Day 1: All About My Experience

Introduction:
“Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day” (Ex. 20:8; Dt. 5:12) is usually formulated for
Christians as: “Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day.” The 3rd commandment enjoins us to
keep holy the day set aside for the worship of God and for recreation. When grounded in its Old
Testament context, it binds together the two tablets of the Law. For two basic sources are given
for this Commandment, one stressing our direct relationship to God, the other focusing on its
human, liberating effects. Both dimensions are firmly rooted in our Filipino religious belief and
cultural values tradition.
We have seven days in a week. The six days are allotted for all kinds of work and activities, both
personal and communal. One day is intended for rest, recreation, and relaxation to provide
enough time to gain strength, socialize, and communicate with the Lord. Sunday is a day to
thank, celebrate, and worship God together with God’s family – the Church. It’s not the Catholic
faith that is getting weak, it’s the faith of some Catholics. The number of mass attendance is
continuously decreasing. Many people do not prioritize anymore the Sunday Mass because of
their other works and activities to gain more income. Others spend Sunday to attend other social
functions.
The Eucharist is a prayer of thanksgiving to God for life and for salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ in which the union between God and humankind is effectively signified. In calling us
together around the Table of the Lord, it offers in a unique way a foretaste of the “rest” which
completes God’s work of creation and of redemption.

Activity 1 Here I am, Lord

People perform different activities every day. From Monday to Friday, students
and teachers go to school. Office workers, laborers, and other kinds of job do their
works on weekdays. Saturdays are usually spent for a family day and Sundays are
dedicated to the Lord.

A. Make a schedule of activities on how people generally spend time on a

Sunday.

Sunday Schedule of Activities

 Morning prayer
 Morning reflection
 Fasting
 Attending mass
 Take a soul stroll
 Family bonding
 do yoga
 Night prayer.

B. How important is the Sunday Mass for Filipino Catholics?

Sunday Mass is very important to Filipino Catholics. Because it symbolizes a day to offer
for our God. Give thanks for all the blessing we received in the week. And it also
symbolizes for the bonding of a family together. It also symbolizes for the free time or
relaxing time with friends, family and relatives. That is why Sunday is very important.

Eucharistic celebration on a Sunday is a very important celebration for Filipino

Catholics. It is a day where parish community and the Church members gather together to
pray and worship the one true God.
Unfortunately, the Church observed that the numbers of people attending the mass
are getting lesser. The manner of how people participate in the mass also changed a lot.
The observance of proper attire is no longer practiced. People attend the mass in sports
attire or even in shorts and sleeveless. Many are using their cellphones while the mass is
going on.

C. What are the common reasons why people no longer attend the mass
regularly?
For me I think the common reason why people no longer attend the mass is because of
their works, or maybe because of school work, and maybe because of laziness. This are
the only thing that I can come up with. Because even me also experience not attending
mass because of these excuses.

D. Why do people no longer observe the proper behavior and practices in the
celebration of the Holy Mass?

I think because today’s generation is really more advance. And they care more about
their fashion than their body because I also experience seeing someone attend mass
with sleeveless cloths which Is improper. We are being affected by the advancement of
our generation that even the proper behavior and practices in the church are no longer
being practice. How sad but it is the reality.