Knights of Columbus
KNOW YOUR FAITH
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Catholicism and the Ten Commandments
According to Exodus in the Old Testament, God issued his own set of laws (the Ten Commandments) to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Catholicism, the Ten Commandments are considered divine law because God himself revealed them. And because they were spelled out specifically with no room for ambiguity, they’re also positive law. Hence they’re also known as divine positive law.
REMEMBER:
The Church doesn’t see the Ten Commandments as arbitrary rules and regulations from the man upstairs but as commandments for protection. Obey them and eternal happiness is yours. Disobey them and suffer the consequences. For more, take a look at the Twelve Articles of Catholic Faith.
The Ten Commandments, in order, are:
#1 - “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.”
This commandment forbids idolatry, the worship of false gods and goddesses, and it excludes polytheism, the belief in many gods, insisting instead on monotheism, the belief in one God. This commandment forbids making golden calves, building temples to Isis, and worshiping statues of Caesar, for example
#2 - “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
The faithful are required to honor the name of God. It makes sense that if you’re to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you’re naturally to respect the name of God with equal passion and vigor.
#3 - “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”
The Jewish celebration of Sabbath (Shabbat) begins at sundown on Friday evening and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christians go to church on Sunday, treating it as the Lord’s Day instead of Saturday to honor the day Christ rose from the dead.
#4 - “Honor thy father and mother.”
This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents — as children and adults. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm.
#5 - “Thou shalt not kill.”
The better translation from the Hebrew would be “Thou shalt not murder” — a subtle distinction but an important one to the Church. Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life is still killing, but it isn’t considered murder or immoral.
#6 - “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”
The sixth and ninth commandments honor human sexuality. This commandment forbids the actual, physical act of having immoral sexual activity, specifically adultery, which is sex with someone else’s spouse or a spouse cheating on their partner. This commandment also includes fornication, which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, homosexual activity, masturbation, group sex, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia.
#7 - “Thou shalt not steal.”
The seventh and tenth commandments focus on respecting and honoring the possessions of others. This commandment forbids the act of taking someone else’s property. The Catholic Church believes that this commandment also denounces cheating people of their money or property, depriving workers of their just wage, or not giving employers a full day’s work for a full day’s pay. Embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion, and vandalism are all considered extensions of violations of the Seventh Commandment.
#8 - “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the Church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. The most obvious way to fulfill this commandment is not to lie — intentionally deceive another by speaking a falsehood. So a good Catholic is who you want to buy a used car from.
#9 - “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”
The Ninth Commandment forbids the intentional desire and longing for immoral sexuality. To sin in the heart, Jesus says, is to lust after a woman or a man in your heart with the desire and will to have immoral sex with them. Just as human life is a gift from God and needs to be respected, defended, and protected, so, too, is human sexuality. Catholicism regards human sexuality as a divine gift, so it’s considered sacred in the proper context — marriage.
#10 - “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”
The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. Along with the Seventh Commandment, this commandment condemns theft and the feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.
We all are called to help carry the Cross of Christ. No one is exempt from the Cross. Jesus Himself promised the Cross to us when He said,“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Reflect, today, upon the heavy burdens that others carry in life. When you see them and are made aware of their struggles, what is your reaction? Do you turn from them and run from their struggle? Or do you turn towards them, fully embracing the cross they carry. Seek to imitate Simon’s act of carrying the Cross. Seek to imitate our Blessed Mother’s burning desire to do the same with perfect love. Do so without hesitation and you will discover the sweetness of the Cross of Christ as you alleviate another’s burden.
7 Sacraments of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments:
-
Baptism.
-
Eucharist.
-
Confirmation.
-
Reconciliation.
-
Anointing of the sick.
-
Marriage.
-
Holy orders.
Grace
There are two kinds of grace:
-
Sanctifying grace makes us holy and pleasing to God.
-
Actual grace helps us to do good and avoid evil.
Precepts of the Catholic Church
The Precepts of the Church describe the minimum effort we must make in prayer and in living a moral life. All Catholics are called to move beyond the minimum by growing in love of God and love of neighbor.
The Precepts are as follows:
-
To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
-
To fast and abstain from meat on appointed days.
-
To confess one’s sins at least once a year.
-
To receive Holy Eucharist during Easter time.
-
To contribute to the support of the Church.
-
To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.
-
To join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church.
Baptism
The ordinary minister of the sacrament of Baptism is a bishop, priest or deacon. In case of emergency, anyone can validly baptize. Water is poured on the forehead of the person to be baptized. While the water is being poured, the following is spoken: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Pentecost
Pentecost is known as the “birthday of the Church.” On that day, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, giving them the graces they needed to go forth and teach the Gospel to all nations. This is one meaning of the word “Catholic.” The Church is found in every land, and therefore it is “universal” or worldwide.
The Seven Capital Sins
-
Pride - is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.
-
Envy - is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.
-
Gluttony - is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.
-
Lust - is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
-
Anger - is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
-
Greed - is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.
-
Sloth - is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.
