free from the work of slaves on the Sabbath. We are free to be alive on the Sabbath. We celebrate life by being free from work.
While it is true that we need to work as human beings, and that we express ourselves by the work we, it is also true that we need to express ourselves in leisure time. Work should not dominate our lives, but we should dominate the work. God rested on the seventh day.
We have added holidays to our schedules and we take off from work on days such as Labor Day to celebrate our human dignity as free people. While some have to work so others can celebrate, we who are free from labor today should be mindful of those who support us by their jobs.
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