Sunday observance

During the great persecutions the Christians continued to meet before dawn because, of course, Sunday was just an ordinary working day in the Roman Empire.  But when the persecutions ended at the beginning of the 4th century, and Christianity was becoming the religion of the Empire, in order that Christians could keep Sunday as a day given to God in worship and prayer, a law was passed making it an official holiday.

The Eucharist

Our first duty on Sundays, therefore, is to be present at the Eucharist.  No other service can ever take the place of the Eucharist because that is the one service which Our Lord has given us and has commanded us with his own lips to take our part in: “Do this in remembrance of me”, he said.  That is why the Church, ever since Our Lord’s Resurrection, has loyally obeyed his command and, Sunday by Sunday, has offered the Eucharist to God as an act of worship and thanksgiving.

A day of rest, relaxation and joy

As regards the rest of Sunday, we should do no unnecessary work ourselves, and we should make none for other people.  We should keep it quietly as a day of rest, relaxation and joy in honour of God and of our Risen Lord.  At one time people used to get Sunday muddled up with the Sabbath and think of it chiefly, not as a day on which we do something by worshipping God, but as a day on which we can do nothing by just sitting about and looking miserable.  For example, I had a great-aunt who would not even peel an orange on Sunday.

On the other hand, it is very wrong to spend Sunday as though it were Saturday and so make it no different from all the other days of the week.  First of all we should be present at the Eucharist.  After that, if we remember that the rest of the day also belongs to God, we should try to spend it quietly, enjoying our leisure time and the company of our family and friends.

Some people have to work on Sundays, for example, to keep public services going but employers should ensure that their workers are able to go to church and worship God.