Listen now | From the audiobook Explanation of Catholic Morals - The Third Commandment, the Law of Rest, mandates abstention from secular labor on a designated day (the Sabbath or Sunday) to commemorate God's rest after creation and to consecrate that time to Him. This commandment uniquely intrudes on daily life, requiring an external act of worship that complements internal devotion. This physical repose is not mere idleness but a necessary public expression of homage, essential for preserving inner piety, providing opportunities for religious instruction, and fulfilling humanity's obligation to acknowledge God's dominion over the whole person. Even pagans, guided by natural law, recognized the need to periodically cease work to honor their deities and receive spiritual guidance, demonstrating that this law of rest is rooted in human nature and our fundamental relationship with the Creator.