How to Deal With Sunday

Over the years as we've grown in our knowledge and the living out of our faith, we've often stumbled over how to deal with Sundays.  Ask 10 different people, priests or books and you'll get just as many varying answers.  They usually range from the very lax to the very strict.

When we were going through our "very strict" stage, we were of the mind that even going out to eat was wrong because you were causing others to have to work on Sunday.  Then one Sunday, a priest took us out to lunch and we were confused.

We were told by some that yard work was taboo on Sundays because it was unnecessary work that could be done at other times.  We were told by others that yard work was good to do on Sundays because it was relaxing and a change of pace from the ordinary work day.  Really, the whole thing is enough to confuse anyone.

Since then, we've developed a more moderate stance on our Sunday outlook.  We've done a lot more research and questioning and have come to a place that we feel is reasonable.  We certainly don't want to be sinful on Sunday, but we also don't want to be like the Pharisee's.  

Today, I was grading my daughter's religion homework and I came across this question and its corresponding answer:

List the three conditions that indicate when Sunday work is forbidden:
     Work on Sunday is forbidden if:

• It impedes participation in Eucharistic worship
• It inhibits the festive happiness of Sunday
• It makes bodily or mental rest impossible

I like this bullet point reference.  It makes what you are thinking about doing easy to analyze.  To some, the task of yard work would definitely inhibit the festive happiness of Sunday!  To others, it would provide the mental rest that people need to rejuvenate.   The answer is also going to vary depending on the person questioning.  What would be restful and happy to me might be drudgery and work to another.  

The most important thing in all of this is that we attend Mass to give praise to God and to try to not cause undue hardship on ourselves and others. A day of rest is necessary for everyone.  As another answer in this religion book states:

"Rest facilitates the worship of God by eliminating the obstacles that one's professional occupation might impose.  The need for rest is a requirement of the human condition.  Rest replaces lost energies and makes time for other activities that cultivate the human spirit."

I hope that if you struggle with what to do on a Sunday that this can be of some help to you.  May God bless you and your Sundays!

God Bless!