June 8: Memorial of Our Lady of Sunday and Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

 

Our Lady of Sunday

Today, June 8, is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sunday. From the Patron Saints Index, we read: 

An apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Auguste Arnaud on 8 June 1873 and 8 July 1873. Arnaud was married, the father of two, and a winemaker who regularly skipped Sunday Mass to work his vineyards. Our Lady appeared to him in the vineyard on 8 June and reminded him “You must not work on Sundays.” In honour of this blessing, Arnaud placed a cross and a statue of Mary at the site in the field. On 8 July Our Lady appeared again, this time to both Auguste and his neighbors who had gathered there, and told them, “You must never work on Sunday! Blessed are those who believe.”

A very brief but efficacious message this is! Because of the wide variety of Mass times, on both Saturday nights (which fulfills the Sunday obligation) and Sunday mornings, it is very rare that someone has to skip their Sunday Mass obligation to go to work. What does the catechism say about working on Sundays? Let's take a look.

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

It seems very simple. There are times when an employer requires someone to work both Saturday night and Sunday morning, and one is legitimately excused from their Sunday obligation in these cases, but it is still our duty to do everything possible to attend our Sunday Mass obligation. The Church even calls on us to work with our legislature to ensure that Sundays and Holy Days are considered to be holidays. 

In today's readings, we continue in the Book of Tobit to learn about God's provision of a husband for Sarah. The Angel Raphael brings Tobiah, son of Tobit, to marry Sarah whose seven previous husbands died before the marriage could be consummated. Yesterday, we learned that St. Raphael got rid of the demon which had killed those men. Today, both Tobiah and Sarah kneel in prayer to God before going to bed, and thus the marriage is blessed from its beginning. What a wonderful example for newly married couples.

In today's Gospel, we learn the two greatest commandments:

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."

Indeed, whether it is in arranging our work schedule so that we can worship God for our Sunday Mass obligation, or putting off the joys of the honeymoon to tell God that you marry not for lust but to fulfill God's will for man and woman, we should always seek to put God first in our lives.

As the Psalm today says:

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Amen.