July 18, 2008, Friday

Read: Is. 38: 1-8, 21-22 Mt. 12: 1-8

"The Pharisees protested: Your disciples are doing what is not permitted on the sabbath.’" (Mt. 12:2)

Jesus gave absolute powers over to His Church: "I will entrust to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you declare bound on earth shall be bound in heaven." (Mt. 16:19)

While worshiping in the synagogue and the Temple with the rest of the Jewish community, they continued to celebrate the Eucharist of the Lord on Sunday.

The Eucharist is the commemoration of the Resurrection of the LORD, and of the Holy Spirit’s glorious manifestation on the Day of Pentecost -- both of which occurred on Sunday. When the early Christians lost their welcome among the Jewish worshipers, the community members spontaneously recognized Sunday as a sacred Day and began to celebrate Holy Mass, have reunions, prayers and the like on Sundays -- the day of the Lord.

Now being the general practice after the year 70 A.D., the Church with her divine authority consecrated Sunday as the Lord's special day.

The New Covenant or Testament abolished many of the disciplinary laws of the Old Testament. (Acts 15:19)

The important point of the sabbath is that we recognize the Lord. That recognition needs to be in the form putting all of our attention in the Lord and by making some external manifestation of our love and respect for Him as Creator of Heaven and Earth.

Psalm 22:24-25 "You who fear the LORD, give praise!... For God has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch."