Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

The Third Commandment establishes the Sabbath Day as a holy day of rest dedicated to the praise of God, (CCC 2168). This observance is rooted in the creation story, where God rested on the seventh day after completing the heavens and the earth in six days (Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20:11).

In the Old Covenant, the Sabbath was observed as a sacred assembly and a day of worship where no work was to be performed. This reverence extended to the prohibition of commerce and the carrying of burdens on this day (Nehemiah 13:19-22). The theological significance of keeping the Sabbath holy is found in the promise of experiencing God’s delight and inheritance (Isaiah 58:13-14).

As part of the New Covenant, the Sabbath has been replaced by Sunday, which commemorates the new creation inaugurated by the Resurrection of Christ (CCC 2190). Sunday is celebrated as the Lord’s Day, symbolizing the spiritual fulfillment of the Jewish sabbath and the beginning of a day that knows no evening (CCC 2174-2175, 1166). This transition marks the movement from the first creation to a greater work of redemption (CCC 349). Sunday worship fulfills the moral requirement to render regular, public worship to God, maintaining the rhythm and spirit of the Old Covenant within the new (CCC 2176).

Liturgically, the Eucharist is at the center of Sunday worship, making it the principal day for celebrating the Mass because it commemorates the Resurrection (CCC 1166). Sunday is a day of joy and gladness (Psalm 118:24) that allows the faithful to encounter the risen Lord. Beyond the liturgy, the Lord’s Day is a time for reflection, silence, and meditation to foster the growth of the Christian interior life (CCC 2186). It is also intended to be a day of leisure that helps cultivate religious, social, cultural, and familial lives (CCC 2185).

Regarding Christian practice, the Church establishes Sunday as the foremost holy day of obligation (can. 1246). The faithful are bound by the Sunday obligation to participate in the Mass (CCC 2180, can. 1247) and must abstain from work that impedes worship or relaxation (CCC 2193, can. 1247). In cases where attending Mass is impossible due to a grave cause or the absence of a sacred minister, the faithful are encouraged to participate in a liturgy of the word or devote themselves to prayer (can. 1248).