SEVENTH LESSON
Sunday:
The Obligation of Rest,
and of Divine Worship.
"Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day."—Exodus 20:8
If there be one day in the week particularly consecrated to the Lord, it is not, my dear children, that every day of our existence does not belong to God, and ought not to be employed in his service. But this God of goodness, who might demand for himself alone every moment of the life He gives us, allows us to employ six days out of seven at our studies, our business, and provided we never go against God's will, that every one of our actions be done with the view of pleasing him, our days may be sanctified, and our life become truly Christian, without our being forced to remain long hours in church, to go through numerous devotional exercises. The fulfilment of the most ordinary duty, if offered to God piously, is another way of serving him, and as it was truly said by one of the Fathers of the Church, a well-known Saint: Work is prayer.
But there is a day God has kept for himself entirely. This day is His: it is called by His Name; it is Sunday, the Lord's day. It is well to remark, my children, that God ordered us to rest on the seventh day, not only for the sake of His glory, but also with fatherly foresight. Men were created by him; he knows that their strength exhausts itself, that to work assiduously too long at a time would do them harm, and that it is good now and then to have a day's rest, which, in doing away with the fatigue of the preceding days, will give fresh strength to under-take the work of the morrow.
With the Hebrews, the Lord's Day was the last of the week; it was called the Sabbath. God himself had ordained the choice of that day, in remembrance of that one on which he rested after having created the world. These are the Lord's own words to his chosen people: "Remember that thou, keep holy the sabbath day." Thou shalt work during six days; but the seventh thou must do no work, for thy God rested on the seventh day, and that is why he blessed this day, and consecrated it to his service.
According to the ancient law, my children, the rest of the sabbath day was so strictly kept that you could not trespass against it in the slightest manner without being condemned to death. All kinds of work were so strictly forbidden, that even food was prepared the day before. The manna of the desert, which fell on earth every morning for the Israelites, did not fall on the sabbath day. The people gathered a double quantity on the preceding day, and God caused it to keep quite fresh during two days.
According to our religion the day of rest is on Sunday, because this day, the first of the week, was the day of our Lord's Resurrection. The holy Church, less severe than the law of Moses, as concerns the sanctification of the Sunday, nevertheless orders the people to hear Mass, and to abstain from all servile work, that is to say, from all heavy labour done by hand.
The Church also wishes the people to spend the greater part of their time in good works, to attend the evening service, to go to hear God's word, to read some religious book, to give alms to the poor, and in a word, to keep the Sunday with devotion by serving God in the same manner.
But it may happen, my dear children, that you pass the greater part of Sunday in Church, without having really sanctified the Lord's day. It is by the pious bent of the soul, and by abstaining from sin that you really fulfil God's commandments. This is what you must remember.
It is right, my children, that Sunday should be to you, not only a day of rest, but also a day of recreation; nevertheless a certain time should be set apart for useful occupations. Cast a look back on the events of the past week, make good resolutions for the coming week, put your books and things in order, cast up your little accounts: and thus you can very well employ your time on Sunday.
I should like you to associate some religious thought even with your amusements. This will never make them dull: it would only help to banish from your games those quarrels which so often occur, would make you more amiable towards your play-fellows, and more inclined to be kind to a younger brother or to a little sister.
Remember, my children, that everything in your behavior, must mark the difference between Sunday and the remainder of the week, and show that Sunday is a holy day, that it is the Lord's day.
Disclaimer: Linking of a site does not imply endorsement of the views of the site, but merely offers it as a resource the webmaster beleives to be accurate. Because sites can be amended over time and non-Catholic items added, we ask all to do due diligence in checking things out
Ads are added to keep this site free. Donations are also accepted! If you find an objectionable ad, please contact us so we can block it in teh future.
