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Keeping Holy the Sabbath
From the Catechism of the Catholic
Church:
A day of grace and rest from
work
2184
Just as God "rested on the seventh day from all
his work which he had done," human life has a rhythm
of work and rest. The institution of the Lord's Day helps
everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate
their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.
2185
On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful
are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that
hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the
Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and
the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs
or important social service can legitimately excuse from
the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see
to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial
to religion, family life, and health.
The charity of truth seeks holy leisure;
the necessity of charity accepts just work.
2186
Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of
their brethren who have the same needs and the same
rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty
and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by
Christian piety to good works and humble service of
the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will
also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their
families and relatives, often difficult to do on other
days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection,
silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which
furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.
2187
Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort.
Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands
on others that would hinder them from observing the
Lord's Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants,
etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.),
require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone
should still take care to set aside sufficient time
for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful
will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence
sometimes associated with popular leisure activities.
In spite of economic constraints, public authorities
should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and
divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation
toward their employees.
2188
In respecting religious liberty and the common good of
all, Christians should seek recognition of Sundays
and the Church's holy days as legal holidays. They
have to give everyone a public example of prayer, respect,
and joy and defend their traditions as a precious contribution
to the spiritual life of society. If a country's legislation
or other reasons require work on Sunday, the day should
nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance
which lets us share in this "festal gathering," this "assembly
of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven."
Shoppin' on the Lord's Day, a little
Q&A
Questions
by Flora Nomenora; Answers by Cora Nopanorah
Sources—The Holy Bible; The Catechism of the Catholic
Church
Q: Is it a sin to shop on Sundays?
A: Yes, most of the time it
is a sin to shop on Sundays. It is not a sin
to purchase something on a Sunday if it is absolutely
necessary such as medicine, food, gas.
Q: Why is it a sin to shop on Sundays?
A: Well, it might be easiest
to understand this if we first define sin. The
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition defines sin as “deliberate
disobedience to the known will of God”.
Shopping, therefore, offends God because He has
very clearly asked us to rest on Sundays.
Q: Is it an offense against God to shop
on Sundays if I find it relaxing?
A: There is no such thing
as "relaxed shopping."
Q: No, seriously, I love to shop! It is
one of my most favorite things to do, and I find
it very relaxing and satisfying. I mean, I don't
have a license plate frame that says, "I'd
rather be shopping at Nordstrom" or anything,
but I really would rather be shopping than doing
anything on earth.
A: No, seriously, it
is a sin to shop on Sundays—ESPECIALLY if
you find it relaxing and more enjoyable than anything
on earth!
Q: But it's the new millennium, didn't
God "lift the ban" once all the stores
started opening their doors on Sundays?
A: Oh, no no no no no, Sweet
Girl, God did not rewrite Exodus and the Gospel
series. Had He, I'm sure we would have seen
it on Primetime Live with Elizabeth
Vargas.
Q: You are just saying that because you
hate shopping, aren't you?
A: No, at times I find the
temptation very great myself.
Q: How do you control yourself?
A: Well, it’s kind of
crazy, but I’ve actually had to train my
mind to believe that all retail establishments
are closed on Sundays thus forcing myself to
get shopping done before Sunday.
Q: But what if it I still don’t
think it’s sinful if I’m doing it
for my own enjoyment?
A: If that's the case, try
thinking of it like this: your shopping on
Sundays is making someone else have to work
on Sundays.
Q: Oh, wow, I never thought about it like
that, Cora.
A: Yeah, I know, it took me
a while to figure out, too.
Q: But, golly, what if everyone closed
their doors on Sundays?
A: Well, we'd probably just
have a lot more people able to focus on God
and family.
Q: But Cora, you know that Forrest and
I have to keep our grocery store open on Sundays!
Don't we have to stay competitive?
A: Flora, I know it seems
scary, but you can rest assured that all God can do
is reward you for your faithfulness to Him. He
really meant it when he said “be not afraid” and
would never in a million years command something
of His little ones without offering His help. We
must simply Trust Him.
Q: Wait! WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING?
Am I exempt because it's for Christmas?
A: Hopefully, my dear friend,
Flora, you will come to love Jesus so much
that the last thing you will want to do is
shop on His big day!
Q: Boy, keeping the Sabbath Day holy is
really hard, isn't it?
A: Flora Nomenora, you think
this is hard? Girlfriend, you wouldn't have
lasted a day in the sandals of a Jew before
Christ came along. Praise Him for the New Covenant!
Playin' Golf on the Lord's Day,
a little Q&A
Questions by Forrest
Nomenora; Answers
by Cora Nopandorah
Sources—The Holy Bible; The Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Q: Is it a sin to golf on
Sundays?
A: It is not a sin to golf on
Sundays unless...
Q: "Unless..." I
knew it, I knew, I knew it! There's always an "unless" with
you, Cora! You are just no fun. I mean it, why
do you have to be such a party pooper?
A: I am a "party
pooper" because I love you; you asked the
question, and I don't want to lie to you.
Q: All right, what's your
answer? Why might it be a sin to golf on Sundays?
A: Well, one way that playing
golf on Sundays can be sinful is if it is a
habit.
Q: What do you mean? Like
if it is an addiction?
A: Not exactly. More like
if you have a family, but every Sunday you
leave them at home while you play with your
buddies. That is when it is sinful.
Q: What if they don't want
to play?
A: It doesn't matter.
Q: What if I find it relaxing?
A: Are you serious? Forrest,
you know I used to own a golf course! Why was
booze our biggest money maker if golf is already
so relaxing?
Q: What if it refreshes my
relationship with God?
A: Oh, you mean like when
you hit a tree and your ball goes into a swamp
and you say, "Oh, my God, You are so good,
look at the beautiful trees You have created
and the water and..."?
Q: You think you're pretty
funny, don't you?
A: Yeah, kinda.
Q: All right, what if the
whole family wants to come and we go as a family?
A: That's a much better idea.
Q: But that still means that
people have to work because we want to play.
How ya gonna skirt around that one, Cora?
A: I'm not. You are right
and it is true—finding a family activity
that does not involve making someone else have
to work would be best.
Q: Wow, Cora, that seems
like a very fine line, doesn't it?
A: Yes, and what I would suggest
you do is open your Catechism of the Catholic
Church to Articles 2184-2188.
Noting especially Article 2187.
I think this will help you understand what
I'm trying to explain.
Q: Cora, you are nuts, you
know that?
A: Yes, but thank you for reminding
me. God never wanted the world to lose its sense
of the holiness of Sunday, but it has. By doing
these little things, one by one, we can help
Him change the culture and bring Sunday back
to what He intended it to be for us. Sunday is
a gift—let's open it.
REDISCOVER THE MYSTERY AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF SUNDAY
29-November-2004 -- EWTNews Brief
REDISCOVER THE MYSTERY AND SIGNIFICANCE
OF SUNDAY, SAYS POPE
VATICAN CITY, Vatican, November 29 (CNA) - Speaking
yesterday from his balcony overlooking St. Peter's
square before praying the Angelus, Pope John Paul
II urged Christians to rediscover 'with new strength
the meaning of Sunday: its 'mystery,' the value of
its celebration, its significance for the Christian
and human life."
His words referred to the theme of the 24th Italian
National Eucharistic Congress which will be held
in May 2005, which is "Without Sunday, We Cannot
Live," which he asked all Italian's to prepare
for by rediscovering Sunday.
He also mentinoned that yesterday, the first Sunday
of Advent, was the first day of the new liturgical
year "during which we will contemplate with
particular fervor the face of Christ present in the
Eucharist."
"Jesus, Incarnate Word, who died and rose from
the dead, is the center of history," said the
Holy Father. "The Church adores Him and discovers
in Him the ultimate and unifying meaning of all the
mysteries of faith: the love of God that gives life."
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