The Wall Street Journal’s blog recently published a piece entitled, “Got a Case of the Mondays? Blame the Sunday Blues.” The article describes the anxiety brought on by the end of the weekend, and quotes a study reporting “8 out of 10 people feel melancholy and anxiety as the weekend winds down.” It concludes with the suggestion that “workers take extra time on Friday to prep for Monday morning and fully disconnect during the weekends so they feel fully refreshed once the week begins.”
The concept of resting on the weekend is as old the second book of Genesis: “On the seventh day God completed the work he had been doing; he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken” (Gen 2:2-3). Until recently, Sunday was regarded as a holy day and a day of rest. In reverence for the Lord’s Day, states enforced “Blue Laws.” A term first used in 18th century Connecticut, Blue Laws forbid secular activity on a Sunday. Such laws were held in place until the 1990s and can still be found in various states to a certain extent, mostly in restrictions on the purchase of alcohol and, in some states, hunting.
Instead of being illegal, Sunday labor today is required for many employees, including occupations such as public service, transit, food, construction, events, sports, entertainment, and, of course, retail. The Church recognizes that we live in a society in constant motion, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that that “traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays.” However, it maintains that “everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure” (CCC 2187).
The Catechism also states that it is the responsibility of Christians to give others “a public example of prayer, respect, and joy and defend their traditions as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of society” (CCC 2188). While God requires that we honor the Sabbath, Jesus tells us that the Sabbath was actually made for man” (Mark 2:27). It’s as much a gift to ourselves as it is a gift we offer to God.
Our culture rarely avails itself of this gift. You can even have packages delivered on Sundays now that Amazon has secured a deal with the U.S. Postal Service. Busyness breeds more busyness, and Sunday is not the only day we forget to reserve. Now Black Friday begins on Thanksgiving Day. Ironic, a day devoted to being thankful for what we have is now a day to go out and get more.
The silver lining in a 24/7 culture is that some people are finally worn out enough to take a second look at leisure. Cary Cooper, professor of organizational psychology and health at Lancaster University, says that some companies are finally starting to see the benefits of rest. He notes that constantly being plugged in doesn’t actually make people more effective: “Employees are turning up, but they’re not delivering anything.” Similarly, David Solomon, global head of investment banking at Goldman Sachs, hopes his employees will see their careers more like a “marathon than a sprint.” The global banking firm now forbids its junior analysts from entering the office from 9pm Friday to 9am Sunday.
Acclaimed psychotherapist Dr. Barton Goldsmith tells us that “every culture on the planet has at least one day of rest and recuperation.” He believes that “if you keep going at full speed every day, it can be really hard on you, both physically and mentally.” Similarly, Dr. Matthew Sleeth, former emergency room physician and author of 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life, is a firm believer in taking a “stop day.”
“We go 24/7 now, and I think it’s having health consequences.” Dr. Sleeth explained in an interview with CNN. He claims that the constant use of our stress hormones leads to anxiety, depression, and even obesity.
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Dr. Sleeth defines rest as anything that does not feel like work. So observing the Sabbath might mean reading a book for one and gardening for another. The word “Sabbath” comes from the Hebrew, “sabbat: to rest, to cease.” Without a day off we enslave our lives to constant movement, but scripture reveals the Lord’s Day as a memorial of Israel’s liberation (CCC 2170). Sunday reminds us that, unlike the Israelites in the land of Egypt, we are not slaves to work.
Just as music uses the fermata and athletes take rest days, God Himself took a day to be still. While we ask God to “bless the work of our hands,” we know that we are not defined by “doing.” Rather, as Blessed Pope John Paul II said, we are defined by the Father’s love for us. So instead of a jumpstart on Monday, let’s take back Sunday as a “festal gathering”, a day to celebrate the Father’s love that has raised Christ from the dead and allowed us to share in the “glorious freedom of the children of God.”