Keeping the Lord's Day Holy

[Catholig]

Hello everyone -

I’m posting this here instead on the Traditional Latin forum, because I’m afraid everyone’ll say “you can’t do anything” and “to do x,y,&z is sinful”.

Anyway, as the title said I need help understanding what it means to keep the Lord’s Day holy, because, while I talked with a priest concerning it, I didn’t really understand. He basically said that you should refrain from those things you do every day, but that you can still go grocery shopping if you need to. He said that some shopping can be recreational and is alright. He also said that getting photos developed could be done another day…

Ultimately, I’m pretty confused. I’m probably using this as a cop out, but if you go to Mass then aren’t you “keeping the Lord’s day”?

Catholig

 

[LilyM]

Hello everyone -

I’m posting this here instead on the Traditional Latin forum, because I’m afraid everyone’ll say “you can’t do anything” and “to do x,y,&z is sinful”.

Anyway, as the title said I need help understanding what it means to keep the Lord’s Day holy, because, while I talked with a priest concerning it, I didn’t really understand. He basically said that you should refrain from those things you do every day, but that you can still go grocery shopping if you need to. He said that some shopping can be recreational and is alright. He also said that getting photos developed could be done another day…

Ultimately, I’m pretty confused. I’m probably using this as a cop out, but if you go to Mass then aren’t you “keeping the Lord’s day”?

Catholig

Going to Mass is the primary obligation on the Lord’s Day, of course. And for some who need to work or need to get other essential things done on Sundays it may be the only difference with any other weekday.

But the idea is that we should make Sunday - the whole day, not just Mass time - different from other days, more focused on God. And the truth is most people can do so, but are just too lazy to make the slight extra effort needed during the week to, for example, have most or all of the cooking, shopping and household chores done before time. As good as it is to do these things, they all distract us from God, who should be our primary focus.

Your priest is well-meaning, but when the Catechism (and the Bible for that matter) refers to the Sabbath being a day of rest and relaxation they DON’T mean secular rest or relaxation, such as recreational shopping. Rather it refers to a resting in God - recharging our spiritual batteries, devoting our attention as entirely as possible to Him. Since we are so distracted from Him by our work and secular pursuits during the week.

So the idea is to spend the day doing things that nourish your spiritual life and not just doing things that please your senses. We can spend more time in prayer apart from the Mass. Or reading scripture or spiritual works. Visiting with family and friends, or doing works of mercy (volunteering somewhere, for example). We can turn off the secular TV shows or music or what have you - watch or listen to EWTN or something a bit more spiritual.

Work if you need to. Do housework, errands or shopping if need be (some things can’t wait). But leave that which can, and try to do these things during the week so you DON’T spend Sundays on 'em.