It started as an innocent remark by a colleague on a conference call. “Every day is Monday; until the afternoon on Friday.” Just hearing that sounded like a depressing outlook on life!

Working in an office setting, it’s not uncommon on a Tuesday to hear another mention that day being their “Monday,” when they had Monday off. Typically it’s used to explain why that person is just catching up after being out a day, and most Mondays seem to be a bit slow to get into the swing of office work. Likewise if time off is planned for a Friday, the person may express their jubilance on Thursday by remarking that the day is their “Friday,” indicating the end of their workweek. The general consensus is that Monday is a dreaded day while Friday signals that the two weekend days that can be spent in a manner of personal choosing are eight or less hours away. I know there are people who so look forward to the weekend, that the five days in between is a grind and an annoyance; something to be tolerated but never celebrated.

Growing up, I observed my father, after coming home from work, saying how much he was looking forward to retiring. I felt that if I was going to spend so much time doing something to make money in order to live, I wanted to want to do it. It was one of the big reasons I pursued a college education. While I can’t say that I have a dream job or that it doesn’t seem like work, I’m not totally miserable either. It challenges me and keeps me thinking, and there are many aspects that I do enjoy. Yes, there are times when I have a “case of the Mondays,” but most times I’m wishing folks a happy (whatever-day-it-is), even a “Happy Monday.”

Looking at the days of the week from a spiritual perspective, however, everyday should be like Sunday. As Catholics, we are a resurrection people; we believe that Jesus rose from the dead and He will raise us up at the end of time. To remember and celebrate, we keep Sunday as our day of worship. We are obligated to attend and participate at Mass; for without the resurrection, there would be no Mass. By receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we are partaking in time and space what we will fully experience once we are reunited with our bodies at the end of time. Sunday is not a day for us to do whatever we want, but rather a day designated to pursue a relationship with God, strengthen our relationships with each other and prepare ourselves for our spiritual future, not our earthly future, which is quickly fading away. 

While Mass attendance is required on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, many churches do offer weekday Masses, and some even offer Mass every day — that is truly making every day a Sunday! However, for those who would like to attend Mass and cannot because of schedule conflicts or lack of availability, taking the time to read the Mass readings of the day and praying a Spiritual Communion prayer is the next best thing. While this cannot fully replace Mass attendance, it is an opportunity to open yourself to God and His will. 

Any day can be filled with drudgery, work, and activities that we would rather not be doing. Labeling all those days “Monday” is setting oneself up for misery. But if we offer the work we are doing to God and spend time each day seeking a relationship with Him and to do His will, our weeks will be all full of “Sundays.”