The Tenth Commandment
‘You shall not covet (desire to possess) your neighbor’s goods.
What does the tenth Commandment command?
It commands respect, even in our thoughts and desires, for the goods and property of others.
What does the tenth Commandment forbid?
It forbids avarice, envy and the unjust desires for the goods and property of others.
Exodus 20:17
'You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.'
Goal -to be content with what you have and content for your neighbor and what he has.
Sins - all desires to take or to keep what belongs to others; to envy the success of others.
The Ninth Commandment
‘You shall not covet (desire to possess) your neighbor’s wife’.
What does the ninth Commandment command?
It commands us to purify our hearts and practice temperance and modesty.
What does the ninth Commandment forbid?
It forbids lust and preoccupation with carnal thoughts and desires.
Exodus 20:17
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. (Desire)
Goal - to be pure in thought and desire.
Sins - impure thoughts and desires. (If they are brought on by ourselves or if we entertain them once they pop into our thoughts.)
The Eighth Commandment
‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor’.
What does the eighth Commandment command?
The eighth Commandment commands that we bear witness to the truth and show ourselves to be honest in our deeds and truthful in our words, avoiding duplicity and hypocrisy.
What does the eighth Commandment forbid?
It forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others such as: Perjury, False Witness, Rash Judgment, Detraction, Calumny, Boasting, Irony, and Lying. It also forbids any violation of the secrecy of the confessional, and the revealing of professional secrets or confidences.
What is required from those who offend against the eighth Commandment?
They are required to make reparation and restore the good name and reputation of their neighbor.
Exodus 20:16
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Goal - to speak the truth in all things.
Sins - lies, harming the good name of others; rash judgment; detraction; slander (calumny); telling secrets we are bound to keep
The Seventh Commandment
‘You shall not steal.’
What does the seventh Commandment command?
It commands respect for the goods and possessions of others and for their right to private property. It demands the practice of Justice and Charity in the administration of earthly goods and the fruits of labour, and the right to a just wage. It calls for respect for the goods and resources of the earth.
What does the seventh Commandment forbid?
It forbids theft, or the taking or using another’s goods or property unjustly. It forbids all forms of fraud and cheating. It forbids all acts which for commercial or totalitarian purposes lead to the enslavement of human beings or their being bought, sold or exchanged like merchandise.
What is required from those who offend against the seventh Commandment?
They are required to make reparation and restore whatever is stolen to its rightful owner.
Exodus 20:15
You shall not steal.
Goal - to respect what belongs to others; to live up to business agreements; and to pay our just debts.
Sins - stealing; cheating; dishonesty; keeping what belongs to others; damaging another's property; accepting a bribe; we are also obliged to repay or restore any stolen goods or their value, when we are able.
The Sixth Commandment
‘You shall not commit adultery’.
What are we commanded by the sixth Commandment?
We are called to lead a chaste life, according to our particular state of life.
What is chastity ?
Chastity is the successful control of our sexual desires. As a virtue it is associated with temperance. Chastity is not a negative thing, but a positive way of living friendship to the full, without using others to gratify our desires. Chastity is expressed in celibacy or in the lifelong commitment of marriage.
How can we be chaste?
We can be chaste through our own self-control and exercising the virtue of temperance which seeks to control our passions and the appetites of our senses through the use of our reason. We should seek the help of prayer and the sacraments if we find this difficult.
What is the true and God-given purpose of our sexuality?
The true and God-given purpose of our sexuality is to enhance the conjugal love of husband and wife in marriage so that their union will be fruitful and bring the new life of children into their lives.
What does the sixth Commandment forbid?
The sixth commandment forbids adultery, or marital infidelity, when someone who is married has sexual relations with a person to whom they are not married. It also forbids sexual acts outside marriage and all offences against chastity.
What are these other offences against chastity?
The other offences against chastity are:
Lust - the desire for inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure, sought for itself.
Masturbation - the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs to derive sexual pleasure.
Fornication - sexual relations between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman - even if they have the intention to marry in the future.
Pornography - the display, in books or on film, of real or simulated sexual acts.
Prostitution - the involvement of women, men, children or adolescents in sexual activity for money.
Rape - the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person.
What is homosexuality?
Homosexuality is sexual attraction between persons of the same sex.
Is homosexuality an offence against chastity?
The condition of homosexuality is not itself a sin against chastity. Men or women who have this condition do not necessarily choose this condition and for many of them it is a cross they have to suffer. People who are homosexual must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity and without any discrimination.
Are homosexual acts offences against chastity?
Homosexual acts are sins against chastity. People who are homosexual are called to live chaste lives. With the virtue of self-control, prayer and sacramental grace they can and should live a good Christian life.
What offends the dignity of marriage?
The dignity of marriage is offended by: Adultery, Divorce, Polygamy, Incest, Contraception, Trial Marriages or Living together before marriage.
Why is contraception morally wrong?
Contraception is morally wrong because it disrupts loving intimacy and separates the unitive sexual act from the procreative sexual act in marriage. The effects of contraception can be seen in our society which debases the value of the sexual act and will dispose of any new life ‘accidentally’ created through such acts by abortion, deliberately killing that innocent new life.
How may married couples space the births of their children?
Married couples may space the births of through the use of periodic continence and the use of infertile periods. The use of Natural Family Planning techniques allow the sexual act to be open to the possibility of new life but the woman’s infertile periods decrease the chance of conception.
Exodus 20:14
You shall not commit adultery.
Goal - to be pure and modest in our behavior.
Sins - All impurity and immodesty in words, looks, and actions, whether alone or with others; masturbation; impure conversations; dirty jokes; looking at impure pictures or movies; impurities with others; undue familiarity with the oppostie sex; homosexual activity.
The Fifth Commandment
‘You shall not kill.’
What are we commanded by the fifth Commandment?
We are commanded to treat all human life as sacred from the moment of conception to natural death and to avoid anything that could harm or endanger any human life.
What does the fifth Commandment forbid?
It forbids all intentional killing, abortion, euthanasia, suicide, aggression, cruelty, anger, quarrelling, hatred and revenge and words that injure; also scandal and bad example because they can lead to the injury and spiritual death of our neighbour’s soul.
Do we have the right to prevent an unjust aggressor inflicting harm on us or on others?
We do have the right to prevent an unjust aggressor inflicting harm. Legitimate defence can also be a grave duty for whoever is responsible for the lives of others or the common good.
Exodus 20:13
You shall not kill.
Goal -to respect life; to love others and to respect the spiritual well-being of others and yourself.
Sins - murder; suicide; fighting; anger; hatred; revenge; drunkenness; reckless driving; injuring someone's soul by giving bad example.
The Fourth Commandment
‘Honour your father and your mother’
What are we commanded by the fourth Commandment?
We are commanded to love, honour, respect, and obey our parents and to assist them with their spiritual and material needs.
What is the duty of parents towards their children?
Parents have the duty to provide for their children’s spiritual and material needs; to provide a loving and caring home in which they can develop and grow physically and spiritually; to ensure that they have an adequate education and that they are brought up in the knowledge, love and service of God.
Are the obligations of the fourth Commandment extended to the wider ‘family’ in society?
The obligations are extended to the wider ‘family’. The commandment requires honour, affection and gratitude toward elders and ancestors. It extends to the duties of pupils to teachers, employees to employers, subordinates to leaders, citizens to their country and to those who administer or govern it. It also includes and presupposes the duties of parents, instructors, teachers, leaders, magistrates, those who govern and all who exercise authority over others, to respect the fundamental rights of those under their authority.
What does the fourth Commandment forbid?
It forbids disobedience, stubbornness, and contempt to our parents and lawful superiors.
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and your mother.
Goal - to respect and love our parents; to obey them and to help them; to respect and obey those in authority (unless they order something which would be contrary to your conscience.).
Sins - disrespect; unkindness; disobedience, to our parents and all those placed in legitimate authority.
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
The Third Commandment
‘Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.’
What are we commanded by the third Commandment?
We are commanded to keep the Sunday holy by attending and participating at Mass and by resting from our labours and business concerns.
Why are we commanded to attend and participate at Mass?
We are commanded to attend and participate at Mass because it is the greatest of all prayers and renews the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. The Mass enables us to offer our prayers to God in union with those of Jesus, and it is the sign of our participation in our Covenant with God.
Why are we commanded to attend and participate at Mass on Sunday?
We are commanded to attend and participate at Mass on Sundays because Sunday is the Lord’s Day - the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead and with all the other members of God’s family we are able to offer our united prayers of praise and thanksgiving for all God’s gifts. We are also able to pray as a community for our own needs and the needs of others.
Why are we commanded to rest from our labours and business concerns on Sunday?
We are commanded to rest from our labours and business concerns on Sunday, not only so that we have the time and opportunity to hear Mass, but also that we have time for rest and recreation with our families and friends.
Why are we allowed to fulfil the Sunday obligation on Saturday evening?
We are allowed to fulfil the Sunday obligation on Saturday evening because the Church gives us permission to do this.
Exodus 20:8-11
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day.
Goal - to give due honor to God by putting time aside to worship Him.
Sins - missing mass purposely; not keeping Holy Days of Obligation; unnecessary work on Sundays.
The Second Commandment
‘You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.’
What are we commanded by the second Commandment?
We are commanded to speak with respect and reverence of God and all holy persons and things.
What does the second Commandment forbid?
It forbids swearing false oaths, blasphemy, cursing, and the irreverent use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints..
Is it lawful to swear an oath?
Yes, it is lawful to do so in order to witness to the truth for serious reasons and in the proper service of justice. Oaths should not be made lightly.
Exodus 20:7
You shall not take the name of the Lord, Your God, in vain.
Goal - to speak with reverence about God and to revere His name; to be truthful in taking oaths and to be faithful to our vows.
Sins - to call upon God to bear witness to lie; to use the Lord's name out of anger; calling down evil on a person, place or thing or wishing bodily harm; blasphemy (showing contempt for God.)
The First Commandment
‘I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me. You shall not make to yourself any graven thing, nor the likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters of the earth. You shall not adore them or serve them.’
What are we commanded to do by the first Commandment
We are commanded to worship the one, true and living God, by Faith, Hope, Charity and Religion.
What are the principle sins against Faith?
They are: Wilful Doubt, Incredulity (disbelief), Heresy (rejection of part of the Faith), Apostasy (abandonment of the Faith), Schism (separation of a church from Christ’s Church).
How do we expose ourselves to the danger of losing our Faith?
We expose ourselves to the danger of losing our Faith by neglecting our spiritual duties of prayer and the reception of the Sacraments.
What are the sins against Hope?
They are: Despair and Presumption or assuming God’s forgiveness.
What are the sins against Charity?
They are: Indifference, Ingratitude, Lukewarmness, Spiritual Sloth and Hatred of God.
What are the chief sins against Religion?
They are: the worship of false gods or idols, giving to any creature whatsoever the honour which belongs to God alone, Sacrilege, Simony, Atheism and Agnosticism.
Does the first Commandment forbid dealing with the devil and superstitious practices?
Yes, the first Commandment does forbid dealing with the devil and superstitious practices, such as: consulting spiritualists and fortune-tellers, and trusting to charms, omens, or dreams.
Why do Catholics give honour to the Angels and Saints, to relics, crucifixes, statues and holy pictures?
Catholics give honour to the Angels and Saints because they are in the presence of God and are able to intercede for us.
Relics, crucifixes, statues and holy pictures are visual aids which help us to pray.
Exodus 20:2-6
I am the Lord, your God, you shall not have any other God besides me.
Goal - to give God alone the worship that He alone deserves.
Sins - to set any creature, person or thing as an object of worship or the source of happiness, truth or moral guide.
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul and with all your mind’
Q: I've been thinking bout it, even read a couple of bits of the Bible. I think I love this guy we call God already! But how do I show that I do love him?
A: We show our love for God by keeping his commandments, because Jesus said: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Q: How many Commandments are there?
A: There are ten Commandments but they are summed up by the two Great Commandments taught by Christ.
Q: What are the two great commandments?
A: Jesus said the greatest and the first commandment is:
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind’.
And the second is like it:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’.
Q: Do we have an obligation to obey the Ten Commandments?
A: Everyone, always and everywhere, is obliged to obey the Ten Commandments because they are unchangeable and express our fundamental duty towards God and towards our neighbour.
Q: Ok, let me ponder on God for a second. . . But wait! You entioned a Bible what is it?
A:
The Bible is God's guidebook to man. It has 66 books (39 Old Testament -- "part one" books and 27 New Testament -- "part two" books) which are a roadmap of sorts, for life.
Genesis, the first book, starts off with the words, "In the beginning, God..." and describes the creation of the world, the uniqueness and role of man and the naming of the animals.
From there it describes how man was tempted (by Satan, the devil) and sinned (or fell short of God's perfect ideal). Even way back then this pointed to the eventual need for salvation, or someone to pay for or cleanse us from our sin. Yet, even from the beginning, man was always trying to do it (work his way to God) on his own. Examples of this early on include Cain giving a sacrifice of fruit (rather than the sacrifice of an animal whose blood forshadowed Jesus Christ's blood being shed for us on the cross as a payment for sin) and the people getting together to build the Tower of Babel.
From there the second book in the Old Testament, Exodus, describes how the children of
Q: So, I stumbled onto this site. It says that to "stand up" for Jesus, I've gotta kneel down to pray.
Well, who's this Jesus/God anyway?
A: God's been described as everything from an impersonal life-force to a benevolent, personal, almighty Creator. He has been called by many names, including: "Zeus," "Jupiter," "Brahma," "Allah," "Ra," "Odin," "Ashur," "Izanagi," "Viracocha," "Ahura Mazda," and "the Great Spirit" to name just a few. He's seen by some as "Mother Nature" and by others as "Father God."
To begin with, whenever He refers to Himself in parental terms, He always addresses Himself as "Father," never "Mother." He calls Himself "a Father to
However, all you need to know is that God is above all and is the ONLY true God. He is the founder of the largest and one true religion and of the Best selling book of all-time, the Bible.
God has many different attributes about Him. He's Omniscient, meaning he is all knowing. He is Omnipotent meaning he can do anything and everything He wishes to. He's everywhere at anyone time. He is all just, all good and all merciful. He'll give you what you need and only enemies which you can defeat.
Summed up, think of God as the ultimate superhero!
