How do you observe the day of rest?

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How do you mark Sunday as a holy day? (Other than going to mass… Obviously) What do you think constitutes as unnecessary work? Do you have any Sunday traditions?

My family is still figuring out how to have a day of rest. We try not to spend money on Sundays, but we often fail at this resolve. Also, I often procrastinate on chores until Sunday, which I am also working on. In the past we have done Bible Study or get-togethers with friends on Sunday. And we often do a family outing to a park after mass.
 
With toddlers running around and mouths to feed and dishes to wash, there isn’t any such thing as a day of rest for a stay at home mom.

I don’t do anything particularly strenuous on Sunday. Maybe a load of laundry here or there. Mostly we hang out as a family.
 
I live alone. I go to Mass, maybe go for a walk, read some good books or watch a movie.
 
In the “Ask an Orthodox Jew” topic I asked about observing the sabbath. Read these two responses for some inspiration:
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Answers from an Orthodox Jew Non-Catholic Religions
The Sabbath is one of the most important commandments and also includes some of the most serious topics of Jewish law. For a Jew to violate the Sabbath is, in the teachings of the Talmudic sages, tantamount to idol worship. That is because the Sabbath is a testimony to God’s creation of the world. At home, the lady of the house makes a blessing and lights at least two candles, but often more, shortly before sunset on Friday in honor of the Sabbath. After we return from the synagogue that even…
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Answers from an Orthodox Jew Non-Catholic Religions
It is very important for men to attend the synagogue to pray with a quorum (minyan) and hear the public reading from the Torah scroll, which can only be done in the presence of 10 men. Women choose to attend if they wish. In my community, many women with small children at home do not choose to attend and instead pray at home, some more and some less. There are three prayers every day of the week, and four on the Sabbath: Evening (Maariv), Morning (Shacharith), Additional (Mussaf, this is only …
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I think reading about how Orthodox Jewish people observe the Sabbath is what got me thinking about how I wanted to observe it differently (or at all. haha…)

The fact that they don’t use electricity is super cool/hardcore, and sometimes I feel like that might be a good idea for those of us who are too plugged in.
 
I can completely identify with this. I stay home with our 3.5 and 2 year olds, so there isn’t a lot of down time… My husband and I try to switch off parenting duties on Sunday so the other can rest a little bit though.
 
Ebastill said:
The fact that they don’t use electricity is super cool/hardcore, and sometimes I feel like that might be a good idea for those of us who are too plugged in.
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My spiritual director once suggested an “electronic sabbath” – avoid all electronic devices one day a week. (And he specified that he didn’t mean trading the computer for the TV, but avoiding them all.) When I looked at him in absolute horror he suggested a mini-sabbath – maybe a few hours each week without electronics. I tried it for a while, but found it more frustrating than uplifting. Which probably says something about addiction, but I’ll skip over that.
 
I’m going to put in a plug for the show S’rugim, which is a TV show set in Jerusalem, about young single folks. It’s extremely interesting to see how they observe the Sabbath, and lots of other things! Available on Amazon prime video if you are interested.
 
I don’t do servile work, work done by servants, on Sunday.
Nothing that works up a sweat.
 
I have breakfast and a time of relaxation until time to leave for Mass. After mass I have a light lunch and then take a nap. After the nap there is usually some stuff that has to be done (our trash pickup is on Monday mornings, for example), but after that we usually spend the evening relaxing in the living room. We seldom eat out or do any shopping.

D
 
Who are these “servants” of whom you speak? If that’s your rule of thumb - not to do work done by “servants” - presumably you don’t cook on Sundays, as those who have “servants” presumably have their meals prepared by their kitchen staff. And the term “servile work” does not appear in the current Code of Canon Law. The Church does not forbid “working up a sweat” on Sundays.
 
For me, out of all the days of the week,
“ The day of rest “ passes the fastest 🤨
Then it’s the rude awakening of the Monday morning alarm clock squawk !
 
I usually go four wheeling or take my boat out and relax on the river.
 
I would not expect it to show up in Canon Law. Today it would be if you had the money what work would you have servants do? Usually manual labor. Since you have to eat you can cook. I will have to see what the Catechism has to say.
 
We are to avoid servile labor. Best excuse ever for setting that honey-do list aside! Some stay off the web, do no shopping except for food, they read and reflect on scripture such as lectio divina, pray pray pray. Ponder that this day was made by God for you. That in itself is amazing. Contemplative prayer can be especially helpful when one realizes just how much God loves us.
 
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i wish i were more reverent of sunday

i go to the supermarket saturday afternoon

scramble to get to 5 pm vigil mass on saturday

try to get get some sleep

wake up Sunday am & reminded by my wife of all of the the things i forgot to buy in the supermarket on saturday

so back i go

then my children & grandchildren show up on Sunday expecting a fine meal
so, rush, rush to put that together…
 
To be honest I’m really bad at observing the Sabbath.

Usually, I take my nephew to church and then we’ll go home and have a nap usually until about 4pm. Then I drive him to McDonald’s and we get an ice cream, and I’ll drive him home to his mom and dad. After that I’ll stop into work and see if they need a hand with anything. I just find where I’m working to be a relaxing job, and if I show up without being scheduled they’ll give me something to do just to help the next shift because I do not work Monday’s either.
 
I’m glad I live with my parents while I’m in college, because I’m always home for Italian Sunday Dinner. My uncles and grandparents come over. There’s music, plenty of food, and laughter from old family stories. I don’t have much time between the end of Mass and when I have to help start supper, so before mass I pray the Rosary in Latin and when I get home I watch Scripture & Tradition with Fr Mitch Pacwa on EWTN.
 
every once in a blue moon i can make the 35 mile journey to the local Marian shrine;

between the time it takes to go to confession & mass ( and as i’ve said) i already went to the saturday vigil

that pretty much wipes out sunday
 
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