Niedziela dniem Kościoła

Abstract

The article is concerned with the third chapter of the Apostolic Letter Dies Domini on the meaning of Sunday in the life of the Church and the forms of celebrating it. Since the Church is most fully realised in the celebration of the Eucharist, in the centre of the Sunday celebration is the Eucharist gathering as the epiphany of the Church in the parish community. Taking part in the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist, the community of the faithful feeds on God’s Word and the Eucharist bread and it realises its missionary and eschatological character Participation in the Sunday Holy Mass cannot be treated as merely fulfilling the commandment (duty), but first of all as a privilege of the ones belonging to Christ and to His Church, and at the same time as a public credo. The common practising of the weekend with the stress on rest and entertainment, as well as - in certain areas of the Church - lack of priests, are a threat to the really Christian way of celebrating Sunday. Although Sunday gatherings without the Eucharist are recommended by the Church, the Pope emphasises that participation in the Eucharist Offering is the usual and most perfect form of celebrating Sunday.