Non Catholic Christians and keeping the Sabbath holy

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So in Catholicism it requires us to make a good attempt at keeping the Sabbath holy. Unless you absolutely have to work, don’t do it, etc.

And I’ve had protestant Christians ask me what are you doing today?(on a Sunday) And I say nothing major really, just here at the house trying to keep the Sabbath holy. And I get sort of a funny response from that. If I could read their minds, I’m thinking they are thinking, here’s this Pharisee-esqe Catholic again trying to save himself and keep the law, etc. 😛

Both sides agree we are saved by grace, not the law. Both sides agree sin is bad and we should not do it, and make a continued effort not to. But I’m interested in Non Catholic Christians take on the Sabbath. Do you treat it like the other commandments(do not steal or murder, etc) Or is it not something you really think about?

Most people are off work on Sunday anyway and make family time which promotes unity and is part of keeping the Sabbath holy, imo. But what is your Sunday routine like if you don’t mind sharing?

And Catholic converts, has your Sunday routine changed since you converted?

Thank you and God bless.
 
I work at the parish. It’s a 12 hour day.
I have no idea what other people do, except those who enjoy the time with their spouses, families, or nature. Sounds like fun. I’m sure the Lord approves.
 
When I visited a dear friend who is a non-Catholic Christians, living in Texas, she went out of their way to ensure I made it to Mass, setting her alarm clock for an early start and accompanying me to Church. She noted that she always takes her stepmom to Mass whenever she visits.
She prays for me daily. What an awesome friend! May God bless and keep her.
Amen.
 
I don’t think you’re dealing with denominational/theological differences as much as a natural reaction to the sanctimony in your reply. Various members of my church think you ought to go twice on Sundays to church, and be sure not to do any nonessential labor, but none would respond to such a question with an answer that sounds rather holier-than-thou.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
So in Catholicism it requires us to make a good attempt at keeping the Sabbath holy. Unless you absolutely have to work, don’t do it, etc.

And I’ve had protestant Christians ask me what are you doing today?(on a Sunday) And I say nothing major really, just here at the house trying to keep the Sabbath holy. And I get sort of a funny response from that. If I could read their minds, I’m thinking they are thinking, here’s this Pharisee-esqe Catholic again trying to save himself and keep the law, etc. 😛

Both sides agree we are saved by grace, not the law. Both sides agree sin is bad and we should not do it, and make a continued effort not to. But I’m interested in Non Catholic Christians take on the Sabbath. Do you treat it like the other commandments(do not steal or murder, etc) Or is it not something you really think about?

Most people are off work on Sunday anyway and make family time which promotes unity and is part of keeping the Sabbath holy, imo. But what is your Sunday routine like if you don’t mind sharing?

And Catholic converts, has your Sunday routine changed since you converted?

Thank you and God bless.
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To clarify, the Sabbath is not on Sunday, it’s still Saturday and something apart of the old law.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
So in Catholicism it requires us to make a good attempt at keeping the Sabbath holy. Unless you absolutely have to work, don’t do it, etc.

And I’ve had protestant Christians ask me what are you doing today?(on a Sunday) And I say nothing major really, just here at the house trying to keep the Sabbath holy. And I get sort of a funny response from that. If I could read their minds, I’m thinking they are thinking, here’s this Pharisee-esqe Catholic again trying to save himself and keep the law, etc. 😛

Both sides agree we are saved by grace, not the law. Both sides agree sin is bad and we should not do it, and make a continued effort not to. But I’m interested in Non Catholic Christians take on the Sabbath. Do you treat it like the other commandments(do not steal or murder, etc) Or is it not something you really think about?

Most people are off work on Sunday anyway and make family time which promotes unity and is part of keeping the Sabbath holy, imo. But what is your Sunday routine like if you don’t mind sharing?

And Catholic converts, has your Sunday routine changed since you converted?

Thank you and God bless.
Click to expand...
I think sometimes when we post here we tell more about ourselves than the others whose minds we think we read. If you met me in the mall and asked me what I am doing today, and I replied, “oh nothing really, just walking around the mall trying not to commit adultery with my eyes”, wouldn’t I get a strange reaction from you? :shrug

Can’t see it has anything to do with church affiliation.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
So in Catholicism it requires us to make a good attempt at keeping the Sabbath holy. Unless you absolutely have to work, don’t do it, etc.

And I’ve had protestant Christians ask me what are you doing today?(on a Sunday) And I say nothing major really, just here at the house trying to keep the Sabbath holy. And I get sort of a funny response from that. If I could read their minds, I’m thinking they are thinking, here’s this Pharisee-esqe Catholic again trying to save himself and keep the law, etc. 😛
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Well, in all honesty, if that’s how you phrase it…to be honest, that comes across as condescending and judgmental.

Simply saying, “Oh, church and then family time,” would be saying the same thing, but it comes off as a less harsh response to the questioner.

I suspect the ‘funny response’ has more to do with your wording, rather than what you’re doing.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
So in Catholicism it requires us to make a good attempt at keeping the Sabbath holy. Unless you absolutely have to work, don’t do it, etc.

And I’ve had protestant Christians ask me what are you doing today?(on a Sunday) And I say nothing major really, just here at the house trying to keep the Sabbath holy. And I get sort of a funny response from that. If I could read their minds, I’m thinking they are thinking, here’s this Pharisee-esqe Catholic again trying to save himself and keep the law, etc. 😛

Both sides agree we are saved by grace, not the law. Both sides agree sin is bad and we should not do it, and make a continued effort not to. But I’m interested in Non Catholic Christians take on the Sabbath. Do you treat it like the other commandments(do not steal or murder, etc) Or is it not something you really think about?

Most people are off work on Sunday anyway and make family time which promotes unity and is part of keeping the Sabbath holy, imo. But what is your Sunday routine like if you don’t mind sharing?

And Catholic converts, has your Sunday routine changed since you converted?

Thank you and God bless.
Click to expand...
I like to make a technical correction though I know what you are trying to say. We do not have Sabbath anymore. We make Sundays holy, which is the Lord’s days.
 
Thanks for the responses so far. Didn’t get the response I was looking for, unfortunately. 😦

Yes, of course I understand the ‘Sabbath’ was not Sunday and why that is and what day we keep holy now, lol

Maybe I wasn’t so clear in OP. You’ll have to excuse me, the lack of gasoline in this state and waiting in line in 95 degree heat for something that isn’t there has caused many(including me) to temporarily lose our minds. :rotfl:

When I say just trying to keep the Sabbath Holy it’s in sort of a half hearted, jokingly way. But I still get such a response. And please understand the overall context… I am convert and we(the people I’m talking about here) have conversations about other things such as the importance of a Church with authority, etc, etc. Which of course they vehemently disagree with.

But none of that is important

I’ll ask again, a genuine question… is there any sort of emphasis on keeping Sunday holy for non Catholics out there? I know people go to Church on Sunday…but what about the rest of the day? I probably should have done this in a poll format so people can answer comfortably…

Thank you. 🙂
 
Many churches have Sunday morning services and another one in the mid afternoon or evenings. Sundays are basically a day for church-going and family dinners.
 
I was taught that Sunday was a day of worship and rest in my rural Southern Baptist home. We got up and went to Sunday School and Worship then had a dinner with the family. During the afternoon we would watch football, nap, play music, sit on the back porch and talk and whatnot. At 5:00pm we went to Training Union (which is kinda like Sunday School only we studied specific topics instead of Books of the Bible) or Royal Ambassadors, which are kinda like Baptist Boy Scouts. Then had another worship service with singing and preaching.

There were things we did not do on Sundays. Go fishing, go hunting, mow the yard or do any yard work, or do any chores around the farm that weren’t absolutely necessary.

Looking back I see that experience as both good and bad. It was good to have such a high respect and regard for Sunday as a day set aside to worship and rest. However, as I got older I realized that it made me somewhat legalistic and judgemental about those who did not have the same belief/culture that I was taught. For example, to this day I will not mow the yard on Sunday unless it is absolutely necessary and I have to fight back the urge to cringe when I see someone mowing the yard on Sunday.
 
lanman87 said:
I was taught that Sunday was a day of worship and rest in my rural Southern Baptist home. We got up and went to Sunday School and Worship then had a dinner with the family. During the afternoon we would watch football, nap, play music, sit on the back porch and talk and whatnot. At 5:00pm we went to Training Union (which is kinda like Sunday School only we studied specific topics instead of Books of the Bible) or Royal Ambassadors, which are kinda like Baptist Boy Scouts. Then had another worship service with singing and preaching.

There were things we did not do on Sundays. Go fishing, go hunting, mow the yard or do any yard work, or do any chores around the farm that weren’t absolutely necessary.

Looking back I see that experience as both good and bad. It was good to have such a high respect and regard for Sunday as a day set aside to worship and rest. However, as I got older I realized that it made me somewhat legalistic and judgemental about those who did not have the same belief/culture that I was taught. For example, to this day I will not mow the yard on Sunday unless it is absolutely necessary and I have to fight back the urge to cringe when I see someone mowing the yard on Sunday.
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Awesome!!! This is what I was I’m wondering about with non Catholics, since I was not raised in a Christian home as a youth and Sunday was just another day.🤷

Southern Baptist is a huge denomination so that helps give me a better understanding here. I have heard that in some north TX towns, they won’t sell alcohol on Sundays, so that is, in a sense, honoring the Sabbath, i suppose.
 
Overall, from the Presbyterian Church my friend gone to, and the Southern Baptist Church I used go to, and the Mennoite church my Conservative friend goes to, the verdict is that going to church is mandatory for any “Conservative” denominations.

The difference is the degree regarding “keeping Sabbath holy”, ie not to do extra work. Ironically Catholics has the easiest, as all the others have additional fellowship and small group that is implied or explicit mandatory.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
Thanks for the responses so far. Didn’t get the response I was looking for, unfortunately. 😦

Yes, of course I understand the ‘Sabbath’ was not Sunday and why that is and what day we keep holy now, lol

Maybe I wasn’t so clear in OP. You’ll have to excuse me, the lack of gasoline in this state and waiting in line in 95 degree heat for something that isn’t there has caused many(including me) to temporarily lose our minds. :rotfl:

When I say just trying to keep the Sabbath Holy it’s in sort of a half hearted, jokingly way. But I still get such a response. And please understand the overall context… I am convert and we(the people I’m talking about here) have conversations about other things such as the importance of a Church with authority, etc, etc. Which of course they vehemently disagree with.

But none of that is important

I’ll ask again, a genuine question… is there any sort of emphasis on keeping Sunday holy for non Catholics out there? I know people go to Church on Sunday…but what about the rest of the day? I probably should have done this in a poll format so people can answer comfortably…

Thank you. 🙂
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Hi there

I think you got some pretty interesting responses. Either not seeing the actual question or try and “p(name removed by moderator)oint” a technical error (without answering the question although it is sooooooooooooo obvious what was meant) and flow with that. 😊

From my side I grew up keeping the “Sabbath Holy”. What that exactly means is probably a difference, or not. Go to church by all means. I attended 12 years of “Sunday School” and all that. Afterwards it was a quiet family day and so on. Also I was a kid and didn’t have much to do but “relax”.

Today it is maybe a bit different. I agree one should attend Church. That is only an hour or maybe two. But now I have responsibilities. If a report needs to be in on Monday morning, I would have to complete it before I sleep on Sunday. If I get called out for an emergency or standby support I would have to go even if it is a Sunday. This has happened many times.

Recently I enrolled for another degree. I actually enjoy studying this and don’t see it as work. Why would this be wrong if I am “relaxing” on a Sunday. Half my family is sitting in Poland and the other half 200 km away. I have my wife and we spend quality time every day. I am pretty relaxed on a Sunday. But what is then meant with keeping it Holy? Not working? I don’t feel that way.

PS: Someone mentioned not selling alcohol. Believe it, no Alcohol is sold in my province on a Sunday.

Regards
 
I think this depends on a person’s culture and it has changed dramatically from generation to generation. I grew up in a small town and the grocery store and most major businesses were all closed on Sunday. There was a convenience store open, but if we ran out of milk we waited until Monday. My parents would shudder at the idea of patronizing a business on a Sunday short of a medical emergency. My grandparents were farmers and they would schedule things so only a minimum amount of animal care needed to be done on Sunday.

I live in an urban area now, and Sunday is treated like any other day. (Although state law prohibits alcohol to be sold - only at bars…I don’t know why…). Even in my home town there is a lot more activity on Sunday.

As a nurse I have worked many Sundays, but have always made a point to make sabbath rest part of my week. Taking time to rest allows us to be so much more productive the rest of the week. Sometimes we think we are getting ahead by working 7 days a week, but God’s plan is better than our plan.
 
Always made Sunday different wherever I have been . Special. set apart. I still do; here in my solitude…there are eg plates I use only on Sundays.

I sometimes perforce have to shop on Sunday eg if i have been too ill in the week to get out but i feel it is wrong. Just feels… wrong. I used to see families here coming out of mass and straight iinto the shop for something they have forgotten for the dinner and for the newspapers.

Just observe the difference in small ways or big
 
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