Jesus Christ

One of the areas in which Jesus took a strong stand was on the treatment of the Sabbath day. From the beginning, man had been commanded to treat the Sabbath as a holy day, but in His time, this was really not being done. Instead of considering the purpose of the Sabbath, they had made up all sorts of random rules people had to memorize and follow. For instance, they could only tie a knot if it could be untied with one hand. This sort of random nonsense did not help people focus on the purpose of the Sabbath day.

The Sabbath is a time of rest from the responsibilities of the world. It’s a time to reflect on the Savior and to develop our relationship with Him. Mormons teach several guidelines for helping members decide what is an appropriate way to observe the Sabbath. They first ask if it is restful. To make this possible, they spend a portion of Saturday preparing for the Sabbath-preparing clothing, tidying the house, filling the car with gas, and doing any necessary shopping. This leaves only essential daily chores such as caring for young children and preparing simple meals to be accomplished on the Sabbath.

Another question they ask themselves is if it helps them to draw closer to God. This might mean they spend time reading scriptures, praying, writing in their journals, and studying their church lessons. It’s a time for quiet reflection. It is not a time for sports, hunting, cleaning up the house extensively, or visiting a museum.

Mormons ask if their actions will serve another person. Many members spend a portion of their Sabbath visiting an elderly person, writing letters to a serviceman, or entertaining a small child so a single parent can rest for a few hours. Because the Mormons have a lay church, nearly everyone has church work to do, and much of this can be done on the Sabbath as well, so members teach classes, prepare lessons, and perform other services for God.

They strive for a peaceful atmosphere throughout their Sabbath Day. To achieve this, they play only spiritual music and bring out special quiet toys for children. Activities for children are chosen to help them feel calm and peaceful. Even conversation is respectful and appropriate for a holy day.

Mormons don’t shop on the Sabbath, because they’re advised to avoid causing others to have to work.

Jesus Christ was criticized for healing someone on the Sabbath Day. He reminded his critics Sabbath was made for the man. It’s a time to serve God and to build our relationship with Him. Certainly, serving a person in need reflects that goal. The Savior was reminding us not to get so caught up in thinking of meaningless rules that the meaning of the day is lost. However, He also wanted us to use the day in meaningful ways. Today, for many, church is followed by non-spiritual play and the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy has been lost. The Savior reminds us that the Sabbath was given to us as a gift that we must not squander.