Defending the Sunday Obligation

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Hi everyone how can I defend the Sunday obligation to attend mass to a relative. Thanks in advance
 
Based in Ten Commandments … to remember Sabbath and keep it holy
 
The Church that Christ established has observed the Lord’s Day, Sunday, the day of the resurrection, as the primary day of rest, worship, and celebrating the Eucharist from time immemorial, from the beginnings of our faith IOW. This holds true with any of the ancient Churches with direct lineages to the origins of Christianity, in both the east and west. While Saturday was generally still observed as the Sabbath, Sunday, the 1st day, was held in highest esteem by the earliest Christians with Saturday always taking a second and inferior position to Sunday as the Christian holiest of days, with Sunday now fulfilling its purpose as well. And this is corroborated by early church fathers and other early writings. From the catechism:

2175 Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ’s Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man’s eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ:107

Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord’s Day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death.108 [St Ignatius of Antioch]

More from the catechism here:
http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2c1a3.htm#2175
 
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@1ke No not a Catholic and doesn’t appear to have much of a relationship with Christ but I can’t judge their internal disposition
 
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The first Christians went to the Temple or synagogue on the Sabbath to do as their Lord did and spread the gospel.

On Sunday they gathered around the breaking of bread.

I doubt they concerned themselves with which of the two to sanction. They did both Sabbath and the Lord’s Day.

Eventually Christians weren’t welcome at synagogue’s. They could no longer participate in the Sabbath.

The Holy Spirit revealed in this way that their Sunday gathering would meet the Sabbath obligation.
 
truthseeker said:
ow can I defend the Sunday obligation to attend mass to a relative.
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Why defend something that you choose to do? Do you attend church because you have to or because you want to? Do you attend because of your faith? If you believe in God, then there is no need to defend anything.

It is your relative that should be defending his/her choice not to participate in Sunday worship.
 
@1ke @Adamek It’s probably more like justifying it in a way a non catholic would understand they don’t get why I am obligated to go. They say Jesus didn’t say you have to go to church on Sunday
 
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truthseeker said:
Hi everyone how can I defend the Sunday obligation to attend mass to a relative. Thanks in advance
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Exodus 20:8-11
Matthew 5:17

Psalm 91
1 A psalm of a canticle on the sabbath day.
2 It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High.
3 To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night:
4 Upon an instrument of ten strings, upon the psaltery: with a canticle upon the harp.
5 For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings: and in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice.
6 O Lord, how great are thy works! thy thoughts are exceeding deep.
7 The senseless man shall not know: nor will the fool understand these things.
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truthseeker said:
Hi everyone how can I defend the Sunday obligation to attend mass to a relative.
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1st would be to discern why you keep to the obligation then explain that in a way (s)he would understand.

For me I see the Mass as Jesus washing our feet. We are affected by the world we live in much more than we affect the world. We fall short of God’s glory, constantly.

Through the communal confession & absolution of the Mass, those venial sins are forgiven. So if you go regularly you’re only ever bothered with a week of venial sins on your soul.

Then the Lord feeds you through scripture, psalms, & hymns.

Then we rightly & justly minister to the Lord Our God offering Him the perfect gift of His only begotten Son, for the forgiveness of our sins & those of the whole world.

Pray, hope, & don’t worry
 
We have to keep Holy the Lord’s Day. The Church’s disciplines help us to follow God’s laws. Since the best way to keep Holy the Lord’s Day is to worship at the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the Church requires we do so if we are able.
 
truthseeker said:
That Jesus didn’t say you must go to church every Sunday so why should you
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See my post above as to why it’s a good thing. As for this question, Jesus told us to obey the Commandments and He appointed shepherds in the Church to help us do this. He also said of those He sent “he who hears you, hears me” and gave them the keys to the kingdom and the powers of binding and losing. He told Peter to tend his sheep.

The point of a shepherd is the lead the flock to the good pastures, that is, to faith and love of God and neighbor through obedience to the commandments. The Sunday Obligation is the means by which our shepherds, sent by Christ, ensure the flocks obey a commandment and give God the worship due Him.

Why would one refuse to give God due worship at the means of worship established by Christ on the day Christ rose? How would this not be a sin?
 
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Our obligation to attend Mass on Sundays is a church discipline, a rule made up by church leaders for our spiritual good. Sacred Scripture says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account.” (Hebrews 13:17a)
 
@Adamek The objection is that we are obligated to attend Sunday mass we are not obligated to do those things you’ve listed even though they are important 🙂
 
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