INTRODUCTION
In a recent post I talked about asking our shepherds to talk more about the Sin word. To call a sin, a sin and not be compromised by the world view that often sees sin as a character flaw, a weakness, not a sin (moral relativism) I have decided to go back to the origin of sin, all the way back to Genesis to our first parents who disobeyed God’s one restriction in the garden.
Remember God is all good and wishes us all well. He knew when man ate of the tree of good and evil, man would experience evil and its consequences. God will always try to protect mankind but His respect for the gift of free will is of the highest priority. God will not force the good on us but there are consequences.
After the fall in the garden, later God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) which are NOT so much prohibitions but a way of living that avoids the consequences of sin. .Some of you are old enough to remember the old Baltimore Catechism, especially the first question, “Why did God make you” Answer: “God made me to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this life, and be happy with Him in the next.” This one simple answer says it all It sums up the nature of God as a loving Father and His intention for us to live happily with Him ever after.
The biblical story of the origin of the Ten Commandments suggests that Moses received them directly from God on Mt. Sinai around 1280 B.C. The Bible offers different accounts of the full text of the Ten Commandments; one in the book of Exodus and the other in Deuteronomy. The Catholic Church ascribes to the version in Deuteronomy and follows the division and enumeration provided in the Septuagint, the Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek that the early Christians followed.
REFLECTION GOD’S SELF HELP MANUAL (TEN COMMANDMENTS)
“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. It asserts there is only One God. False gods or idols can be anything that man puts before this One God including people, fame, fortune and material things.
“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. You do not curse someone with the name of God, mock God, or dismiss God as irrelevant.
“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. We take at least one day of the week to give thanks to God who cares for us 24/7. It is not about us it is about paying respect to the God of all. Some may say it is boring but then, do they believe in God and what is owed God by virtue of our very life and all His blessings.
“HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER.”
This commandment obliges the faithful to show respect for their parents. Children must obey their parents, and adults must respect and see to the care of their parents, when they become old and infirm. You do not abandon your parents nor support euthanasia for those you deem useless.
“THOU SHALT NOT KILL.”
Killing an innocent person is considered murder. Killing an unjust aggressor to preserve your own life isn’t considered murder or immoral. Abortion is the killing of an innocent child. That child is growing in the womb of the mother but is not the property of the mother any more than any live born child.
“THOU SHALT NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”
This commandment asks us to honor human sexuality according to natural law and Divine Law. Not only adultery of a married person having relations with someone other than their spouse but includes prohibition of other misuse of our gift of sexuality, fornication which is sex between unmarried people, prostitution, pornography, masturbation, homosexual activity, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, and necrophilia.
“THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.”
This 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 this commandment includes cheating people of their money, depriving people of fair wages, tax evasion and damage to other people’s property including random vandalism.
“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. To lie about your neighbor may not be killing his/her body but are killing their reputation and who they are to themselves and others.
“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE.”
This 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. Catholicism regards human sexuality as a divine gift, so it’s considered sacred in the proper context — marriage. Lusting in the heart is a heartbeat from lustfull immoral actions
“THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S GOODS.”
The Tenth Commandment forbids the wanting to or taking someone else’s property. This commandment condemns theft along with feelings of envy, greed, and jealousy in reaction to what other people have.
Most readers of the summary of commandments above can anticipate the disastrous results when these commandments are not followed:. Abusive relationships, dysfunctional families, the weak and vulnerable oppressed and bullied, no moral compass outside themselves, abandoned, ignored and diminished people who we deem not worthy of our respect and care.
WHAT DOES JESUS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT GOD’S LAW
Now a word from Jesus in the New Testament on GOD’S SELF HELP MANUAL. In Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
You will find Jesus’ self-help manual in Matthew 5:3-16, Sermon on the Mount-the Beatitudes.
CONCLUSION
God wants us to be happy. Jesus puts an exclamation point on this in the Sermon on the Mount. Another name for “blessed” is happy
Worldly wisdom often complains that the Church’s moral teachings make people miserable. But the Church argues that being moral is the only way to be happy. Augustine said it best: “In seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life” (Confessions, 10, 20).
The prevalent despair, obsessive behavior, and anxiety in our culture arise not from being moral, but from the abandonment of the moral law. Of course, happiness is mixed with sorrow and the inevitable tragedies of life.
There are no perfect families, perfect marriages, perfect parishes—nothing human is perfect. Part of our moral quest and journey home to God and all the saints includes carrying our cross.
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