Having fun on Sunday

[Box_Car_Racer]

I was wondering if its ok to do stuff on Sunday like go to a skatepark or a friends house as long as you go to Church and reflect a little.

 

[Pug]

Go ahead and knock yourself out Well, not literally. You need to rest and relax and have fun, and Sunday is fine for that. Also spend some time thinking about Jesus and go to mass and eat dinner with your family, stuff like this. Skateboarding sounds like a good idea.

 

[Box_Car_Racer]

Thanks for the advice

 

[Liberian]

Box Car Racer:

I was wondering if its ok to do stuff on Sunday like go to a skatepark or a friends house as long as you go to Church and reflect a little.

Box Car Racer,

As far as I know, and if I’m wrong somebody please correct me, pretty much the only obligation for Sunday is to go to Mass. The strict “thou shalt have no fun on Sunday” commandment comes mostly from the Scottish Presbyterians and is decidedly NOT Catholic. The original Sabbath commandment was, I think, the first piece of humanitarian legislation in history and Jesus Himself said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

• Liberian

 

[threej_lc]

Liberian:

As far as I know, and if I’m wrong somebody please correct me, pretty much the only obligation for Sunday is to go to Mass. The strict “thou shalt have no fun on Sunday” commandment comes mostly from the Scottish Presbyterians and is decidedly NOT Catholic. The original Sabbath commandment was, I think, the first piece of humanitarian legislation in history and Jesus Himself said that the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

From the Catechism:

2042 The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor”) requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principle liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.82

So although you are more then free to go skateboarding, you ARE still required to abstain from servile labor.

Josh
%between%

 

[vegpotter]

Hmm…servile labor. Well, I make pottery, both for a living and for fun. So, where does that fit in? Can I work in the studio for fun if I promise not to sell what I make?

 

[Pug]

vegpotter:

Hmm…servile labor. Well, I make pottery, both for a living and for fun. So, where does that fit in? Can I work in the studio for fun if I promise not to sell what I make?

If your idea of fun is to throw a pot, then throw a pot! If it would be drag, don’t. If you think blowing up a pot doing raku sounds great, go for it.

It’s like me. I like walking through my garden, and I naturally begin to weed (KILL, KILL, Die scum weed!). Now, if the weed should be burdock, which I like to destroy, fine. However, if I am crying over my creeping charlie, which is a major job to fix (as you see, I have yet to fix it), well, then I’d wait until Monday.

 

[twistpenguin]

What if I Sunday is the only day I can work? I’m in school all week, there isn’t much other time to work other than the weekends…and I usually get the Sunday shift! I still attend Mass, teach sunday school, etc… and what about studying on Sunday?

This could be detrimental to my grades and my bank account!

 

[Pug]

WORK
If you get the Sunday shift, work on Sunday. The way our society runs, there are certain people who simply must work that day (like the sewage treatment people…its not like the flushing stops on Sunday). If you have total free choice of shift, I’d not work Sunday. But a restaurant is going to stick you with what you get, and if you complain a lot, you’ll get sacked or you’ll get put on less hours. So most likely you are stuck on the Sunday shift. You know best how it is where you work.

STUDY
Okay, since no one is saving my butt here, I’ll take a stab at answering the studying thing. If you party all week so that you must cram on Sunday, might I suggest resting on Sunday and studying the other six days. Take it from a pro…you’ll get better grades! I doubt this warning applies to you, but just in case, I said it.

As a student, your “job” of learning could require, say, doing a bit of algebra each day to build skills (trust me, small, frequent doses of math lead to better retention than massive, infrequent chunks). If it seems a good idea, study on Sunday. If you have a problem finding quiet prayer time to yourself, however, maybe you should use more of your Sunday time for that…for rebuilding your peace and quiet. A serene student will learn more anyway.

I guess I’m saying, use Sunday time to take care of your needs for spiritual refreshment, but you yourself know what balancing is required with studying and your grades. Don’t feel like you can’t study on Sunday, but do feel free to take time for yourself to be rested and reinvigorated. Sunday rest is for us, not against us.

Man, this is long…Sorry!