Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sunday as the Fundamental Feast Day


The Resurrection of Jesus is the fundamental event upon which Christian faith rests (cf. 1 Cor 15:14). It is an astonishing reality, fully grasped in the light of faith, yet historically attested to by those who were privileged to see the Risen Lord. It is a wondrous event which is not only absolutely unique in human history, but which lies at the very heart of the mystery of time.

In fact, "all time belongs to [Christ] and all the ages", as the evocative liturgy of the Easter Vigil recalls in preparing the Paschal Candle. Therefore, in commemorating the day of Christ's Resurrection not just once a year but every Sunday, the Church seeks to indicate to every generation the true fulcrum of history, to which the mystery of the world's origin and its final destiny leads.


It is right, therefore, to claim, in the words of a fourth century homily, that "the Lord's Day" is "the lord of days".

Those who have received the grace of faith in the Risen Lord cannot fail to grasp the significance of this day of the week with the same deep emotion which led Saint Jerome to say: "Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, it is the day of Christians, it is our day".

For Christians, Sunday is "the fundamental feastday", established not only to mark the succession of time but to reveal time's deeper meaning.

John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Dies Domini, 1998 (#2)


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Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, it may be defended always by your protection.  Through our Lord. 

(Collect, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

1 comment:

  1. Feast day celebrations are an intergral part of worshipping God, it seems like today, they have substituted for the traditions, which is some thing the Messiah Mark 7:8 and Paul Colossians 2:8 warned us not to do peace.

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