The Service of the Lord's Day

Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. . . . On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Canons 1246 & 1247, The Catholic Church's 1983 Code of Canon Law

Life is filled with occasions for public and private worship. Among these, the Service of the Lord’s Day has primacy of place. It is the church’s anchor, keeping God’s people rooted in the triune God who comes to us in word and sacrament.

Outside of the principal Sunday service, feel free to wander down any worship path that seems right. Suit your artistic, intellectual and emotional preferences. Meet your personal needs. Sing to the sound of drums and guitars. Meditate to the sound of the pipe organ. Lose yourself in chant. Dance. Wave banners. Have a love feast with coffee and doughnuts. Practice fasting. Speak in tongues. Listen to readings from poets or philosophers. Read the works of historical saints or best-selling authors. Watch films. Preach revivals. Hold prayer meetings. Recite the daily office. Sing your table grace to a movie tune. Walk the labyrinth. March through the streets. Retreat to the mountains. Or don’t. Suit yourself.

Some approaches to worship are “not my thing.” Others dislike forms that I cherish. À chacun son goût.

In the weekly Service of the Lord’s Day, however, the emphasis must be on the common faith of the church manifested in word and sacrament, not on personal religious expression or experience. The same is true for the principal feasts of the Christian year. These services are more about “us and God" than they are about “me and God.” Through word and sacrament, the Service of the Lord's Day unites God's people throughout the world and throughout the ages. The word for this is "catholic" (with a lower case "c").

Though the church still has a great deal of freedom in how it structures its worship, the Service of the Lord's Day must be essentially catholic in nature.

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