Does this break the 3rd Commandment?

[Goriettigirl14]

Hi,

I am a teenage girl, and babysit for a few families in my neighborhood. I don’t have a formal job, so babysitting is a good way to make money. I was asked to babysit for a family, and they said that they were flexible on times this weekend (Saturday and Sunday). I have a large chunk of my Sunday open, and offered to babysit then. I somewhat enjoy babysitting, but it would also be nice to have a Sunday afternoon to relax and spend time with my family… is babysitting on a Sunday considered work that breaks the 3rd Commandment?

Also, my siblings play sports and my mom signed up for a volunteer shift tomorrow (Sunday) from 9-1 AM at a tournament, and I am going to do this shift. It sounds like I will be behind the tournament t-shirt table, which isn’t super hard work, but there ARE other things I would rather be doing…

So, in short, assuming that I still get to Mass and find some time on Sunday to relax, is it alright if I babysit and go do the volunteer shift on a Sunday?

Thank you, and God bless!

Goriettigirl14

 

[JimR-OCDS]

In short, yes you can babysit and do volunteer work on Sunday.

Servile work is generally doing unnecessary work to serve greed or other selfish desires.

Keeping the day holy means going to Mass, but also being engaged with others you love.

God Bless
Jim

 

[RPRPsych]

Hi,

I am a teenage girl, and babysit for a few families in my neighborhood. I don’t have a formal job, so babysitting is a good way to make money. I was asked to babysit for a family, and they said that they were flexible on times this weekend (Saturday and Sunday). I have a large chunk of my Sunday open, and offered to babysit then. I somewhat enjoy babysitting, but it would also be nice to have a Sunday afternoon to relax and spend time with my family… is babysitting on a Sunday considered work that breaks the 3rd Commandment?

Also, my siblings play sports and my mom signed up for a volunteer shift tomorrow (Sunday) from 9-1 AM at a tournament, and I am going to do this shift. It sounds like I will be behind the tournament t-shirt table, which isn’t super hard work, but there ARE other things I would rather be doing…

So, in short, assuming that I still get to Mass and find some time on Sunday to relax, is it alright if I babysit and go do the volunteer shift on a Sunday?

Thank you, and God bless!

Goriettigirl14

As Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”.

He also had stern words for those who thought doing good works was “breaking the Sabbath”, and made it a point to heal the sick on that very day to prove His case.

By babysitting and doing the volunteer shift, you are helping others and giving them some of your time. I see nothing wrong in that, and I doubt very much that the Church does.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

The Sabbath is Saturday. Sunday is known to Christians as the Lords day, which our obligation is to worship. We are not bound to the Jewish law of the Sabbath. On Sunday, We are allowed to do the things you’ve described.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

As others have noted, neither sports nor babysitting violates the teaching to avoid servile work on Sunday. However, a sports tournament 9-1 on a Sunday? I would lobby against this scheduling, which seems designed to distract people from Church attendance. Perhaps suggest this to your parents?