Sin or superstition: is it possible to work on Sunday and what exactly should not be done

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The third commandment of God reminds: “Remember to honor the holy day.” But people often go to work on Sundays because they have shift work. And some are even forced to perform hard physical work. Because of this, they do not go to church.

Father Taras Fityo, priest of the Archcathedral of St. George, head of the Commission for Family Affairs of the Lviv Archdiocese of the UGCC, helped to figure this out.

– “Remember to honor the holy day” is an Old Testament commandment, therefore given for the Jewish people, says Fr. Taras. – And indeed, according to the Book of Genesis, God created everything around and rested on the seventh day. This day is the Sabbath for the Jewish people. And Sunday is their first day of the week. And they considered Saturday itself to be the crown of all creation. But there is a completely different understanding of this. The fact that “God rested” means that He was comforted by what He had created. And it is the person created in the image and likeness of God who deserves the greatest respect.

– What is the connection here with the celebration of Sunday among Christians?

– This word is very well conveyed in the Russian language – “voskresenye”, that is, it is the memory of Christ's resurrection. As is known, Christ was resurrected on the first day of the week according to the Jewish calendar. The Bible mentions this several times. And this day is even Sunday for Jews.

When He created the world, man sinned, fell and rejected God. That is why the Lord enters human history through Jesus Christ, is born, lives with us, dies for us and, as a victor, is resurrected. That is why we celebrate Easter not only once a year, but every week, every Sunday. Therefore, Sunday of every week is a great holiday, which is also called “Little Easter”.

– So what sin will we have if we work on Sunday?

– In contrast to the Old Testament times, Christianity brought a completely different system and order, an example of love. Therefore, it cannot be said here that sewing is a grave sin, and watching TV or sitting on the Internet 24 hours a day is not a sin. The central event of the Sunday celebration is the Eucharist. A Christian should go to the church and take part in the Divine Liturgy. This is the most important thing. All other points should be discussed depending on the situation. For example, does a medical worker who is on duty have to go to work? Of course!

– But many people work in shifts. And does this mean that he performs hard physical work?

– There is state order here. In Catholic Austria, for example, all markets are closed on Sundays, and human labor is reduced to a minimum. They work only at enterprises with a continuous cycle, because they cannot be stopped. Our society is a little different. It's a shame that we call ourselves a Christian state, but Sunday bazaars are full of people. They work because there is a demand. Of course, financial interest is indicated here. I believe that only a few of the most important grocery stores and pharmacies should be open on Sundays. However, now there is an opportunity to come to the liturgy in the evening. If a person does this, it is very good for his soul.

– And if a person, having a choice, still neglects Sunday for the sake of double salary, does he sin?

< p>– You know, if a person will sit at home on the sofa and watch TV, then I would not say that his Sunday work for double salary is a sin. Let him work better for the prosperity of his family. And if she deliberately does not go to liturgy, even though she understands that it is important, but goes to work, because there is double payment for work, then yes, she will have a sin.

– What kind of work can be done on Sunday, and what kind – no?

– Heavy physical work is considered a sin for oneself. It is not possible to wash, clean, make repairs without an urgent need (for example, a pipe has burst and water is leaking), to work in the garden. However, it is not a sin to sew on a button or turn on the washing machine. If we talk about needlework, which worries women so much, then I can calm them down. Once it was considered hard work, but now it's like a hobby, so it's not a sin.

– And can you listen to music?

– Nowhere is it stated that listening to music is a sin. There is a commandment: “No loud entertainment during fasting.” For another 50-100 years, this meant listening to live music performed by musicians. Because there were no cassettes or discs. And in the modern sense, this is not a sin.

– And cooking also belongs to hard physical work?

– A hungry husband and a quarrel in the family are worse. But if a person does not go to liturgy because of what he cooks, then it is a sin. In general, if a person could, but did not come to the service of God, then he has a sin. Its weight is not measured, as on scales. But this means that she consciously refused God's grace. You understand: God is not taking away from her, but she is depriving herself of a certain gift.