Sunday shopping question

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I never really considered Sunday shopping to be a sin, but once, I discovered it listed in an examination of conscience, and read some threads about it here, and im not sure how to handle certain situations. For example a video game that I want is coming out on Sunday, I was planning to pick it up during the day, because I had reserved a copy over a month ago. Then I thought that it might be a sin, to go and buy it on Sunday, and maybe I should just wait for monday. Im not sure of what to make of this. I have heard the argument that it is wrong because you are causing others to work, I understand that can be the case in certain circumstances, but in certain jobs, people are there whether you go to buy something or not. Also, would it be alright to go to the movies on a Sunday, since you are buying tickets, food etc where does one draw the line on this issue of Sunday Shopping?
 
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” -Mark 2:27

Buying a video game on the Lord’s Day probably isn’t the best way to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy.

However, purchasing service and/or merchandise on the Sabbath is NOT intrinsically wrong at all. It’s mere scrupulosity. You need not worry about shopping on Sunday and be more concerned with how you are using your time on the Day of the Lord. Is your time over occupied with trite activities? Is your Sunday a day of rest from your labors, as God intended it to be?

The Sabbath is a gift and it’s most important to honor it, as we would any other gift from the Lord.
 
Shopping on Sunday might be the reason many people no longer go to Mass. Those shopping and those required to work.
 
You’d think if that were true, then there would be a higher unemployment rate per capita of those who attend Sunday Mass regularly.

Statistically, that doesn’t hold to be true. 90% of the time, people will or won’t go to Mass depending on whether or not they want to go.
 
I’ve never had a problem with shopping on Sunday. I go to Mass and go shopping afterwards. No guilty conscience whatsoever. And I used to work retail which occasionally required a Sunday. I simply went to Church before work. Again no guilty conscience.
 
Hey if you work six days a week like I do most of the time, Sunday is a rare chance for me to shop. Given that I despise shopping generally, its no much of a tmeptation. Seriously buying socks and underwear on Sunday I don’t think of as a sin. I may do that once a year. And when I do shop it is heading towards a necessity.
 
Im really getting mixed messages here, and I am confused. Is shopping on Sunday in and of itself sinful, or do the things which usually surround it cause it to be so? Examples would be someone going on a shopping spree on Sunday and not going to Mass, or wasting the day being out and buying stuff rather than keeping the Sabbath as a day of rest. Easy 1213 stated that buying a videogame on Sunday probably is not the best way to honor the Sabbath,(I dont understand what is dishonoring by this if shopping on Sunday is not intrinsically wrong) In my case, I go to Mass every Sunday, so it is not like I go out and miss Mass for shopping. And I would in the store for maybe 2 minutes, depending on the line. So would the case I stated in my first post be a sin?
 
These questions really depend on intentions. For example, are you shopping for an urgent need, or stopping to pick up flowers on the way to visit family or friends, is Sunday really the only day you can get basic grocery shopping done. That kind of shopping would usually be considered acceptable.

Hanging out at the mall, shopping just to be out, racing out to buy the latest new gizmo, that sort of thing is usually considered less acceptable.

Your specific situation, to me, sounds more like the later than the former. If you can wait until Monday, then I would choose to do so. Even more because we are still in Lent and a little sacrifice like that can be pleasing to God if done in a gracious spirit.

It is certainly not a mortal sin as long as you also attend Mass. Whether it falls into the category of venial sin would again depend on your intentions. If you buy it and go home and play it all day and spend no additional time in prayer or meditation, that’s not good. If you buy it, spend a little time playing, but also spend time in prayer, that is much better.
 
goofyjim said:
I’ve never had a problem with shopping on Sunday. I go to Mass and go shopping afterwards. No guilty conscience whatsoever. And I used to work retail which occasionally required a Sunday. I simply went to Church before work. Again no guilty conscience.
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Well, your conscience isn’t God’s conscience. Many people have the philosophy of “whatever feels good must be good” or relativism…judging each situation by it’s own merit rather than what is ultimately right or wrong…a philosphy much used with abortion.
 
Isn’t keeping the Sabbath holy all about proving our love and devotion to God? Isn’t that what brings peace? Doesn’t it mean focusing on Jesus and reading holy lit and not watching TV or if we do watching a holy movie and focusing on God’s love? I’m a convert and think keeping the Sabbath holy would be something Catholics would LOVE to do since it is not a big hassel!
Isn’t our gratitude something God is looking for? If He means enough to us we are gonna go out of our way? Are we more interested in convenience than denying ourselves to prove our love? The temptation to shop on Sunday, isn’t it just that…giving into selfishness, telling ourselves it’s too hard to shop during the week? As if doing so is such
unbearable torment? If we aren’t radically trying to convert poeple to the faith, isn’t the least we can do is prove our love to God in little ways? Wouldn’t St. Therese of Lisieux encourage us NOT to shop and suffer little inconveniences and offer them as sacrifices for the salvation of souls?
 
What about the Sabbath being made for man and not man for the Sabbath? I agree that we should not do unholy things on Sunday, but if shopping is a way to relax after 6 days of working why are people trying to prohibit it? I realize that others are working, but there are lots of people in the world for whom Sunday is not even the Sabbath (Jews, Muslims, atheists).

Also, what about football? People are working on Sunday to provide you with a game, whether it is at the stadium or on TV.

Are we really supposed to sit around and read the Bible all day? What if we are Biblical Scholars and do that all week for pay? Is that really a relaxing way to spend the day?
Yes, Sunday is also a time to get together as a family, but is putting on a huge family meal really relaxing to the one who is doing it? Families can have an outing and enjoy eachother’s company while they are shopping, too.
 
goofyjim said:
I’ve never had a problem with shopping on Sunday. I go to Mass and go shopping afterwards. No guilty conscience whatsoever. And I used to work retail which occasionally required a Sunday. I simply went to Church before work. Again no guilty conscience.
Click to expand...
The lack of a guilty conscience doesn’t imply the lack of sin: it could just be a seared conscience.

I really wish people would start getting the impact of conscience on sin straight. Conscience can only make a good or neutral act sinful. It can never make a sinful act good.

Jeremy
 
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