“Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8). 

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: 

With gratitude to God and under the mantle of Our Lady, I write to you with a father’s heart regarding the sanctity of the Lord’s Day. This reflection first came to me in the silence of Eucharistic Adoration, and I now offer it to you as a call to renewal, a reminder of the treasure entrusted to us from the dawn of creation. 

From the very beginning, God Himself established a rhythm of work and rest. “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done” (Genesis 2:2). This was no mere human custom, but the divine order written into creation. 

On Mount Sinai, the Lord codified this order into His Ten Commandments, solemnly declaring, “Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8). The Church, guided by the Resurrection of Christ, now honors this command on Sunday, the first day of the week, which has become the day of the new creation and the day of eternal hope. Yet, whether called the Sabbath or the Lord’s Day, the essence remains: it belongs to Him. 

Our Catholic faith teaches clearly that worship on the Lord’s Day is not optional. The Catechism of the Council of Trent states with firmness: “The faithful are bound to assist at Mass on Sundays and other holy days of obligation.” To deliberately neglect this duty is a mortal sin, for it is to turn away from the altar of the Eucharistic Christ, the very source of life and salvation. 

In our time, however, how often is this ancient command of God ignored? How easily does a culture distracted by commerce, entertainment, and endless busyness push aside the sacred claim of God upon His day? The world has drifted far from the essential nature of this holy day, and in that drift we see the roots of much of our restlessness, confusion, and despair. 

To keep the Lord’s Day holy is not a burden but a gift. It is an anchor cast into eternity, keeping us moored to the pillars of faith. In honoring this day, we remain fastened to Our Lord in His Eucharistic Face, and we place ourselves in the maternal embrace of the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through the prayer of the Holy Rosary. 

When the Mass and the Rosary are the heartbeat of Sunday, families are strengthened, society is healed, and souls are refreshed in the peace that only God can give. To abandon the Lord’s Day is to set adrift in a storm-tossed sea without compass or anchor. To honor it is to enter the harbor of God’s Heart. 

Beloved sons and daughters, let us not ignore this command of God. In a world that is hectic, violent, confused, and frightened, we desperately need this remedy given to us by the Lord Himself. To sanctify the Lord’s Day is not merely to avoid sin; it is to embrace the rhythm of heaven, to drink deeply from the wellspring of Christ’s grace. 

St. John Paul II reminded us in his apostolic letter Dies Domini: “The Lord’s Day is the lord of days …” To restore the Lord’s Day to its rightful place in our homes, our parishes, and our culture is to restore order, peace, and light to our weary world. 

Therefore, as a shepherd, I exhort you: 

• Worship at Holy Mass every Sunday with reverence and love. 

• Keep the day holy by prayer, rest, and works of mercy, not by falling into the same routines of commerce and noise. 

• Teach your children that this day belongs to God, and model for them a life anchored in Eucharistic worship and Marian devotion. 

By such fidelity, we will not only obey God’s command, but we will find the joy and peace for which our hearts so deeply long.  

May we, as the family of God, recommit ourselves to the sanctification of the Lord’s Day. May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus be the center of our Sundays, and may Our Blessed Mother, who pondered all things in her heart, teach us how to rest in her Son. 

Invoking the intercession of St. Nathaniel, who recognized Christ as the Son of God and the King of Israel (John 1:49), I entrust this letter to his prayers. When Our Lord said to him, “Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee” (John 1:48), Nathaniel was struck with awe. At once, he confessed with faith: “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.” 

St. Nathaniel stands before us as a witness to the power of Christ’s gaze – a gaze that pierces the heart and awakens faith. On this Lord’s Day, may we too allow ourselves to be seen by Christ, to be known by Him, and to respond with the same faith-filled confession. In this way, our worship on Sunday becomes not a mere obligation but a living encounter with the Lord who sees us, loves us, and calls us His own.  

And now, commending you to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I impart to you my blessing: 

May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Bishop Joseph E. Strickland 

Bishop Emeritus