Do you remember when all shops were closed on Sundays, and those that did open, paid extra wages for that day like it was a holiday? I remember that, as back home in Nova Scotia, they only brought in Sunday shopping in 2006. Our world has been getting busier and busier, but something that has been really fruitful for me is to intentionally protect Sunday as a day of rest.
In this post, I will discuss how we talk about Sundays as the Lord’s Day in our home and provide a free printable for preparing for mass and keeping Sunday Holy.
This printable is perfect for First Communion families and sacramental preparation programs at home, in parishes, and in schools.
It could also be used as a weekly mass journaling page for kids.
Why do we keep Sunday Holy?
As Catholics, we keep Sunday holy because it is the Lord’s Day.
In the Old Testament, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. The Third Commandment was this:
“Remember to keep holy Sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter, or your male or female slave, or your beast, or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the Lord made the heavens and earth, the sea and all that is in them; but on the seventh day He rested. That is why the Lord has blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11).
The Sabbath was a day of rest and refreshment for everyone, being mindful of the many blessings received through creation, but also a day of remembering the covenant He had made with His people through the Passover sacrifice and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai.
In the New Testament, Jesus rose from the dead on the First day of the week, Sunday. The Catechism states “The sabbath, which represented the completion of the first creation, has been replaced by Sunday which recalls the new creation inaugurated by the Resurrection of Christ.” (2190)
It also states:
“The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. ‘Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.'” (2177)
Just as God “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done,”121 human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord’s Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.” (2184)
Every Sunday we recall the Resurrection!
Ideas for Keeping Sunday Holy
Personal discernment and seeking guidance from your pastor are better than taking advice from random internet moms, but here are some areas you could consider for to help keep Sundays as a day of rest.
Ideas of Things to do on Sundays:
- Attend Sunday Mass and sit together as a family whenever possible
- Set aside special clothing for Sunday Mass
- Have a nice family brunch or dinner on Sundays
- Plan to take intentional rest time on Sundays
- Participate in leisure activities on Sundays
- Set aside Sunday as a day that is less scheduled than normal weekdays
- Have a special treat on Sundays such as a dessert or screen time
- Spend intentional family time together doing things you enjoy such as hiking, playing a board game, etc.
- Partake in hobbies. Sometimes I like to bake something special on Sundays, because I find that fun.
Ideas of Things to Avoid on Sundays:
Individuals and families need to discern what’s best for them on Sundays. These are just ideas, and not in any way me judging you if you do your grocery pickup on Sundays. I promise!
- Try not to schedule work on Sundays, if at all possible (we have been through seasons as a family where this wasn’t possible, so I know how challenging it can be! Take heart!)
- Try to do less housework on Sundays (I can usually skip doing a load of laundry on typical weeks, but sometimes we need to use Sunday as a laundry catch-up day!)
- Consider not participating in sports that regularly require large amounts of Sunday for practice and event times (this is a hard one to avoid these days!)
- Try not to shop on Sundays
- Recently, someone said to me that they try not to spend money (including online shopping) on Sundays. I thought that was a cool idea.
- For homeschool moms: avoid preparing for the homeschool week on Sundays (I stopped doing this, and its been great. I do have to be really on it on Monday mornings though!)
- Consider simplifying or minimizing any meal prep you need to do on Sundays
The Fruitfulness of Rest
I have personally found taking Sundays as a day of rest to be very fruitful. Whenever busyness sneaks in on Sundays, I find myself becoming more overwhelmed and less peaceful. I know Jesus wants peace for me, so I hold myself accountable to taking intentional rest time daily, but especially on Sundays. Then I find the Lord makes time for all the other things during the week. (And if He doesn’t, I guess they weren’t on HIS to-do list for me!).
I Prepare My Heart for Mass Journaling Printable
How to Access the Free Printable
- Drop your email in the box below.
- Check your inbox and click through to the PDF.
- Save it to your computer or phone.
- Print it off at home or at your local printer.
- For personal use only, thanks! Email me if you’d like added permissions.
- Watermark free version may be available on my Etsy shop.
Let’s See It!
I hope your family enjoys this freebie! I would love to see you using this printable. Be sure to tag me @kindlingwild and use #kindlingwild on social media.
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