We are commanded to adore only God, who exists as Father, Son and the Holy
Spirit, three in persons but one in Godhead. He is the Triune God. The second
Commandment states that we reverence Him in word.


The third Commandment demands that we reverence God in action:


“Remember that you keep holy the Sabbath day”


God wants that we set aside the Lord’s day, which we hold on Sunday, for the
service of the Lord.


The reasons, why we have to observe this day holy are these:

The Bible teaches that God created everything in six days and on the seventh
day, He rested. Hence, the people of Israel observed it as the
Sabbath day. But Jesus Christ transformed the existing created world into a
new creation through His death and Resurrection. It is through Him, that we
walk in the newness of life (Cfr. Romans 6:4). Since the Resurrection took
place on Sunday, we observe Sunday as the day of The Lord.

We need to show our love for God. We work hard the entire week mainly for
the welfare of our physical life. In the same manner, we are asked to set
apart a day to work for our spiritual life, in order to testify our love for God.
By way of giving special time to be with God, Our Lord, we show our love for
God and express our gratitude to Him.


How to keep the Day of The Lord holy? In order to answer this question, we need to
understand the word “holy”. It refers to something pure. It can also refer to
something consecrated to the worship of God. Thus, we say that the vessels used
for the Mass are sacred or holy vessels. In this sense, we observe the Day of The
Lord holy by participating in the worship of the Lord with purity of mind and heart.
On this day, we are called particularly to listen to the Word of God and participate
in the Sacrifice of the Mass.


In the following words, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council have explained
how we should celebrate the Day of The Lord:


“The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, when present at this
mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators. On the
contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take
part in the sacred action, conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full
collaboration. They should be instructed by God’s word and be nourished at the table
of the Lord’s Body. They should give thanks to God. Offering the immaculate victim,
not only through the hands of the priest, but also together with him, they should
learn to offer themselves. Through Christ, the Mediator, they should be drawn day by
day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other, so that finally God
may be all in all”
(Sacred Council, no. 48).


May God bless you,


Fr. Arul Joseph V.


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