Business as usual, Working on Sunday, Buying and Selling.
Contemning the word of the day, brings a harsh death sentence on this man. God made the world in 6 days , and rested on the 7th. He hath commanded that we do likewise, work 6 days and rest on the Sabbath. But also, the Sabbath is dedicated to the Lord, to worship him, to acknowledge him as our benefactor, and to thank him for all his many blessings. It is a holy day, not a regular day. Only those whose work requires working on the Lord’s day are excepted, doctors, nurses, etc. This is a strict duty enjoined on all men, and if we fail to obey his commandment to keep the Sabbath holy, then we are setting ourselves up for punishment and possibly damnation, maybe even death, like this man, who contemned the word of the Lord, and all he was doing was picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Was it the little work he was doing, or his big sin of disobedience? It was his big sin of disobedience, and he was stoned to death for it. Couldn’t the sticks have waited another day? Couldn’t that yard you’re going to mow wait another day? Couldn’t that car you’re going to work on wait another day? God has a very great reward in store for us if we keep his commandments, but we do have to obey him. “I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great,” He says. [Genesis 15:1].
God says, “The same law shall be for all that sin by ignorance, whether they be natives or strangers. But the soul that committeth anything through pride, whether he be born in the land or a stranger (because he hath been rebellious against the Lord) shall be cut off from among his people: For he hath contemned the word the Lord, and made void his precept: therefore shall he be destroyed, and shall bear his iniquity. And it came to pass, when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, and had found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day, That they brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole multitude. And they put him into prison, not knowing what they should do with him. And the Lord said to Moses: Let that man die, let all the multitude stone him without the camp. And when they had brought him out, they stoned him, and he died as the Lord had commanded.” Numbers 15:29-36. Why did God order the man’s death? To show the seriousness of the crime, and to cause others to fear, so they do not make the same mistake. Fr. Leslie Rumble said, “The seriousness of the punishment shows the seriousness of the crime.” God also slew Onan for the sin of birth control, Genesis 38:10, because marriage is for the precreation of children and God said, “Increase and multiply, and fill the earth.”[Genesis 9:1], and Onan refused to keep God’s commandment. Breaking the commandments has very serious consequences, in this life and even in the next. Accidents, sickness, wars, death, and oftentimes, eternal damnation. Jesus said, “If thou wilt enter life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17.
Sunday is the holy day, the Lord’s Day, as we call it, and also the holy days throughout the year designated by holy Church must also be observed. It is called ‘The Lord’s Day,’ because it belongs to him, and not to us. St. John Vianney said, “When we work on Sunday, we steal the Lord’s Day from him.”
PROFANATION OF SUNDAY IS AN INJUSTICE
A farmer ridiculed his neighbor because he did not, like himself, work on Sunday, but on the contrary attended the Church service. “Suppose,’’ said the neighbor, “I have seven shillings in my pocket, and meeting a poor man on the way, I give him six., what would you say?” “Well,’’ said the farmer, “you would be very generous, and would deserve every thanks.” “But instead of thanking me, he threw me down and robbed me of my last shilling, what then?” “Why, such a man would deserve to be hanged.” “Friend,” replied the neighbor, ‘’that’s your very case.’’ “God has given you six days to labor in, and has reserved only the seventh for himself, and commands us to sanctify it; and instead of being thankful for his gifts and respecting his will, you rob him even of the seventh day. Are not the two cases alike?” The farmer agreed, he admitted his fault , and corrected it. Should we not do the same? (Stories From The Catechist # 488)
SHOPPING ON SUNDAY
“And if the people of the land bring in things to sell, or any things for use, to sell them on the sabbath day, that we would not buy them of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day. And that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every hand.” [2 Esdras (Nehemiah) 10:31].
THE BISHOPS CONDEMN MARKETING: # 497, Declaration of the Council of Paris
In the Sixth Council, held at Paris in the year 829, the Bishops, after condemning marketing, bargaining, and all country business on the Sundays, add: “There are many who have been struck by lightning for working on these days; of many of these we have been eyewitnesses ourselves, and of many more we have heard by the relation of others. There are also others who have been punished by a sudden contraction of their nerves and more have been struck dead by fire, and for their sins, their bodies and their very bones have in a moment been reduced to ashes. Besides, many other terrible judgements there have been, and still are, whereby it is sufficiently declared how much God is offended by the profanation of the Sabbath day.” Thus verifying the terrible words of Scripture: “He that sinneth in the sight of his maker, shall fall into the hands of the physician.” Ecclus. 38:15, and, “He that shall profane it, shall be put to death, he that shall do any work, his soul shall perish out of the midst of his people.” (Ex. 31:14). Scripture passages taken from Douay Rheims Bible, drbo.org.
Not only that, but we now see countless people commercializing on Sunday. Wal-Mart and most all the other stores are open full throttle. Restaurants also, with all their attractive goods like Cracker Barrel and so many others. We buy and sell just like it’s another day. People should make an effort to buy their gas on Saturday, yet sometimes when they are travelling, it is necessary to get fuel on Sundays, or a meal. Other than the necessities, all other commercializing should be done away with. The Bishops, after condemning marketing, bargaining, and all country business on the Sundays, add: “There are many who have been struck by lightning for working on these days; of many of these we have been eyewitnesses ourselves, and of many more we have heard by the relation of others. “Keep his precepts and commandments, which I command thee: that it may be well with thee, and thy children after thee, and thou mayst remain a long time upon the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee.” [Deuteronomy 4:40].
“Who shall give them to have such a mind, to fear me, and to keep all my commandments at all times, that it may be well with them and with their children for ever?” [Deuteronomy 5:29].
In our own day, one man who was working on the Lord’s Day suffered a massive heart attack and almost died. Another case in our own time was of a young man, very wicked, went to a service drunk, mocked the service, and died an early death in his twenties. His jeep overturned on him, and killed him. My friends, it is very dangerous to break God’s law. Sin has consequences, and sooner or later, it will catch up with us. King David was terribly punished in his time for his sins. “There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins. For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.” Ps. 37:4,5.
And what about those who refuse to go to Mass on Sunday to worship and acknowledge the Lord, as He has commanded? Missing Mass on Sunday is a grave sin! THE MASS DRAWS DOWN GOD’S MERCY. The following story bears this out. The one who went to Mass was saved; the one who did not, was killed! St. Antoninus relates the story of two libertines, who went one day into the forest, one of them having heard Mass, the other not. Soon, it is said, there arose a furious tempest, and they heard, amid thunder and lightning, a voice which cried, “Slay!” and instantly came a flash which reduced the one who had not heard Mass. The other, all terrified, was seeking escape, when he heard the same voice, which repeated, “Slay!” The poor youth expected instant death, when lo, he heard another voice which answered, “I cannot. I cannot; today he heard, ‘Verbum caro factum est, (the Word was made flesh), his Mass will not let me strike.” Verbum caro factum est, is from the Gospel reading at the end of each traditional Latin mass. St. Leonard says, “Oh, how many times hath God freed you from death, or at least, from many most grievous perils, through the Mass you attended!” St. Gregory assures us of the same, “It is most true that he who attends Holy Mass shall be freed from many evils and from many dangers, both foreseen and unforeseen.” St. Augustine says, “He shall be freed from sudden death, which is the most terrible stroke launched by Divine Justice against sinners.” – The Hidden Treasure, St. Leonard of Port Maurice. “And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.” [Matthew 18:16]. Here we have three great saints, all saying the same thing.
The Three Traders
Sin has consequences! Those who miss Mass on Sundays and Holydays of the year expose themselves to great danger and affliction. Even those who have fallen away from the Church and take part in protestant services. Every Mass they miss is still a mortal sin. As one priest said, “When they die, those who have left the Church, they will be judged as Catholics.” Because they were taught the truth when they were taught you were supposed to go to Mass on Sunday, and they turned away from it.
St. Leonard says, “Many are the excuses which those who attend Mass grudgingly and with reluctance find from their tepidity.” He relates the story of “certain traders of Gubbio, 3 to be exact, who had gone to a public fair held in the town of Cisternino, and having made a clearance of their wares, two of them began to speak of going, and fixed to start the next day at dawn, so as to arrive by evening in their own neighborhood. But, the third would not consent to start with them, and protested that, the next day being Sunday, he could never think of commencing a journey without having first heard Holy Mass, that then, after a little food, they might take their departure more to their satisfaction, and that, should they not succeed in getting to Gubbio that evening, there was no want of comfortable inns on the road. His friends did not yield to this wise salutary counsel, but, bent on arriving at home the next night, they took their way on horseback towards home. They arrived near the river Corfuone. By the violent rain that had fallen during the night, it was now excessively swollen, and the current beating strongly against the bridge had somewhat shaken and weakened it. They advanced upon it with their horses, and no sooner had they reached the middle than a still further rise and furious rush of the flood broke down and swept away the whole structure. The two unhappy traders were, of course, plunged with their horses into the river and drowned, losing at once, their money, their good, their lives, and almost certainly their souls. At the sound of the crash, and sight of havoc, the peasants ran to the spot, and contrived with hooks to draw the corpses out, which they then left stretched out on the bank, in order that, if possible, they might be recognized and obtain burial. Soon after, the third trader, who had been detained by his wish to satisfy the precept of attending Mass, and who had taken to the road with joyful alacrity, came up to the river and beheld the two bodies on the bank. Drawing up to observe them, he instantly recognized his two companions, and heard from the bystanders all the miserable catastrophe with the utmost agitation of spirit. Then he lifted his hands to heaven, returning thanks to the Most High, Who had so mercifully preserved him, and he blessed a thousand times the hour in which he assisted at Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, clearly recognizing the source of his safety. When again at home, he announced the sad intelligence, got the relations to procure proper interment for the departed, and stirred up among all a lively desire of daily attendance at Holy Mass.”
St. John Vianney had this to say for those who work on Sunday. “You labor, but what you earn proves the ruin of your soul and body. If we ask those who work on Sunday, ”What have you been doing?’ they might answer, ‘I have been selling my soul to the devil, and crucifying Our Lord. I am doomed to hell!’ When I see people driving their carts on Sunday, it seems to me I see them carting their souls to hell…Sunday is the property of the good God; it is His own day, the Lord’s Day. He made all the days of the week, he might have kept them all. Hehas given you six, and only reserved the seventh for himself. What right have you to meddle with that which does not belong to you? You know very well that stolen good never yield any profit. Neither will the day you steal from the Lord procure for you any advantage. I know two infallible ways of becoming poor, and they are: Sunday work, and taking other people’s property.’’ – St. John Vianney.
One day a young lawyer went to confession to him, and after confessing, asked St. Pio about his grandfather who had died 4 years previously. His grandfather was a surgeon, and St. Pio told the young lawyer that because of his grandfather’s many good works, he was already enjoying the eternal vision of God. Then the man asked St. Pio about his other grandfather who had died 15 years before. The young man said his grandfather was an indifferent man. He would say, “Why should I go to Mass on Sundays? I prefer going out into nature and praying in the open air or at home! (But people who speak that way seldom do it). Why should I go to confession. I did not steal anything. I did not kill anybody.” With a trembling voice and quite excited, Father Pio said these dreadful words: “I cannot even look at him, he is so dreadfully ugly. He wallows in the eternal flames.” To miss Mass on Sunday without a sufficient reason is a grave violation of the third Commandment, “Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath Day.” When the Israelites committed fornication with the daughters of Moab, what was it that really flared up the anger of God, and brought death on 24,000 people? It was when the Israelites joined in the sacrifices and false worship of their false gods. “And the Lord being angry, [4] Said to Moses: Take all the princes of the people, and hang them up on gibbets against the sun: that my fury may be turned away from Israel. [5] And Moses said to the judges of Israel: Let every man kill his neighbours, that have been initiated to Beelphegor… [9] And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.’ Chapter 25 of Numbers. What did this false worship do? It gave honor to the devils, and deprived the honor which was justly due to God. “For all the gods of the Gentiles are devils.” Psalms 95:5. So we see it is a grave injustice to worship falsely, and to neglect to go to Holy Mass in the one, true, Holy Catholic Church on Sunday and Holydays.
Do you wish you and your children to have a long life? Hear what God says.
“That thou mayst fear the Lord thy God, and keep all his commandments and precepts, which I command thee, and thy sons, and thy grandsons, all the days of thy life, that thy days may be prolonged.” [Deuteronomy 6:2].
Do you wish good days? God said, “If thou wilt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and do what is right before him, and obey his commandments, and keep all his precepts, none of the evils that I laid upon Egypt, will I bring upon thee: for I am the Lord thy healer.”[Exodus 15:26]. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”[1 Peter 3:10].
“You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you take away from it: keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”
[Deuteronomy 4:2]
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