One of the parishioners asked me why we should go to Church every Sunday. This prompted me to think that perhaps, many others have the same thought. If anyone has such a thought, let me answer their question:
First of all, the obligation of observing the Day of The Lord falls on all the baptized Christians, because it is the third of the Ten Commandments of The Lord. It says: “Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it, you shall not do any work…” (Deuteronomy 5:12-14).
The word “Sabbath” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “day of rest”. “To keep it holy” means “consecrate” or “set apart” or “sanctify”. As a steward of God’s gifts, abilities, resources and opportunities, we have six days to use all of them for our good. The seventh day is reserved to engage ourselves for God.
There are good reasons why we need to refrain from regular work on the sabbath day: From a human point of view, first of all, we often say that we don’t have time to pray or to spend time with the family or to spend some time with a friend or to relax. This commandment of The Lord solves these problems. Secondly, from the point of view of our faith, we are called to glorify, honor God and exercise our faith by going to the Church and participate in the Mass.
It is important to know the historical shift in observing the third Commandment. Before the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ, the last day of the week, Saturday, was the Sabbath day. But after these glorious events, it was no more the last day of the week but the first day, Sunday, which was observed as “The Day of The Lord”. The change was made because The Lord rose from the dead on the first day of the week.
At the present age of Catholic laxity, many have lost sight of the fact that it is a grave or mortal sin to skip Mass on Sunday or on a holy day of obligation when one is able to attend. Next week, I will share, why it is a grave sin to miss the Mass on Sunday and on the holy day of obligation.
God bless you,
Fr. Arul Joseph V.
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