CATECHISM

Q. What is the Third Commandment?
A. The third Commandment is ‘Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
Sabbath. The day of rest. The seventh day of the week among the Jews — set apart for
rest from work, and kept holy in memory of God having rested on that day, and of their
deliverance out of Egypt. Among Christians the first day of the week is kept holy, in
memory of the Resurrection of our Lord, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Q. What are we commanded by the third Commandment?
A. By the third Commandment we are commanded to keep the Sunday holy.

Q. How are we to keep the Sunday holy?
A. We are to keep the Sunday holy by praying and participating in Mass and resting from servile
works.
Participating in Mass. By this is meant that we must be bodily present in the place where
Mass is being said, and in such a manner as to form part of the congregation, and pay
great attention to all that is taking place upon the altar. The most important or solemn
parts of the Mass are the Offertory, the Consecration, and the priest’s communion. We
are excused from attending at Mass either by sickness, very bad weather, great distance
from church, great poverty, etc.
Servile works. Such works as employ the body rather than the mind, and are usually
done by servants and tradespeople. There are two other kinds of work— viz. liberal, or
that work in which the mind is more engaged than the body, as drawing, music, writing,
etc.; and common work or such as is followed by all classes, as fishing, hunting, shooting,
etc.

Q. Why are we commanded to rest from servile works?
A. We are commanded to rest from servile works that we may have time and opportunity for
prayer, going to the Sacraments, hearing instructions, and reading good books.
Hearing instructions. Attending at sermons, catechism, Sunday School, etc.