can someone give me a link for the official answer? i’ve heard of what other people say, but then i think i heard rc people say that what the other people say isn’t right.Almost sounds like we make this stuff up as we go, doesn’t it?
Alan
in Acts 20, verse 7, Luke writes, ‘On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread, Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next day, and he kept on speaking until midnight.’ since the event referred to occurred during Paul’s 3rd mission, the change would have been in place sometime before ad 57. Perhaps it was second new rule of the Church, following the cessation of the need for circumcision.
I have a lot of respect for the Baltimore Catechism as this is what my Lutheran father taught me from when I was in Catholic School. The term servile work is not very useful or informative today when a large segment of the population don’t do any during the week. In a society where mom, dad, and the kids are at school, work and sports during the week there is not much time left to mow the lawn, fix the roof and shop except on weekends. Thank God that these busy folks take the time to attend Mass on Sunday instead of letting the press for time eliminate that from their lives. It is sad that our society has come to this but to tryand change it is a task surpassing Hercules cleaning of the Aegian stables. My principle for Sunday is other than the time I make for God is that whatever is not the job I perform during the week is what I can do whether it is mowing the lawn, fixing the roof, or doing necessary shopping. I found long ago that to devote Sunday to all that doesn’t get done during the week doesn’t work either. The body, mind, and spirit need time to rest, meditate on, and worship the Lord more fully than during the week. Some work it turns out never gets done and just sort of goes away. As the Catechism says some work is necessary, but not all.
I came across this comment from St. Ignatius of Antioch, maybe it will give enough of an answer in regards to “WHEN”
I was wondering this as well. I work for a large company that caters to the tourist trade. Scheduling is done by seniority and I was finally able this year to get Sundays off. But, in the spring and fall I have to work them. I am almost always able to go to church, so for me, it’s not a choice b/t work and Mass, I do both. So, is it still a sin?
Hmmmm… Where’d that come from? I can’t see that in any of the BC’s questions on the Third Commandment.
The work rendered by these people can easily fall under the “common good” condition that excuses them. It’s because of the sacrifices of these people that others like us have the luxury of our family time. Many of these stores remain open because they have to cater to those on their rest days. God understands. What’s important is that the workers always find the time to go to Mass on Sunday. They can rest another day of the week.
