Pope Francis: Sundays are a gift from God – don't ruin it

Catholic News Agency

As part of his continued series of catecheses on the family, Francis announced he would shift focus to the different rhythms of family life, such as celebration, work and prayer.

Francis pointed to Sundays as a particularly important time for rest, because “in them we find God.”

Going to Mass brings the grace of Jesus Christ to each of our celebrations, he said, since it is in the Eucharist that we encounter his presence, love and sacrifice. The Eucharistic celebration, he said, is Jesus’ way of being with us and forming us into a community.

“Everything is transfigured by his grace: work, family, the joys and trials of each day, even our sufferings and death.”

Pope Francis cautioned that the ideologies of profit and consumption want to “eat up” the celebration, and turn it into another way to make and spend money.

“But is this why we work? The greed of consuming, which leads to waste, it's a bad virus which, among other things, in the end makes us more tired than before,” he said.

Francis concluded by praying that the family always be recognized as a privileged place where the gifts that come from our celebrations are understood, guided and sustained, particularly Sunday Mass.

”May the Lord allows us to live the time of rest, celebrations, the Sunday feast, with the eyes of faith, as a precious gift which illuminates family life,” he said.

Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-sundays-are-a-gift-from-god-dont-ruin-it-73132/