After all the work God did during the week, on the seventh day, He rested and made it holy. We should, too. We are called to rest on Sunday as the Lord rested. It isn’t an idleness or simply a time for entertainment but rather a restorative experience of reveling in the fullness of what has been and gratitude for God’s providence — a time to take delight in the gift of life.

In October’s video of our Reclaiming Sundays series, Dr. Pamela Patnode, Catholic educator, author and speaker, encourages families to “keep making the effort.” She reminds us, “The more we can enter into the Lord’s Day with worship, rest and leisure as He intended, the less it feels like an obligation and the more it feels like a gift.” Let’s reclaim Sundays for the Lord and our families.

SAMPLE ACTIVITIES FOR OCTOBER:

• Refrain from house projects and tasks centered around productivity.
• Choose activities focused on recreation, leisure, and rest (such as reading a book, listening to music, doing a crossword puzzle, going for a long walk, playing a game, or playing outdoors together).
• Build community by inviting another family over or by visiting a friend or relative.
• Kids love traditions and they are great for building family identity. Create a Sunday tradition such as brunch after Mass or flowers and candles with dinner. Or, on the flip side, adopt a quiet, simple dinner. In the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, a Sunday family rosary could be in your living room, but also could be prayed on a walk, around a campfire, or in the car on the way back from visiting that relative.
• Recommended resource to assist in building habits of prayer is the Hallow App.

BACKGROUND: Here at the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, we are in the middle of our synod implementation process, this year focusing on Synod Year III— “Parents as Primary Educators of Their Children in the Ways of the Faith.” To support parents as the primary educators of their children, they have published, “Reclaiming Sundays: Recover Sunday as a Day for the Lord and Family.”

This guide lays out monthly themes and practical suggestions for families — and the lay faithful in all walks of life — to build lasting habits and anchor their week in a joyful, prayerful and restful observance of Sunday. Family Formation has a long history of promoting this sort of thing, so we are very enthusiastic supporters!