The Third Commandment
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex 20:8).
The Sabbath - Rest and Liberation (2168-2170)
The third commandment says, "The seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord" (Ex 31:15). Scripture recalls that God created in six days and "rested the seventh day," thus blessing "the sabbath day" (Ex 20:11).
Keeping the Sabbath is Israel's way of remembering their liberation from Egypt, "The Lord your God brought you out. Therefore, he commanded you to keep the Sabbath day" (Deut 5:15).
Sign of the Covenant (2171-2172)
Israel was to keep the Sabbath as a sign of the irrevocable Covenant to recall both God's creation and his saving actions for Israel.
The Sabbath is God's model for human activity for he "stopped working and rested" (Ex 31:17). It is a protest against the servitude of work and the worship of money.
Jesus' Interpretation (2173)
Jesus always respected the Sabbath, giving the law its authentic interpretation. "The Sabbath was made for man" (Mk 2:27). The Sabbath is meant "to do good" and "to save life" (Mk 3:4). Jesus is "Lord even of the Sabbath" (Mk 2:28).
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