THE LORD'S DAY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF REST AND LEISURE

In my homily this week, I spoke of the meaning and purpose of the Lord's Day and what our duties are as Catholics on Sundays.  I spoke specifically about the importance of leisure over work in terms of our faith, and not the importance of work over leisure.  The Article on Leisure from Catholic Online to which I referred is a good read that reminds us of the significance of leisure and rest from a Catholic perspective and its necessity in order for us to give God what He is due from us.  

We are further reminded about the importance and purpose of Sunday in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraphs 2168 - 2195, where the 3rd Commandment, "Remember the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy", is expanded in terms of what is expected of us, as Catholics.  In a world where we are called to constantly work, and where everything is given so much importance 6 out of 7 days in the week, let us remember to rest and rejuvenate- not to be able to work hard once again for the rest of the week, but in order to "Love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our might" (Deuteronomy 6: 5) and to give Him the Praise and Honour that He is due.  

Before you get too excited at the prospect of not working, please see Laborem Exercens, an encyclical by St. Pope John Paul II, on human work.  By our nature, we are called by God to work.  The more we understand the true nature of the work God has called has to, we will also begin to understand the purpose of leisure and rest.