Mowing the Lawn on Sunday

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CrossofChrist

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Is mowing the lawn on sunday allowed by the Church? It could be done on another day but it would be easier to do it on Sunday…it’s not a huge deal if it has to be a different day, just makes life a little easier if its on Sunday.

Asking because after a brief search online I got inconclusive results.🤷
 
I would do it on another day. Not really for the Lords Day (unless there is some real necessity)

(I still remember vividly my Priest friend driving me (15-20 years ago) around his Parish area on the Lords Day and we heard a lawn mower and his comment was -that better not be one of my parishioners --they know better)
 
Mowing the lawn would count as servile work, so you should put it off for another day.
 
We avoid doing any yard work on Sundays. The only “work” we do on Sundays is housework (laundry and that sort of thing).
 
My dad always makes the argument that “cutting the grass isn’t work, it’s my hobby so I can do it on Sunday.”

But he fails to realize that cutting the grass on Sunday keeps him away from spending time with family. The Lord’s day is also for family. You can wash the dishes or was clothes and still talk to family in the house. You can’t have a conversation with family while cutting the grass.

It would be better to cut the grass on Saturday and go to the pool with the family on Sunday (after Mass) vs going to the pool on Saturday and cutting the grass on Sunday.

God bless
 
Confiteor_Deo said:
Mowing the lawn would count as servile work, so you should put it off for another day.
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In a historical context that makes sense. Peasants worked the fields around their house and thus on the Lord’s Day or on major feasts would rest from their work. What about someone today, such as myself, who spends Monday to Friday, and sometimes Saturday, in front of a laptop working? Mowing the lawn on Sunday may be an enjoyable and relaxing “break” for such people. What about mowing the lawn for the old lady next door on a Sunday? Such would obviously be an act of charity.
 
Maybe you’ve heard the adage, “Make hay while the sun shines.” I have mowed when I know that rain is expected Monday morning thru the next few days, and I try to catch it while it is dry and mowable. Otherwise, if I wait till after the rainy days for it to dry out, it is so much taller that, not only must I mow, but also rake - double work. At my age, that’s not easy! 😛
 
I don’t know: I can see both sides.

I think it may be a matter of conscience. If you feel guilty about it, don’t do it.

I know my aunt told me I shouldn’t do laundry on Sunday because of the Lord’s Day.
But she often cooked for 20 people on Sunday. Now, to me, that’s really working! 😉
 
Some work once needed doing in the yard of the parish and I asked the traditionally minded pastor if doing such work on a Sunday would be sinful. His response was simply “No.” 🤷
 
There are so many threads about this topic. There are many opinions on the topic and doesn’t seem like there is a solid answer to it. 🤷
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
There are so many threads about this topic. There are many opinions on the topic and doesn’t seem like there is a solid answer to it. 🤷
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You’re right and that’s because there is no clear cut answer.

God always looks at the heart of the person. The priest in post no. 2 couldn’t possibly know the heart of the man cutting the grass on a Sunday.

The commandment is to keep holy the Lord’s day. One could be cutting the grass and NOT keeping the Lord’s day holy because all he’s going to do all day is work and not spend time with either God or his family.

Another person could be cutting the grass, for reasons given by other posters above, and then plan to spend time with his family, his God and devote the day to keeping it “holy”.

It’s always the heart.

God bless
 
Sing with me:

“Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow”…:dancing:

And then cut it on a day other than the Lords Day…:knight2:
 
Bookcat said:
Sing with me:

“Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow”…:dancing:

And then cut it on a day other than the Lords Day…:knight2:
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What better way to honor God than to care for His creations.
I work in my yard everyday, and I can honor & praise Him as I do it. 😃
 
I have two part time jobs. They, as well as a small SS check, are all I have to live on. I barely make my bills most month. When my boss asks me to come in on a sunday for a while to work I do it, so long as I can go to high mass. I am in the choir, so we all need to be there to sing the greorian chants and polyphony. God knows we need to keep a roof over our heads. If the absolutely only day you have to mow the lawn is Sunday, then I don’t think it is a big deal. Talk to your priest about it. But that’s how mine explained the situation to me.
 
Having to mow grass most likely means you own a house or less likely rent one. If you perceive yourself as being forced to mow on Sunday because of other commitments maybe it is worth considering renting something that doesn’t require your time on Sunday’s to keep up. It might be a matter of priorities.

Another consideration is that mowing disturbs your neighbors Sunday. Leaf blowers are the worst. It wasn’t long ago where I live that no Christians would mow the grass on Sundays. But times have changed.
 
I guess that means that I, as a parish employee am sinning bigtime by working on Sunday from 9 AM to 9 AM.
My family is certainly neglected.
But my employer is God.
I am at peace.

It’s a matter of your heart, yes.
If you enjoy mowing the lawn and love God’s creation and what He has blessed you with?
Paradise God in the grass, the sunlight and the water.
Brother Sun, Sister Moon and all creation.

My feeling is that this admonition is pointed more directly at IGNORING God in Sundays.
Like those many people who don’t go to MASS because they want to play golf or pressure wash the driveway. Not putting things ABOVE God is more the lesson.
 
I mow any day that it needs to be done. Being outside in my yard is an enjoyable experience. I like hard work.

Also-- I have a reel mower. The “old fashioned” push mower, except I bought it new 3 years ago. I’ve used nothing but reel mowers for the past 16 years. No pollution or noise to disturbe the neighbors.
 
exhilo:

I rented an old farmhouse for 26 years and I had to mow the doggone lawn every week. If i waited two long, we would have had to get the farm tractor and side cutter in there to clean it up. And sometimes in the northeast where I lived, if it rained 6 days and sunday was clear, the lawn got mowed on Sunday. This discussion is getting a little legalistic. This reminds me of the hasidic ultra orthodox jews hiring goyem to turn their light switches on and off and doing their dishes because they weren’t allowed to work on the Sabbath.
 
If deciding to cut the grass on Sunday is your great occasion of near sin, or if cutting on Sunday is your greatest sin, my own thoughts are you are in pretty good spiritual shape.
 
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