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Gramps,
Could you please explain why we Latter-day Saints hold Sunday as our
Sabbath? My mother, a non-member, holds that the Holy day was switched
during the days of Constantine. It feels right that I keep Sunday holy but I
have nothing to substantiate my actions, other than “it's what we do.”
Thank you. Jeanne, from Michigan |
Dear
Jeanne,
It’s
true that up until the death of the Savior, Saturday, the seventh day of the
week, was the day of worship. This was in commemoration of the creation-- And
on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the
seventh day from all his work which he had made (Genesis 2:2).
The
Savior’s body rested in the tomb over the Sabbath day, and he was resurrected
early in the morning of the next day. --In the end of the Sabbath, as it
began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the
other Mary to see the sepulchre . . . And the angel answered
and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was
crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay (Matthew 28:1-6).
From
that time on the disciples set aside the first day of the week, Sunday, as their
day of worship, verified by the two following scriptures--
Then
the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were
shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and
stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you
(John 20:19).
And
upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break
bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his
speech until midnight (Acts
20:7).
Gramps