Teaching About the Joy of Sunday
by Dr. Lauri Przybysz
Sunday is a special day, a day to pray, a day to relax, a day to take time to enjoy God’s presence in others. Every Sunday is a little Easter. In fact, because Jesus rose on a Sunday, the first Christians made Sunday their Sabbath day. Keeping the Sabbath is both a gift and a command for us. Honoring Sunday is a decision to trust God with our time and then resolving to do it.
The primary way in which Christians celebrate the Lord’s Day is by participating in the worship with their church community. Could we be missing out on the multiple benefits of the Lord's Day in ways beyond attending church? How can we keep holy the Sabbath Day more fully in our busy lives?
Our Sabbath, Sunday is like a weekly retreat, a time of renewal and celebration, a time for recognizing our blessings and sharing joy with others. The very act of observing Sunday is a reminder of the covenant and an invitation to enter into a deeper relationship with God. Sunday is a time of both church attendance and family gatherings, but our Christian tradition of keeping Sunday as an “Easter experience” is too often watered down to an “obligation” or just a day to catch up on chores. Let us aim to make our Sundays more about being available to God and nurturing our “domestic church,” the Church in miniature in our own homes. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life." (CCC, Part III.2.1.3)
Rediscovering Sunday. Expand families’ appreciation for Sunday as a Little Easter. Look for “Easter” in your faith formation sessions at church. Consider the signs and symbols that you already use to celebrate the return of Spring. Ask students, “What signs of joy and new life are present on any given Sunday in your home?”
Imagination Activity: Invite participants to dream of their Perfect Sunday. “Given a whole day to be refreshed and rested, what would you do?” Students could draw a picture of their dream Sunday experience and share it with their families.
Take the Lord’s Day Challenge: Invite participants to make a plan for ways to enjoy a restful and renewing four Sundays -- in addition to going to Mass or church services. After four weeks, ask for volunteers to report on their experiences.
Saturday Night or Sunday Table Prayer: Invite families to gather around the kitchen table. Practice the prayer you have composed around your classroom prayer table or in your home.
You will find a free table prayer here (by RCL Benziger Catholic faith formation publishers): https://www.rclbenziger.com/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/Prayer%20Per%20Month-September.pdf
Food for Thought. On holy days and holidays, like Easter and Christmas and birthdays, we bless and enjoy special food. Ask participants, “What special foods do you and your family enjoy when you are spending a relaxing day together?”
If we experience God’s gift of Sabbath in our homelife, then it makes more sense to us when we come to church to ritualize and celebrate God’s presence in our family, to remind ourselves of the sacredness of every meal, every act of kindness, every prayer for healing and thanksgiving, and all the ordinary actions of our lives.
