Working The Sabbath

[dairygirl4u2c]

the ten commandments are pillars in our country, particularly in christianity. does that mean that the sabbath day commandment is still applicable? what do we make of the fact that so many, even those who strive to be good catholics, don't heed the command?

 

is it part of still applicable moral law like rules on adultery, or is it more like no longer applicable jewish law, like stoning sinners?

christians usually argue that colassians says the requirements of the law have been nailed to the cross, for how those stoning types rules no longer apply. yet generally as Jesus said, he didnt come to do away with the law, but fulfill it, in Matthew 5 or 6.

 

[Basilisa Marie]

Keeping the Sabbath holy does not necessarily mean not doing servile work on the Sabbath.  Not doing servile work was one way of interpreting "keep holy the Sabbath."  

Plus, our understanding of Sunday as a holy day is different from the tradition Jewish understanding of the Saturday Sabbath. 

[dairygirl4u2c]

not working the sabbath usually seems to be not heeded, but it's more of an unspoken or in practice thing that is done. it seems like it's time that christians, catholics, start explicitly tackling the issue. if they explicitly articulate why we dont necessarily have to heed it, it'd undermine that basic foundation, the ten commandments.

that movie that is played around ever christmas, that every religouis school kid learns, it's all undermined.

[dairygirl4u2c]

the bible explicitly says not to work the sabbath.

 

Exodus 31:14–16

14 You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. nWhoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 oSix days shall work be done, but pthe seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. nWhoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. 16 Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever.

 

if the Jews kept saturday holy, that only means at most that we should keep saturday holy, we have it wrong with sundays.

the bottoml,ine though is that it's always been understood that we should keep the sabbath day holy, and that eans not working on it. nothing that has been said explains how that changed.

 

i do see after loooking it up, that christians do try to say why it's not a sin. they basically argue the stuff about the laws that are no longer applicable. shouldnt teh tradition of telling kids not to work on sunday or the sabbath be done away with?

"Just as they began their physical labors after a one-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law “can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.” But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Just as He rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice, He sat down and rested—ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to “labor” in law-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God and this includes the observance of the Sabbath. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided.

By saying, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as He came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor. Jesus is our rest from works now, just as He is the door to heaven, where we will rest in Him forever. There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works. "

 

 

[Klarisse]

Here's what the Catechism has to say in paragraph 2185:

On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.
    
        The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.

Paragraph 2175 addresses the Saturday vs. Sunday question, by the way.

It's interesting that Christians treated Sunday as not only a holy day but a day of rest in the old texts that I've read. Modern-day Munich, if not other places in Germany, also avoids non-essential work to the extent that you basically have to visit the central train station to find anyone selling food on Sundays and holidays. Public transport runs, but if I recall correctly it's toned down.

Being open on Sundays increases profit for a lot of retail companies, so there is secular pressure. Because certain work may and should morally be done on Sundays, resting may have been interpreted as optional, then forgotten, like what happened to performing penance on Fridays outside of Lent. At a point, the US bishops allowed individuals to substitute another more appropriate penance for abstaining from meat, possibly in an attempt to teach us the spirit of penance instead of legalism. Somehow the message was twisted to "We don't have to abstain on Fridays!" to the extreme that I never even heard that we should perform penance growing up.(See the quoted paragraphs toward the bottom of this article: http://catholicexchange.com/are-catholics-supposed-to-abstain-from-meat-every-friday/) No one even mentioned that Catholics used to abstain on Fridays outside of Lent until I watched Grease in high school.

[Golden Years]

According to New Advent:

 

Christ, while observing the Sabbath, set himself in word and act against this absurd rigorism which made man a slave of the day. He reproved the scribes and Pharisees for putting an intolerable burden on men's shoulders (Matthew 23:4), and proclaimed the principle that "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27). He cured on the Sabbath, and defended His disciples for plucking ears of corn on that day. In His arguments with the Pharisees on this account He showed that the Sabbath is not broken in cases of necessity or by acts of charity (Matthew 12:3 sqq.; Mark 2:25 sqq.; Luke 6:3 sqq.; 14:5). St. Paul enumerates the Sabbath among the Jewish observances which are not obligatory on Christians (Colossians 2:16; Galatians 4:9-10; Romans 14:5).

 

In other words, resting once a week is GOOD for us.  Like the other commandments, they aren't arbitrary laws set up to make us suffer but instructions on how to live a good and happy life.  God loves us and wants what is best for us. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

I think resting on Sunday and keeping it holy (going to Mass) is a Commandment like the other Commandments, that is meant to be followed. Based on what I read from the Saints etc, it is a sin to work on Sunday and to miss Mass too... for example, St Padre Pio sometimes knew people's sins when they didn't want to reveal them, and I remember reading about him telling someone that he missed Mass on Sunday due to wanting to work more to earn extra money? St John Vianney was very strict about this, and encouraged everyone to rest. I think this has been the consistent teaching of the Church and still is.

 

I can't really comment on people's souls, that is not for me to decide. But it is a Commandment and I wouldn't work on Sunday. I think it's better to try to find a job that doesn't require this. It's very sad that sometimes it's hard to do this in our culture. I would still try my best though :) and it's the best for us too... the Commandments are all good for us :)

 

I realized a while ago, the Catechism also talks about not working on Holy Days of Obligation. I know in some countries, they were actually official days off work, long ago. How much has changed huh :(

[MarysLittleFlower]

So - no I wouldn't work on Sunday, and if a job requires this, I'd really try to find another job :)

[Ice_nine]

So - no I wouldn't work on Sunday, and if a job requires this, I'd really try to find another job :)

 

good luck

[havok579257]

So - no I wouldn't work on Sunday, and if a job requires this, I'd really try to find another job :)

 

 

so then you think doctors, nurses, paramedics, emts, firefighters, police and those who run food pantry's and homeless shelters should not work on sundays?  well then if you get hurt please wait till Monday to receive treatment and or life saving procedures so these people don't have to work on sundays.  thank you.

[Winchester]

so then you think doctors, nurses, paramedics, emts, firefighters, police and those who run food pantry's and homeless shelters should not work on sundays?  well then if you get hurt please wait till Monday to receive treatment and or life saving procedures so these people don't have to work on sundays.  thank you.

Those arguably could fall under works of Mercy, I think. I was set to ask that, but tried to anticipate her defense. 

[MarysLittleFlower]

so then you think doctors, nurses, paramedics, emts, firefighters, police and those who run food pantry's and homeless shelters should not work on sundays?  well then if you get hurt please wait till Monday to receive treatment and or life saving procedures so these people don't have to work on sundays.  thank you.

 

I didn't mean emergencies where you don't have a choice and a person would die if you don't help them. I meant things like working at a store.

[Winchester]

I didn't mean emergencies where you don't have a choice and a person would die if you don't help them. I meant things like working at a store.

My argument is much better.

[MarysLittleFlower]

This is my understanding.... on Sunday, we should go to Mass, and rest from servile labour. So: we can spend time with family, do spiritual reading, etc. If there's a necessity that requires charity: for example, helping a homeless man on the street, helping someone deliver a baby, helping a person who had a heart attack, putting out a fire: that's one thing. My understanding - these are works of charity, or of necessity. It's different if you're a lawyer and want to work an extra day just to earn more money for your vacation. It's different if you undertake a massive cleaning of your house on Sunday, instead of choosing another day to do it. In addition, doing things that prevent others from having a day of rest is also not a good idea, as mentioned by the Church... so for example going clothing shopping, when it's not a necessity for that day.

 

Here's a quote by St John Vianney:

"...Sunday is the property of our good God; it is His own day, the Lord's day. He made all the days of the week: He might have kept them all; He has given you six, and has reserved only the seventh for Himself. What right have you to meddle with what does not belong to you? You know very well that stolen goods never bring any profit. Nor will the day that you steal from Our Lord profit you either. I know two very certain ways of becoming poor: they are working on Sunday and taking other people's property..." 

 

(Source: Little Catechism of the Cure of Ars, TAN publishers)

[MarysLittleFlower]

My argument is much better.

 

I think we had the same one, you just called it Works of Mercy :)