European Christian Worker Movement (ECWM) expresses its full support to all the initiatives taking place on 3rd March that is the International Day of Free Sunday. ECWM considers very important to keep free Sunday of dispensable work, since it must be a day off from ordinary professional work because it has healthy effects by several reasons. In addition, it is a sacred day for us as Christians.
We consider a work-free Sunday as an occasion to reconcile professional and family life, since it provides adequate time for dedicating to family and the strengthening of good social relations that are essential for living together favourable humanly. In our times, in the age of growing individualism and selfishness, free Sunday can build bridge among people, help them to relate more and be more interested for the others’ lives, forgetting themselves and thinking more about people’s needs. This fact is particularly important for the healthy development of families whose role in the social development is fundamental.
Historically, free Sunday is a part of structure created by man for thousands of years which has been kept in several cultures and has still its original meaning of providing the person with a normal important rest for a whole development of personality. Free Sunday helps man to reflect deeply about the past and the future, it allows him a more detached vision about himself and the discernment between what is the most and the least important. From the physiologic point of view, free Sunday is an opportunity to recover strength and then to go on working with a renewed motivation.
Finally, work-free Sunday is very important for spiritual life of person, since, in this way, he pays homage to the Creator who has destined this day for resting. Sunday also remembers the Resurrection of God’s son that is the supreme reason of joy for Christians and it must be, therefore, considered sacred day.
So, we consider free Sunday as an unique occasion for people, their families and, in short, for the whole society. We invite, therefore, all the people who know how to value well time and do not forget the fundamental thing. We demand to all responsible people (entrepreneurs, politicians, people in public life) that enable an integral human development of people for a greater good of society.
Nebovidy (Czech Republic), 12th February, 2019
Petr Koutný, EWCM President
