The Catechism of the Council of Trent/Part 3: The Third Commandment

by the Council of Trent

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

"REMEMBER THAT THOU KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY. SIX DAYS SHALT THOU LABOUR AND SHALT DO ALL THY WORKS; BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH OF THE LORD THY GOD: THOU SHALT DO NO WORK ON IT, THOU NOR THY SON, NOR THY DAUGHTER, NOR THY MAN-SERVANT, NOR THY MAID-SERVANT, NOR THY BEAST, NOR THE STRANGER THAT IS WITHIN THY GATES: FOR IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND THE SEA, AND ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN THEM, AND RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY: THEREFORE THE LORD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY: AND SANCTIFIED IT." ^[1]

THIS commandment, as is required by the natural order, prescribes the external worship which is due to God, and is, as it were, a consectary of the preceding commandment. If we sincerely and devoutly yield internal worship to God, guided by the faith and hope we have in him, we cannot but honour him with external worship and thanksgiving: ^[2] this duty we cannot easily discharge whilst occupied in worldly affairs; and hence the necessity of appointing a fixed time for its performance. As, therefore, this commandment, if duly observed, is productive of much fruit, it is of the highest importance that the pastor use the utmost diligence in its exposition. The word " Remember," with which the commandment commences, must animate him to the zealous performance of this duty: if the faithful are commanded to " remember" this commandment, it becomes the duty of the pastor to recall it frequently to their recollection.

The importance of its observance may be inferred from the consideration, that a faithful compliance with its injunctions facilitates the observance of all the other commandments. Amongst the other works of piety by which the Sabbath is to be sanctified, the faithful are bound to assemble in the Church to hear the divine word: when they have thus learned the justifications of the Lord, they will be prompted to the faithful and willing observance of his holy Law. Hence the sanctification of the Sabbath is very of .en enforced in Scripture, as may be seen in Exodus, ^[3] Leviticus, ^[4] Deuteronomy, ^[5] and in the prophecies of Isaias, ^[6] Jeremiah, ^[7] and Ezekiel, ^[8] all of which contain this precept which commands the observance of the Sabbath. ^[9] Princes and magistrates are to be admonished and exhorted to lend the sanction and support of their authority to the pastors of the Church, particularly in upholding and extending the worship of God, and in commanding obedience to the spiritual injunctions of the pastor.

With regard to the exposition of this commandment, the faithful are to be carefully taught in what it accords with, and in what it differs from the others, in order that they may understand why Christians observe not the Sabbath, but the Lord's-day. The point of difference is evident: the other commandments of the Decalogue are precepts of the natural law, obligatory at all times and unalterable, and hence, after the abrogation of the Law of Moses, all the commandments contained in the two tables are observed by Christians, not however because their observance is commanded by Moses, but because they accord with the law of nature and are enforced by its dictate: whereas this commandment, if considered as to the time of its fulfilment, is not fixed and unalterable, but is susceptible of change, and belongs not to the moral but ceremonial Law. Neither is it a principle of the natural law: we are not instructed by the natural law to worship God on the Sabbath, rather than on any other day. The Sabbath was kept holy from the time of the liberation of the people of Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh: the obligation was to cease with the abrogation of the Jewish worship, of which it formed a part; and it therefore was no longer obligatory after the death of Christ. Having been, as it were, images which shadowed the light and the truth, these ceremonies were to disappear at the coming of that light and truth, which is Christ Jesus. Hence St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians, when reproving the observers of the Mosaic rites, says: "you observe days and months and times and years; I am afraid of you lest perhaps I have laboured in vain amongst you;" ^[10] sentiments which are also to be found in his Epistle to the Colossians. ^[11] On the difference between this and the other commandments these observations will suffice.

As to their accordance, it consists not in rites and ceremonies, but in as much as this commandment, in common with the others, expresses a moral obligation, founded on the law of nature. The worship of God and the practice of religion, which it comprises, have the natural law for their basis: the unbidden impulse of nature prompts us to give some time to the worship of God; and this is a truth demonstrated by the unanimous consent of all nations, who, accordingly, consecrated festivals to the public solemnities of religion. As nature requires some time to be given to necessary relaxation, to sleep, and to the repose and refreshment of the body; so she also requires, that some time be devoted to the mind, to refresh and invigorate its energies by heavenly contemplation. Hence the necessity of consecrating some time to the worship of the Deity and to the practice of religion, duties which, doubtless, form part of the moral law. The Apostles therefore resolved to consecrate the first day of the week to the divine worship, and called it " the Lord's-day:" St. John in his Apocalypse makes mention of " the Lord's-day;" ^[12] and the Apostle commands collections to be made" on the first day of the week," ^[13] that is, according to the interpretation of St. Chrysostome, on the Lord's-day; and thus we are given to understand that even then the Lord's-day was kept holy in the church.

In order that the faithful may know what they are to do, what to avoid, on the Lord's-day, it will not be found foreign to his purpose, if the pastor, dividing the commandment into four parts, explain each part with minute accuracy. In the first place, then, he will explain generally the meaning of these words: " Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day." The word " remember" is appropriately made use of at the beginning of the commandment, to signify that the sanctification of that particular day belonged to the ceremonial law. Of this it would seem to have been necessary to admonish the people, for, although the law of nature commands us to give religious worship to God, it fixes no particular day for the performance of that duty. They are also to be taught, that from these words we may learn how we should employ our time during the week; that we are to keep constantly in view the Lord's-day, on which we are, as it were, to render an account to God for the manner in which we have spent the week: and that therefore our occupations and conduct should be such as not to be unacceptable in the sight of God, or, as it is written, be to us " an occasion of grief, and a scruple of heart." ^[14] Finally, we are taught, and the instruction demands our serious attention, that there are but too many circumstances which may lead to a forgetfulness of this commandment, such as the evil example of others who neglect its observance, and an inordinate love of amusements, which frequently with draw from the holy and religious observance of the Lord's-day.

We now come to the meaning of the word " Sabbath." Sabbath is a Hebrew word: it signifies cessation; to keep the Sabbath, therefore, means to cease from labour; and in this sense the seventh day was called the " Sabbath," (it is so called by God in Exodus) because, having finished the creation of the world, God rested from all the work which he had done. ^[15] Not only the seventh day, but, in honour of that day, the entire week was subsequently called "the Sabbath;" and in this meaning of the word, the Pharisee says in St. Luke: " I fast twice in a Sabbath." ^[16] Thus much will suffice with regard to the signification of the word " Sabbath."

In the words of the commandment, the sanctification of the Sabbath is a cessation from bodily labour and worldly business, as is clear from the following words: " Thou shalt do no work on it." This alone, however, does not comprise the meaning of the commandment: if it did, it would have been sufficient to say in Deuteronomy, "observe the day of the Sabbath;" ^[17] but it is added, " and sanctify it;" and these additional words prove that the Sabbath is a day sacred to religion, set apart for works of piety and exercises of devotion. The Sabbath, there fore, we sanctify by devoting it to duties of piety and religion; and this is evidently the Sabbath, which Isaias calls " delightful;" ^[18] when thus spent, it is the delight of God and of his faithful servants. If then to this religious and holy observance of the Sabbath we add works of mercy, the rewards proposed to our piety in the same chapter are numerous and most important. ^[19] The true and proper meaning, therefore, of this commandment tends to this, that we take special care to set apart some fixed time, when, disengaged from bodily labour, and undisturbed by worldly cares, we may devote our whole being, soul and body, to the religious worship of God.

The other part of the precept declares that the seventh day was consecrated by Almighty God to his worship: " Six days," says he, " shalt thou labour, and do all thy works;" but on " the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" that is to say, the Sabbath is consecrated to the Lord, and on that day we are to render him the duties of religion, and to know that the seventh day is a sign of his rest. The Sabbath was consecrated to the worship of God, because it must have proved in convenient to leave to a rude people the choice of a time of worship, lest, perhaps, they may be led to imitate the idolatrous rites of Egypt. The seventh day was, therefore, chosen for the worship of God, and its dedication to that end is replete with mystery. Hence in Exodus, ^[20] and in Ezekiel ^[21] the Lord calls it "a sign:" "I gave them," says he, " my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them; and that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them." ^[22] It was a sign that man should dedicate and consecrate himself to God, whereas even the very day is dedicated and consecrated to him: it is holy because devoted in a special manner to holiness and to religion. It was also a sign, and, as it were, a memorial, of the stupendous work of the creation. To the Jews it was also a traditional sign, reminding them that they had been delivered by the hand of God from the galling yoke of Egyptian bondage. This the Almighty himself declares in these words: " Remember that thou also didst serve in Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out from thence with a strong hand and a stretched out arm. Therefore hath he commanded thee that thou shouldst observe the Sabbath day."

It is also a sign of the spiritual and celestial Sabbath. The spiritual Sabbath consists in a holy and mystical rest, wherein the old man, being buried with Christ, is renewed to life, and studies to act in accordance with the spirit of Christian piety: " you were, therefore, darkness," says the Apostle, " but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light; for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice and truth, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness." ^[23] The celestial Sabbath, as St. Cyril observes on these words of the Apostle, " There remaineth therefore a day of rest for the people of God," ^{[24] [25]} is that life which we shall enjoy with Christ, in the fruition of all good, when sin shall be no more, according to these words of Isaias: " No lion shall be there, nor shall any mischievous beast go it, nor be found there; but a path and a way shall be there, and it shall be called the holy way;" ^[26] for the souls of the saints enjoy the plenitude of happiness in the vision of God. The pastor therefore will exhort and animate the faithful in the words of the Apostle: " Let us hasten there fore to enter into that rest." ^[27]

Besides the Sabbath, the Jews observed other festivals which were instituted by the divine law, and the end and aim of which was to awaken in the people the recollection of the principal favours conferred on them by the Almighty. On these festivals the pastor will see Leviticus, ^[28] Numbers, ^[29] and Deuteronomy; ^[30] and on the moral objects contemplated in the institution of such festivals, he may also consult St. Cyril, ^[31] and St. Thomas. ^[32]

But the Church of God has in her wisdom ordained that the celebration of the Sabbath should be transferred to " the Lord's-day:" as on that day light first shone on the world, so by the resurrection of our Lord on the same day, by whom was thrown open to us the gate to eternal life, we were called out of darkness into light; and hence the Apostle would have it called "the Lord's-day." We also learn from the sacred Volume that the first day of the week was held sacred for other reasons: on that day the work of the creation commenced, and on that day the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles. From the very infancy of the church other days were also appointed by the Apostles, and by their successors in after-times, to be kept holy, in order to commemorate the special gifts bestowed on us Christians. Amongst these days the most conspicuous are those which were instituted to honour the mysteries of our redemption, and next to them, those which are dedicated to the most blessed Virgin Mother, to the Apostles, Martyrs and other Saints who reign with Christ, and in the celebration of whose victories the divine power and goodness, which triumphed in them are praised, due honour is paid to their memories, and the faithful are excited to the imitation of their virtues.

And as the observance of the precept is very strongly enforced in these words: " Six days shall thou labour, and shalt do all thy works; but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;" the pastor should therefore carefully explain them to the people - They implicitly admonish him that the faithful are to be exhorted not to waste their lives in indolence and sloth, but mindful of the words of the Apostle, and in accordance with his command, " do their own business, and work with their own hands." ^[33] These words also enjoin as a duty that " in six days we do all our works," and admonish us not to defer to the Sunday or holiday what should have been done during the other days of the week, and what if deferred must withdraw our attention from the sanctification of the Sabbath.

The third The third part of the commandment comes next to be explained. It points out, to a certain extent, the manner in which we are to keep holy the Sabbath day, and explains particularly it prohibits, what is prohibited to be done on that day: " Thou shalt do no work on it," says the Lord, "thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates." These words teach us, in the first place, to avoid whatever may interfere with the worship of God on the Sabbath day; and hence it is not difficult to perceive that all servile works are forbidden, not be cause they are improper or evil in themselves, but because they withdraw from the worship of God, which is the great end of the commandment. The faithful should be still more careful not to profane the Sabbath by sin, which not only withdraws the mind from the contemplation of divine things, but entirely alienates us from the love of God. ^[34] But whatever regards the celebration of divine worship, such as the decoration of the altar or church on occasion of some festival, and the like, although servile works, are not prohibited; and hence our Lord himself says: " The priests in the temple break the Sabbath, and are without blame." ^[35] Neither are we to suppose that this commandment forbids attention to those things on the Sabbath, which if neglected on that day perish to the proprietor. Their preservation is no violation of the commandment, and is expressly permitted by the sacred canons. There are many other things which our Lord declares lawful to be done on Sundays and holydays, and which may be seen by the pastor in St. Matthew and St. John.

But to omit nothing that may interfere with the sanctification of the Sabbath, cattle are mentioned in the commandment, because their use must prevent its due observance. If cattle be employed on the Sabbath, human labour also becomes necessary: they do not labour alone, but assist the labours of man. The prohibition of the employment of cattle is therefore a consequence of the prohibition of human labour; they are correllative; one supposes the other. If then God commands the exemption of cattle from labour on the Sabbath, still more imperative is the obligation to avoid all acts of inhumanity towards servants, or others whose labour and industry we employ in our service.

The pastor should also not omit to inform the faithful how they are to sanctify Sundays and holydays; and amongst other means he will not forget to mention the obligation of visiting the temple of God, and there, with heartfelt piety and devotion, assisting at the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass; ^[36] and also the duty of approaching frequently the sacraments of the Church, instituted for our sanctification and salvation, to heal our spiritual maladies. ^[37] Nothing can be more seasonable or salutary than frequent recourse to the tribunal of penance; and to this the pastor will be enabled to exhort the faithful by recurring to what we have already said in its proper place on the sacrament of penance. But not only will he excite his people to have recourse to the sacrament of penance he will also zealously exhort them again and again, to approach frequently the holy sacrament of the Eucharist. Sermons are also in those days to be heard by the faithful with attention and reverence nothing is more intolerable, nothing more unworthy of a Christian than to despise the words of Christ, or hear them with indifference. ^[38] Devout prayer and the praises of God should also frequently exercise the piety of the faithful on Sundays and holydays; and an object of their special attention should be to attend particularly to catechetical instruction, in order to learn those things which form to a Christian life; and to practise with assiduity these duties of Christian piety, viz. giving alms to the poor, visiting the sick, administering consolation to the afflicted. " Religion clear and undefiled before God and the Father is this," says St. James, " to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation." ^[39]

From what has been said it is easy to perceive, how this commandment may be violated: but the pastor will also deem it a duty to impress on the minds of the faithful the conviction, that this commandment is to be observed with pious zeal and the greatest exactitude. To the attainment of this end it will materially conduce, if he make them understand and see clearly, how just and reasonable it is to devote certain days, exclusively, to the worship of God, to acknowledge, adore, and venerate him from whom we have received such innumerable and inestimable blessings. Had God commanded us to offer him, on each day of our lives, the tribute of religious worship, would it not be our duty, in return for the inestimable and infinite benefits which his bounty has showered on us, to endeavour to obey the command with promptitude and alacrity? But now that the days specially consecrated to his service are but few in number, is it not as unreasonable as it is criminal to neglect so sacred a duty, or to discharge it with reluctance? ^[40]

The pastor will next point out the importance of a faithful compliance with this precept. Those who are faithful in its observance are admitted, as it were, into the divine presence, to commune freely with God; for in prayer we contemplate the increated majesty, and hold free converse with the Deity; in hearing religious instruction, we hear the voice of God, which reaches us through that of his pious and zealous minister; and at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we adore Christ the Lord, present on our altars. These are amongst the spiritual advantages, of which a faithful compliance with this commandment is the pure and plenteous source. But those, who altogether neglect its fulfilment, resist God and his Church: they are enemies of God and of his holy laws; and the facility with which the commandment may be fulfilled is at once a proof and an aggravation of their guilt. We should, it is true, be prepared to undergo the severest labour for sake of God; but in this commandment he imposes on us no labour; he only commands us to disengage ourselves from worldly cares on those days which are to be kept holy. To refuse obedience to this commandment is, therefore, a proof of extreme temerity; and the punishments with which its infraction has been visited should be a salutary admonition to Christians. ^[41]

In order, therefore, to avoid this guilt and these punishments, we should frequently ponder this word: " Remember," and place before us the important advantages, which, as we have already seen, flow from the religious observance of Sundays and holydays, and also numerous other considerations of the same tendency, which the good and zealous pastor will develope at large to his people as circumstances may require.

1. Exod. xx. 8.
2. Vid. Trid. decret. de ciborum delectu et festis diebus, sess. ult. sub finem. Item D. Thorn, 2. 2. q. 122. art. 4. item de consecrat. dist. 3. multis capitib.
3. Exod. xvi. 20. 31.
4. Lev. xvi. 19. 23. 26.
5. Dent. v.
6. Isa. lvi. 58. 66.
7. Jerem. 17.
8. Ezek. xx. 22, 23. 46.
9. De procd. verb. Dei, vid. Trid. sess. 5. c. 2. vide et singulare hac de re libellum Caroli Borrom in actis Eccles. Mediol. vide etiarn acta eccles. Bononiens.
10. Galat. iv. 10.
11. Col. ii. 16.
12. Apoc. i. 10.
13. Chrysost. horn. 13. in Corinth. Amb. item etTheophylact vid. etiam. Can. Apost. t. 67. Igriat Epist ad Magnes. Just. apol. 2. Tertul. in apol. e. 16. et de Coron. milit. c. 3. et de idol. c. 14. et Cyp. epist. 33. Clement. Alex. lib. 5. Strom, satis ante finem. Orig. horn. 7. in Exod.
14. 1 Kings xxv. 31.
15. Gen. ii. 3. Exod. xx. 21. Deut. v. 12.
16. Luke xyiii. 12.
17. Deut. v. 12.
18. Isa. lviii. 13.
19. Isa. lviii. 6.
20. Exod. xxxi. 13.
21. Ezek. xx. 12.
22. Deut. v. 15.
23. Eph. v. 8.
24. St. Cyril. Lat. lib. 4. in Joan. c. 51.
25. Heb. iv. 9.
26. Isa. xxxv. 9.
27. Heb. iv. 11.
28. Levit. xxiii
29. Num. xxix.
30. Deut. vi.
31. Cyril, de adoratione in spiritu et verit. lib. 17.
32. U. Thorn. 1. 2. q. 102. art. 4. ad 10.
33. 1 Thess. iv. 11.
34. Vid. Aug. tract. 3. in Joan, et in Ps. xxxi. serm. 1. et lib. de decem chordis c. 3.
35. Matt xii. 5.
36. Cone. Agath. c. 47. Aurel. c. 8. Tribur. c. 35. Vide de cons. dist. 1. cap. Mis- as. et cum ad celebrandas, et omnes fideles.
37. Aug. de Eccl. dogm. c. 53. et citatur de cons. dist. 2. c. quotidien.
38. Justin. Apol. 2. et ex Act Apost. c. 20. 7. Aug. lib. 50. horn. 26. et cit. 1. q. lib. cap. interroga.
39. James i. 27. Sic faciebant veteres Christiani, test. Just. Apol. 2. Tertull. in Apol. et in lib. ad martyres et in lib. 2. ad uxorem prope finem.
40. Vid. de consecr. disk 1. et in decret. Titul. de feriis et Cone. Matisc. 2. c. 1. et 37. Tribur. c. 35. Ignat. in p. ad Philip. Leon. serm. 3. de quadrag. Aug. serm. 151. de temp.
41. Num. xv. 32. et seq.