Memorial of Saint Agnes, virgin and martyr
(Hebrews 6:10-20; Mark 2:23-28)
In today’s gospel we hear Jesus saying, “The sabbath was
made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Some may think this means that people
can do as they please on Sunday. But they
would be mistaken. Jesus uses the saying
to defend his disciples who had to find something to eat on Sunday. The Pharisees were criticizing them for
picking grain when there was no prepared food to eat.
Made for human physical as well as spiritual welfare, Sunday first
beckons all to worship God together in church.
Second, as a day of leisure, Sunday provides time to engage in other
activities that uplift the soul. People
visit friends, or the poor. Reading and
recreation also comprise fitting Sunday activities. St. John Paul II suggested observing nature
on Sundays.
Too often we think of Sunday as time to catch up with our
work. Such activity is not necessarily forbidden,
but it should be avoided as much as possible.
If we are to grow in Christ, we will get better acquainted with him by
using Sundays for its acclaimed purposes.
After all, it is the Lord’s Day.
