PART II – A HOLY DAY
The duty to keep Sunday holy, especially by sharing in the Eucharist and by relaxing in a spirit of Christian joy and fraternity, is easily understood if we consider the many different aspects of this day … (Pope John Paul II , Dies Domini, #17).

WORDS TO LIVE BY
From the beginning of his time as pope, John Paul II kept urging us: Do not be afraid! Open, open wide the doors to Christ!” So now, too, the Church strongly urges all of us to rediscover Sunday for ourselves. As the Holy Father would say, do not be afraid to spend Sunday well. Give this time to Christ and let Christ shine on it. For it is Christ, after all, who knows the secrets of time and eternity. He knows the yearnings and needs of the human heart. And we need a day of rest, of relaxation, of time off from time itself.
Remember, the time we offer to Christ is never lost. It is not wasted. It is time well-spent. It is time gained, when relationships are made deeper, and out entire lives are made more genuinely human.

FOR REFLECTION
Do you feel yourself yearning sometimes to have “time off from time itself”? Think about how spending Sunday as a day of rest and prayer, a day for family and friends, could help you do this.

YOUR COMMITMENT
Can you make a commitment now to spend next Sunday well? Plan ahead and prepare for the day. Attend Mass at your parish. Invite friends or family to share a meal. And plan how you will take care of business on other days. + Blessings!