A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
Easter week ended yesterday. Today's a "regular" Sunday in our glorious Easter Season. Of course, no Sunday is really "regular." Each one is a kind of "little" Easter. Each one not only brings that "day of rest" to which the Ten Commandments refer; but they're also a time when the astounding and wonderful reality of the Resurrection of Our Lord should grab our attention and focus our thoughts, if not our words and actions, throughout the day. Ever since Moses descended from Mount Sinai with the tablets, we who know that the Lord God is One, and that there is no other god, have kept holy the Sabbath Day. And ever since Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity rose from the dead, that Sabbath day has been observed on Sunday.
Now, on this first Sunday after Easter, may I suggest you take a moment and join me in taking account of how we observe our Sunday Sabbath? You'll know pretty quickly whether you're on track here. If Sunday's "special" it will stand out on its own as such. If not - if it's just another day - that will be apparent right away. I hope it's at least special.
Next, we might look at what "special" means. Growing up, we attended Mass in the morning. When we weren't visiting Aunts and Uncles, or close family friends, we'd spend the day together and share a special "Sunday dinner," which typically took place in the afternoon. The fact that most stores were closed in those ancient times eliminated shopping as an option. No one really said "Don't shop on Sunday." It was just the way things were. No one told us the day "should be" special. We all knew it.
Did we do anything particularly religious then? Not really. Should we now? It's a good question. You can answer it for yourself. I know some folks who do make an effort to say special prayers on Sunday. Some Catholics attend or pray Vespers on Sunday evening. There's no shortage of suggestions out there if you take the time to "look it up." I don't think there's any one answer to how to spend Sunday. It's really something each of us as individuals and families either knows, or will know with a little effort. But at the very least it should be somehow special.
One thing we might all do together as Catholics on this Sunday after Easter: Remember those souls who were baptized at the Easter Vigil. Recalling that in the early Church the newly baptized these folks would wear white gowns throughout Easter Week, my old Missal explains:
Recalling our spiritual ancestors on this Sunday after Easter, whether you call it Divine Mercy, in albis, Quasimodo, or Low Sunday, perhaps we can pray for the grace to persist in our own struggle to lead holy lives. We can and should make this Sunday, and all Sundays, a day of rest, a special day. We can refresh mind, body, and spirit to press on with our daily struggle to lead holy lives, to grow closer to Our Lord. By God's mercy and through His grace, eternal happiness in Heaven awaits us if we do.
Now, on this first Sunday after Easter, may I suggest you take a moment and join me in taking account of how we observe our Sunday Sabbath? You'll know pretty quickly whether you're on track here. If Sunday's "special" it will stand out on its own as such. If not - if it's just another day - that will be apparent right away. I hope it's at least special.
Next, we might look at what "special" means. Growing up, we attended Mass in the morning. When we weren't visiting Aunts and Uncles, or close family friends, we'd spend the day together and share a special "Sunday dinner," which typically took place in the afternoon. The fact that most stores were closed in those ancient times eliminated shopping as an option. No one really said "Don't shop on Sunday." It was just the way things were. No one told us the day "should be" special. We all knew it.
Did we do anything particularly religious then? Not really. Should we now? It's a good question. You can answer it for yourself. I know some folks who do make an effort to say special prayers on Sunday. Some Catholics attend or pray Vespers on Sunday evening. There's no shortage of suggestions out there if you take the time to "look it up." I don't think there's any one answer to how to spend Sunday. It's really something each of us as individuals and families either knows, or will know with a little effort. But at the very least it should be somehow special.
One thing we might all do together as Catholics on this Sunday after Easter: Remember those souls who were baptized at the Easter Vigil. Recalling that in the early Church the newly baptized these folks would wear white gowns throughout Easter Week, my old Missal explains:
This Sunday is called "in albis" (White Sunday) because those who had been baptized at Easter wore their white garments for the last time on this day. It is also called "Quasimodo" from the first words of the Introit, and "Low Sunday" to contrast it with Easter which is the prototype of all Sundays.So back in those "good old days," you'd know those newly baptized Christian brothers and sisters by their white gowns. I suppose it was a kind of "honeymoon" period for them after their initiation into the Church Militant, joining all the faithful followers of Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. After today, the honeymoon was over. They would join the ranks and press on with the daily struggle to lead holy lives, to grow closer to Our Lord. But every Sunday they could refresh their spirits and remind themselves that this world serves as a way station, a temporary home to work out our salvation such that we might hope someday to join the Church Triumphant in eternal happiness in Heaven.
Recalling our spiritual ancestors on this Sunday after Easter, whether you call it Divine Mercy, in albis, Quasimodo, or Low Sunday, perhaps we can pray for the grace to persist in our own struggle to lead holy lives. We can and should make this Sunday, and all Sundays, a day of rest, a special day. We can refresh mind, body, and spirit to press on with our daily struggle to lead holy lives, to grow closer to Our Lord. By God's mercy and through His grace, eternal happiness in Heaven awaits us if we do.
Happy Easter!
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