They are not. It is good to attend, attendance recommended, but not required.I didn’t realize they weren’t Holy Days of Obligation.
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday do carry an obligation…just not the obligation to assist at Holy Mass (and of course such is impossible on Good Friday as there is no Mass celebrated on that day). We are obliged to fast / abstain.I didn’t realize they weren’t Holy Days of Obligation.
Most Christians, myself included, are spiritual children. We are not mature enough to do what is best for us without some structure…a little nudging. That being said, the number of days of obligation has been greatly reduced over time - and more so in some countries than others. Canada has only two (besides Sundays) - Christmas and Mary, Mother of God (Jan 1).Another question would be, why are there ANY days of obligation.
God wants our love not our guilt.
The authority to enact laws obligatory on all the faithful belongs to the Church by the very nature of her constitution. Entrusted with the original deposit of Christian revelation, she is the appointed public organ and interpreter of that revelation for all time. For the effective discharge of her high office, she must be empowered to give to her laws the gravest sanction. These laws when they bind universally, have for their object:Another question would be, why are there ANY days of obligation.
God wants our love not our guilt.
I dont question the authority but the rationale.The authority to enact laws obligatory on all the faithful belongs to the Church by the very nature of her constitution. Entrusted with the original deposit of Christian revelation, she is the appointed public organ and interpreter of that revelation for all time. For the effective discharge of her high office, she must be empowered to give to her laws the gravest sanction. These laws when they bind universally, have for their object:
the definition or explanation of some doctrine, either by way of positive pronouncement or by the condemnation of opposing error;
the prescription of the time and manner in which a Divine law, more or less general and indeterminate, is to be observed, e.g. the precept obliging the faithful to receive the Holy Eucharist during the paschal season and to confess their sins annually;
the defining of the sense of the moral law in its application to difficult cases of conscience, e.g. many of the decisions of the Roman Congregations;
some matter of mere discipline serving to safeguard the observance of the higher law, e.g. the Commandments to contribute to the support of one’s pastors (Vacant, Dict. de theol. cath., s.v.).
Melody, J. (1908). Commandments of the Church. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. newadvent.org/cathen/04154a.htm
Actually, traditionally, the Holy Thursday mass was held in the morning, and Good Friday was a noon service.Technically Holy Thursday. Good Friday, together with the Easter Vigil, are a single liturgy. And of course there is no Mass on Good Friday. There is only a single Holy Thursday / Good Friday service, typically held at night; there is no opportunity for multiple services as is typical with Holy Days. I assume that the human factors and family care obligations in the evening are a consideration. These weren’t obligatory even back in the '50’s.
And Jesus said…if you love me you will obey my commandments.Another question would be, why are there ANY days of obligation.
God wants our love not our guilt.
The rational is given after that phrase “These laws when they bind universally, have for their object:”.I dont question the authority but the rationale.
So the one that applies to Holy Days of obligation would be, “… to safeguard the observance of the higher law…”. I could see that for The Lord’s Day but not so sure about others.The rational is given after that phrase “These laws when they bind universally, have for their object:”.
“…a little nudging”. Like pain of eternal Hell. That’s a pretty big nudge.Most Christians, myself included, are spiritual children. We are not mature enough to do what is best for us without some structure…a little nudging. That being said, the number of days of obligation has been greatly reduced over time - and more so in some countries than others. Canada has only two (besides Sundays) - Christmas and Mary, Mother of God (Jan 1).
But the obligation is not always present since it is excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or similarly dispensed by their own pastor. The reason it is grave sin is because it is a commandment of God to keep certain days holy.“…a little nudging”. Like pain of eternal Hell. That’s a pretty big nudge.
One would think the Church would then be consistent country to country with dispensation for priest shortages. Is that the situation in Canada?
And in Hawaii, for the Latin Church: Sundays, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and Christmas.Most Christians, myself included, are spiritual children. We are not mature enough to do what is best for us without some structure…a little nudging. That being said, the number of days of obligation has been greatly reduced over time - and more so in some countries than others. Canada has only two (besides Sundays) - Christmas and Mary, Mother of God (Jan 1).
We do not keep the Sabbath (Saturday) literally but we worship God as determined by the Church, in keeping the commandment. The Church has the power to loose and bind sins.So the one that applies to Holy Days of obligation would be, “… to safeguard the observance of the higher law…”. I could see that for The Lord’s Day but not so sure about others.
Not to argue but to further discuss: The days God commanded in the Torah are not the ones we keep and in the New Testament Paul tells us not to be concerned with them.But the obligation is not always present since it is excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or similarly dispensed by their own pastor. The reason it is grave sin is because it is a commandment of God to keep certain days holy.