{"id":221,"date":"2014-03-08T13:53:09","date_gmt":"2014-03-08T18:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jenniferfitz\/?p=221"},"modified":"2015-08-25T21:09:14","modified_gmt":"2015-08-26T02:09:14","slug":"sundays-101-giving-up-the-work-habit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jenniferfitz\/2014\/03\/sundays-101-giving-up-the-work-habit\/","title":{"rendered":"Sundays 101: Giving Up the Work Habit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Christ<\/a>
By History2007 at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>Let\u2019s talk impossible penances. From this morning\u2019s readings<\/a>:<\/p>\n

If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; if you call the sabbath a delight, and the LORD\u2019s holy day honorable; if you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice, then you shall delight in the LORD . . .<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And now for a quick peek at the Catechism<\/a> before anyone starts in with the, \u201cBut that was the old law! Catholics don\u2019t have to do that!\u201d:<\/p>\n

2172 God\u2019s action is the model for human action. If God \u201crested and was refreshed\u201d on the seventh day, man too ought to \u201crest\u201d and should let others, especially the poor, \u201cbe refreshed.\u201d96<\/sup><\/span> The sabbath brings everyday work to a halt and provides a respite. It is a day of protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.97<\/sup><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And another one:<\/p>\n

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord\u2019s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123<\/sup><\/span> Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The discussion of what makes up a reasonable Sunday is somewhat nuanced, so read the whole thing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bad Arguments Against Sunday Rest<\/h2>\n

All that nuance, combined with the real demands of our vocations even on Sundays, combined with a persistent desire to do whatever we feel like, can lead to some extraordinarily weak reasoning:<\/p>\n