Friday, November 19, 2010

SUNDAY

SUNDAY

What is Sunday?
Sunday, also called the Lord s Day, is the first day of the week.

Why has God reserved to Himself one day in each week?
In order that man should rest from work at least one day out of the seven, and dedicate it to the special service of God, and to the salvation of his own soul.

Why do we Christians keep Sunday as a holy-day instead of Saturday, which was the day observed under the Old Law?
The apostles kept Sunday, the first day of the week, as a holy-day for these reasons: 1. As the Sabbath was a memorial of the consummation of the work of the creation, so the Sunday was to remind us of the consummation of the redemption. 2.On that day Our Lord arose from the dead. 3. On that day the Holy Ghost descended on the apostles. 4. To intimate that a new dispensation took the place of the old ; and the diversity of the time of divine worship drew a line of distinction between Christians and Jews.

How should we spend Sunday?
As the design of its institution requires; that is, holily.

How is Sunday kept holy?
Sunday is kept holy by abstaining from servile labor, and by works of piety, such as hearing Mass with devotion, listening to a sermon, receiving Christian instruction, reading good books, visiting the sick, or other works of spiritual or corporal mercy.

How is Sunday profaned?
Sunday is profaned by unnecessary servile labor; by neglecting to hear Mass ; by intemperance and idleness ; by spending the day in frivolous, dangerous, and sinful pleasures; and in general by sinful acts.

Prayer.

O God, Who hast appointed Sunday that on that day we should serve Thee, and make ourselves partakers of Thy grace, grant that we may always on that day renew our faith, and be incited to the praise and adoration of Thy majesty. Through, etc.

Next-FEAST-DAYS AND HOLY-DAYS