Some time ago we received a request here at ASecludedPlace Towers for the daily email that is part and parcel of our season of reflections to be brought forward to 6am so that the early risers among us could start their day with the reflection.
Today is a Bank Holiday. So I’m giving you all a lie in. Today’s reflection will have a time-stamp of 8am – still early for some of us! But it is a Bank Holiday, after all, and I didn’t want to get up at the crack of dawn and open up my laptop just to send this out to you at such an early hour.
Bank Holidays have a fascinating history. Official Bank Holidays were formally recognised here in the UK by an Act of Parliament in 1871. This legislation allowed banks to close on specific days, which is why they are called “Bank” Holidays. Initially, the primary purpose was to give banks a day off, but it didn’t take long for other businesses and schools to follow suit and close their doors on these days as well.
Long before formal recognition, people in the UK celebrated specific holidays tied to agriculture and rural life. May Day is a prime example. Traditionally associated with dancing around a Maypole, crowning a May Queen and celebrating rural life, it has deep historical roots. May was a busy time for farms, and May Day provided rural families with a chance to relax, celebrate and hope for good fortune for their crops and livestock.
Over time, Bank Holidays evolved beyond their original purpose. They transitioned from being solely about banks closing to becoming public holidays recognised across different industries and sectors. While the UK has eight public holidays (one of the lowest numbers globally), each country has the right to decide how many holidays they want and when they should occur.
Bank Holidays continue to offer a chance for people to take a break, to have fun and spend time with family and friends. They are like a good bit of mindfulness care all wrapped up in a bright sunny spring day – hopefully!
However, there are still those who have to work today. Let’s be mindful of them and pray for them:
Gracious God, as we celebrate a Bank Holiday and take a pause from the routines of life, some continue to work, their duties never lost. For those who serve while others relax, we lift our voices sincerely in prayer.
For hospital staff and emergency responders; for retail staff and hospitality workers; for transport workers and key industry personnel; for police, fire service and armed services personnel; for care workers and care homes; for students preparing for exams; for all those for whom this is not a rest day, we pray.
Gracious God, on this Bank Holiday we remember them all, their hard work and dedication. May their loads be lightened, their spirits uplifted and may they find moments of grace amidst their days work. Amen.
Neil Chappell