35- The day of the lord

 

St-Takla.org Image: Jesus in heaven with Saints, by T. Sawsan, modern Coptic art صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: السيد المسيح مع القديسين في السماء - رسم تاسوني سوسن، فن قبطي حديث

Keeping the day of the Lord holy is an old commandment. The Jews carried it out literally, obeying the Lord’s saying: “but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work” (Ex 20:10).

Literally, it means that you do no work in it at all.

As for the spirit, it is a Sabbath of the Lord, which means rest for the Lord. In it God rests with you and His children also rest.

That is what the spiritual man does, as he finds his rest in giving rest to people. He also finds his heart’s rest with God by the good deed which makes his conscience rest , concerning himself and others. By doing that, the day becomes a Sabbath, which means rest, according to both the linguistic and the spiritual meaning of the word...

This point was a subject of an argument between the Lord Jesus Christ and the Jews:

“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?” (Mt 12:10,12)

The answer of the Lord was yes, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath because doing good gives people comfort and that is the spirit of the commandment...

Then do not restrict yourself to the letter, which is to do no work at all, even if it was good...!!

By that you give rest to yourself but not to people.