I have been thinking a lot about how to better follow the third commandment to keep holy the Lord's Day. This has gotten me to reading articles about this topic, reading about this topic in the Catechism, and finding this topic in scripture and I realized that there was a lot more that I needed to learn about how to follow this commandment. This lead me to my first question:
Why don't we observe the Sabbath on Saturday?
(More questions to come!)
Join me as I farther explore this beautiful commandment.
Why don't we observe the Sabbath on Saturday?
Exodus 20: 8-10
Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord, your God.
Deuteronomy 5: 12-14
Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the Lord, your God, commanded you. Six days you may labor and do all your work but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord, your God.
According to the Catechism "A Traditional Catechetical Formula" of the 3rd commandment is:
Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
It is clear that we are meant to keep one day holy but which day is it? According to Exodus and Deuteronomy, the sabbath is the seventh day or Sunday. This was they day that the Lord rested after creation and this is the day that the Jews still observe as the Sabbath. But we know that as Catholic's we now celebrate Sunday as the Lord's day and a day of rest.
When did this change happen? How did it happen? Is this change ok?
In the old testament the Sabbath was observed on the seventh day (Saturday) because that marked the day that the Lord rested after creation. The focus changed after the Resurrection of the Lord. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week or Sunday. Celebrating the Lord's day on Sunday represented the new creation that the Resurrection of the Lord brought. Just as Jesus brought new life to many of the teachings from the Old Testament he also brought a new creation and a new day to celebrate that creation; Sunday.
Dear Lord, Help me to keep holy your day.
Here are some really good resources on why we celebrate the Lord's day on Sunday instead of Saturday:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Sabbath_or_Sunday.asp
http://cantuar.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-is-sunday-christian-sabbath-john.html
Joining in with Soli Deo Gloria
