The celebration of Easter reminds us that faith in the Resurrection of Christ is at the heart of our Catholic faith. Every Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, is our holy day.
The Constitution of the Liturgy of Vatican II states: “Following the apostolic tradition that originated on the very day of Christ’s resurrection, the Church celebrates the paschal mystery every seventh day, which day is, therefore, rightly called the Lord’s Day or Sunday. On this day, Christians must gather together to hear the word of God, to partake of the Eucharist, and, in this way, to call to mind the passion, resurrection, and glory of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God by whom they “have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet 1:3). Therefore, Sunday is the first of all feast days, to be presented to and urged upon the faithful as such, so that it may also become a day of gladness and rest from work. Other celebrations, unless they are really of the very greatest importance, should not take its place, since it is the foundation and nucleus of the whole liturgical year.”
It is very painful that due to COVID-19 pandemic many of the faithful in the world are not able to gather together physically to partake in the Eucharist. But it is very heartening to know that people are striving to sanctify Sunday through other pious exercises. Some faithful also gather together virtually in prayer and Bible study.
Many years ago, a priest in his writing pointed out that attending Holy Mass is an essential duty for all, but this duty alone was not enough to keep Sunday holy. We should strive to sanctify Sunday through other pious exercises as well. As all the various exercises of piety are not always fit for everyone, the Church leaves to each one's own devotion to spend Sundays in such exercises as may be the best for himself.
The suspension of Mass with public congregation can be an opportunity for us to rediscover the various exercises of piety that can be done on Sunday.
One of the beautiful ways to sanctify Sunday is praying the Divine Office or the Liturgy of the Hours. In some Eastern Churches, a person can fulfill Sunday obligation by participating in the Divine Office. Nowadays, with downable applications such as iBreviary and DivineOffice, praying the Divine Office can be done easily at home. Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer are exercises of piety with Gospel canticles which beautifully sanctify the different times of the day. Friends can pray the Divine Office together using electronic devices over the phone or internet.
Jesus commended us to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in memory of him. Devotional prayers such as the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet are beautiful pious exercises that help us to meditate on the life and suffering of Christ. These devotions help us to “extend” the memorial aspect of Holy Mass. The Rosary and the chaplet can also be easily prayed in group virtually.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church grants a special plenary indulgence “to those faithful who offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic adoration, or reading the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour, or the recitation of the Holy Rosary, or the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, or the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to implore from Almighty God the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted, and eternal salvation for those whom the Lord has called to Himself.”
All these pious exercises are effective ways to sanctify Sunday, and now we are especially encouraged by Holy Mother Church to perform them in supplication for those affected by the pandemic.
Hopefully, when public Masses are resumed, our current experience will help us to sanctify Sunday more earnestly through the various exercises of piety in addition to the partaking of the Holy Eucharist.
用熱心神工聖化星期日
慶祝復活節提醒我們，「基督復活」是我們信仰的中心。每個星期日，都是紀念「基督復活」，所以視為「聖日」。
梵蒂崗第二次大公會議的「禮儀憲章」聲明：「逾越奧蹟。在這一天，甚督信徙都應該集會，聽取天主的聖言，參興感恩禮，紀念主耶穌的受難、復活與光榮，慼謝天主，因為祂曾『藉耶穌基督從死者中的復活，重生了』（伯前：一，3）他們。所以，主日是較原始的慶節，應該提倡並強調，使信友虔誠注意，也應該成為歡樂休假的日子。某他慶祝活動，如非確屬極其重要者，不得超越主日，因為主日乃整個禮儀年度的基礎與核心。」
新冠肺炎疫情使到普世信眾都未能親臨參與感恩聖祭，讓我們感到不是味道；卻又因為知道，有教友設法利用其它熱心神工來聖化主日，覺得安慰；他們利用科技的設備，仍然可以「聚集」祈禱及研經。
很多年前，有位神父指出，參與彌撒是信眾最基本責任，但為聖化主日仍不足夠，需要努力力行額外的熱心神工。能激發內在熱心的神工，每人都不一樣，所以教會沒有特別的規定，各人自檢自視，量力而為。
暫時不能參與彌撒，反而可能提供我們反思，另有些什麼靈修善功我們可做，得令主日真正成為「聖日」。
其中一種能聖化主日的方法，就是誦唸大日課經或時辰頌禱。有些東方教會，參與大日課經已經等同遵守了星期日公禮欽崇的規定。如今，下載如iBrevoary和DivineOffice(或中文的『我靈讚頌主』)程式，已經可以私下誦唸了。再者，晨、晚及夜禱，配以福音聖歌，美麗地聖化日內不同時段。同樣，朋友可用現今電子科技，「聚在一起」做時辰頌禱。
耶穌說:「你們要為紀念我而舉行這事」── 彌撒是為紀念祂。敬禮經文諸如玫瑰經及慈悲串經，能幫助我們默想基督在世的生活和苦難，「延續」彌撒紀念的精神。這些神工，我們實際又很容易在互聯網上連線「聚集」共行。
教會頒予「全大赦」摻和在新冠肺炎疫情當中；報導指:「其它處境的信友可選擇通過不同的方式來獲得全大赦，諸如：朝拜至聖聖體、恭讀《聖經》半小時以上、誦念《玫瑰經》、拜苦路，或是誦念《慈悲串經》。無論選擇哪種方法，為領受全大赦，信友必須懇求天主終止疫情，恩賜病人寬慰，並賜予蒙主恩召者永遠的救恩。」
以上談及的神工，都可有效地幫助聖化主日。慈母教會特別在這時期，鼓勵我們以這些神工來為受疫症影響的社群祈禱。
希望在恢復公開的彌撒後，我們現在積聚不同的靈修善功經驗，更促使我們在主日不單真誠地參與感恩聖祭，也善作其他的熱心神工。