In Bishop David Ricken’s pastoral letter “Encountering Jesus in the Eucharist,” he reminds us: “The greatest prayer of all is Mass, and Sunday Mass is that special day of the week when the whole community comes together to give honor and glory and praise to God … . It is the first day of the week and not the end of the weekend. It is a day of rest and recreation. It is the one day when we especially rejoice in the gift of the Eucharist which is the food for our journey.”
Until quite recently, it was almost universally understood and practiced that Sunday would be a time for rest and relaxation. Today, however, changes in societal priorities have led to a profound shift in social behaviors and a loss in the traditional character of Sunday.
For many Catholics, rather than a day set aside for the Lord or a day of rest, Sunday has become just another block of time to fill with work, sports and other trivial preoccupations, leading us further away from fulfilling the commandment of keeping holy the Lord’s Day.
The Jubilee Year of Hope calls us to a time of restoration, repentance and renewal. Now is the acceptable time to repent of our misplaced priorities, to restore Sunday as the Lord’s Day so that we can be renewed for lives of faith, hope and charity.
So how do we keep Sunday holy? How do we make it about family, rest and relaxation? How do we restore Sunday as the Lord’s Day?
1. Make Mass a priority.
Simply put, Catholics are obligated to participate in Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation. This obligation comes out of our need to give back to God what he has given us. The Mass is the “source and summit of our Christian life.” Everything else we do other than Mass is fleeting. The grace received at Mass is eternal. To participate in the Eucharist nourishes us to live in the world and prepares us for the life to come.
2. Make time for family and friends.
Prioritize and plan in advance making Sunday a day of relaxation and connection for the family. Choose activities that everyone can enjoy, whether it’s a family game night, a Sunday meal or a walk or a bike ride together. Disconnect from social media and reconnect with each other. No matter the activity, make what you do on Sunday an intentional opportunity for strengthening relationships with family or friends.
3. Have Sunday Dinner together.
Family traditions are essential. One tradition I grew up with was our Sunday dinner. After we came back from Mass and had breakfast, my mother and grandmother would get to work preparing our Sunday dinner. Gather with family or with friends and have a dinner that is different, more special than the rest of the week. Consider establishing a fun theme for each gathering. Look into Catholic cookbooks to help you “cook with a new saint” each week. Have a special dessert. Make each meal a tradition, one that all will remember.
Let each of us be committed to structure the day, in addition to Mass, so that it is centered around family life, friendships and time for rest and relaxation — in such a way that the peace and joy of the Risen Lord, which we celebrate each Sunday, will emerge in the ordinary events of our lives.
Gerard Hall is the mission team leader for the Office of Divine Worship & Sacraments and director of divine worship for the Diocese of Green Bay.