White Stone Journal

Overview

According to the Catechism (Part III, section 2), the Ten Commandments are:

1.       I AM the Lord your God: you shall not have other Gods before me.

2.       You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

3.       Remember to keep holy the Lord‘s Day.

4.       Honor your father and mother.

5.       You shall not kill.

6.       You shall not commit adultery.

7.       You shall not steal.

8.       You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9.       You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10.   You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

A few general comments:

·         The first three are about our relationship to God.

·         The next seven are about our relationship with others.

·         Only two (3 & 4) are given in a positive form, all the rest are proscriptions.  These two state our duties to those who gave us life.

According to the teaching of the Church, the Ten Commandments cannot be set aside.  The breaking of any of these commandments is always a grave (serious) sin.  It is possible to sin against these commandments in a venial (more easily forgivable) way, but no sin should be taken lightly.

A new way to look at the Ten Commandments

Alfred McBride, in his book, “The Ten Commandments - Sounds of Love from Sinai,” restates the Ten Commandments in a new way, emphasizing them as an invitation to ten wonderful things.  Some are virtues, some are part of healthy life, one is life itself.  Here they are, with some thoughts on each (not taken directly from the book):

1.       Faith - We are invited to put our complete faith in God.  This means that we abandon any false messiahs, such as horoscopes and even some kinds of popular preachers.  It also means abandoning earthly salvation, such as an exaggerated concern for retirement or extensive work on winning the lottery.  Certainly, extreme dependence on a spouse or friend is a problem.  This is a commandment of trust in the only One that can be trusted perfectly.

2.       Reverence - While the first commandment is about God’s care for us, this commandment invites us to show our devotion to God.  Every mention of God should stir our hearts, and we should not speak the Holy Name of God, except in prayer and evangelization.  This reverence should extend to all of creation as well, especially our brothers and sisters in the human family.

3.       Renewal - Even though there is much to do, and we serve God, He has taught us to rest and let Him renew us.  Try to make a little “Sabbath” time each day, maybe at lunch, or while driving to work.  We are called to let God “recharge our batteries.”  Good times with friends and good entertainment, in proper proportion, are ways that God uses to renew us.  Pope St. Pius X used his mealtimes for renewal.  Anyone at the table that attempted solemn talk was commanded to tell a funny story.  Let us follow his example, by both working hard and allowing God to renew us.  It goes without saying that the absolute minimum is to receive the Eucharist at every Sunday Mass, and so be renewed through the very Body and Blood of our Lord, as well as being surrounded by Him in our brothers and sisters at Mass.

4.       Family - For some Christians, the friendship of parish members may be more life-giving than the relatives they were born with.  Our primary relationship with others is called to be familial.  We honor those who have gone before us, and taught us by example, and we try to respect each other.  Many of us have several spiritual fathers and mothers: pastors, teachers, older friends.  Some of us have spiritual children: we pray for them, and offer help when we can, just like in a family.

5.       Life - We are called to give life, to protect it, to honor its passing.  Life means more than just biological existence, but not less.  We should live in a way that promotes our good health and that of others.  Emotional life is included in this.  We are invited to contribute to the emotional health of others by affirmation, counsel, support and most of all, love.  Unkind remarks, gossip, sarcasm and verbal abuse take the life out of people, cutting them off from the life in Christ we are made to share.

6.       Fidelity - This does not mean in marriage only.  We are invited to be faithful to each other, to our word, our commitments, our beliefs.  This is a call to consistency, and to letting others have a claim on us.  It is a call to covenant and to promise, and to keeping promises.  Sometimes it means keeping a secret, and sometimes it means telling it to someone that must know.

7.       Trustworthiness - We are often trusted by others.  We are called live up to that trust.  We are invited to care for other’s property, good name, and lives.  Beyond merely not stealing another’s property, it includes not taking a wrongful profit or advantage, using another’s ignorance or deception.

8.       Truth - We are called to a truth-filled life.  Jesus said that we would know the truth, and that would make us free.  In every situation, we are to seek the truth, and not settle for snap judgements or appearances.  This is an invitation to an examined life: knowing the truth about ourselves and our relationships to others.  This is a call to a transparent life: we live simply and openly, confessing our faults and seeking the good in everyone, including ourselves.

9.       Purity - While sexual purity is the object of this commandment, purity of intention is also included.  Jesus offered a blessing to the “pure of heart, for they shall see God.”  Purity clears our spiritual eyes, and awakens us to the beauty that we do not possess, but may enjoy as part of creation.  This is a call to simplicity, to directness.  God has no hidden motives, and neither should we.

10.   Generosity - We are called to give of ourselves.  Not limited to money, this commandment invites us to enjoy giving freely of ourselves.  This requires that we understand that each one of us is truly “God’s gift to the world!”  We are all called to give what we can to each other, so that those in need are satisfied, and those with excess have the satisfaction of contributing.  Generosity is contagious, and a way for us to imitate our Father, “Who makes His rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”  This commandment also invites us to give credit, and not to begrudge sharing credit with others.

Suggestions:

·         Read McBride’s book.

·         Read Part III, section 2 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.