More From Ricardo Alvelo

My practice of Sabbath rest has not shifted from what I originally wrote, as my wife, Anna, and I just cooked a hearty breakfast with pancakes and all the fixings this past weekend. Scripture reflection and prayer were interwoven through our day, accompanied by watching movies with friends, going out for dinner, and having late-night conversations full of laughter and time catching up. Connection with God and theological reflection happened in all of it, not just in the dedicated time reading scripture or praying. Since I work in a local university, our school year just finished, leaving me weary and ready to recover from the work the last eight months required. As the desire to rest after hard work is universal, my friends and I greatly enjoyed our time together.

We all need time to find a respite from the last week, last season, and sometimes even the last year we have encountered! I rarely find a colleague or friend that expresses the desire to work more once the weekend comes. Since I became an adult, got married, and moved into our first home, my time continues to be spread at an almost break-neck pace. I know some of you reading this may chuckle at my young naiveness, but things feel like they constantly change week by week. The inspiration for writing this meditation on the practice of Sabbath came from fellow believers like Tish Harrison Warren and J.K. Smith, who write frequently on our weekly rhythms and routines as believers. They aim to show how all our lives can be dedicated to God—the ordinary moments of life and the extraordinary moments. 

Growing up, I used to think that Sunday and Wednesday moments in church were the primary holy moments of the week and that the rest of our moments were recognized by God and us, but not as much (or, dare I say, as “holy”) as the moments when the church gathers. I would soon learn I was wrong. God reveals himself to us intimately daily. Considering that, I always crave Saturdays. Holy moments of communion with God through the practice of sabbath rest occur as pancakes, bacon, and hot tea become the backdrop for reflection on the faithfulness of God. They teach me to, as scholar Beth Felker Jones has said, “lean on the infinite love of God” since I am a finite being. I hope and pray you continue to seek moments of sabbath rest in your weekly routine as a response of worship to God, who sustains us and is worthy of our adoration.