Avoiding "Servile" work on Sundays

[billpenn]

Good morning to all!

The Baltimore Catechism # 2 defines servile work as work, “which requires labor of body rather than of mind.”

Bearing this in mind, I would suppose that doing any work from home on Sunday - I am an accountant, so none of it requires “labor of body” is permissable.

Taking it further, painting a room, putting in a new window or cleaning my house would not be permissible - unless these were required immediately out of some emergency…

…BUT, does the catechism make reference to PAID labor of body and not unpaid labor…or just any kind of bodily labor?

If UNPAID (“around the house” sorts of things) are included, how far does this extend? When I go grocery shopping, I have to load up the car, unload the car and then carry bags up a flight of stairs…is this prohibited since it involves bodily labor?

Opinions?

 

[Island_Oak]

Say you have a project on your home that you’re trying to complete and the weekend provides the extra time to do so. It is not unreasonable, much less sinful to spend some time completing said project on a Sunday. I think problems arise when and if you find yourself skittering around town running errands all day, every Sunday, or out in the garage tinkering on an endless list of projects or hunting, sewing, fishing, exercising, golfing, zoning out in front of the TV or computer for hours week after week to the exclusion of spouse, children, extended family, reflection, mass attendance, etc.

 

[thistle]

Good morning to all!

The Baltimore Catechism # 2 defines servile work as work, “which requires labor of body rather than of mind.”

Bearing this in mind, I would suppose that doing any work from home on Sunday - I am an accountant, so none of it requires “labor of body” is permissable.

Taking it further, painting a room, putting in a new window or cleaning my house would not be permissible - unless these were required immediately out of some emergency…

…BUT, does the catechism make reference to PAID labor of body and not unpaid labor…or just any kind of bodily labor?

If UNPAID (“around the house” sorts of things) are included, how far does this extend? When I go grocery shopping, I have to load up the car, unload the car and then carry bags up a flight of stairs…is this prohibited since it involves bodily labor?

Opinions?

Read the full Catechism on this and you will see that asking about things like carrying a bag upstairs is just ridiculous.

CCC 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.

CCC 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.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

My grandparents made it a point to not make a profit on a Sunday and, where possible, to not do physical work that could be done on another day.

For instance, if you have to work on Sunday because a storm is coming in and your roof will leak before you can get to it otherwise, you can of course finish the roof work. You wouldn’t plan it that way, but if it really can’t be helped, it can’t be helped.

I was impressed one year when the strawberries at my grandfather’s farm needed to be picked on a Sunday, because the harvest was not finished on Saturday and the remainder of the crop would be lost if it were not taken in before a big storm arrived early in the week. He had the crop picked, but anyone who did not want to pick did not have that counted against their bonus for not missing any days of work. Moreover, he paid the pickers the full amount he got from the cannery for the berries. For him, the money he got was the same as if he’d left the crop in the field. He just felt it should be picked so that the berries and the income for those who could not afford to lose it would not be lost.

At our house, though, it is another story. My husband works in an emergency department. He doesn’t have a choice about whether to work on Sundays. We just do the best with the time he does get, very often doing something extra to get him some relaxation on Saturday night or even on Monday. Sometimes, they have a potluck at the emergency department on Sundays, too, so having to work on Sunday isn’t as bad.

My grandparents, though, would not shop or go to restaurants on a Sunday. They thought it was a habit that forced other people to work Sundays needlessly. Of course, this meant Grandma never got that as a day of rest from cooking…but they often went out on Saturday night, instead.