A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion/Chap. II. The Ten Commandments of God
CHAPTER II.
On the Ten Commandments of God.
(See Short Hist. of Revealed Religion, 11.)
1. Where is our duty of loving God and our neighbor more fully contained?
In the Ten Commandments, which God gave to Moses written on two tables of stone.
2. What are the Ten Commandments?
1. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me; thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing to adore it.
2. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.
4. Honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.
5. Thou shalt not kill.
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7. Thou shalt not steal.
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, nor his field, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.
3. Why are we Christians also bound to keep these Commandments of the Old Law?
1. Because Christ is not come 'to destroy the law, but to fulfil it' (Matt. v. 17) — i.e., to confirm it, and to teach us how to observe it perfectly; and 2. Because the Ten Commandments contain that law which already binds all men, since it is grounded in human nature, and has been written by God in all human hearts (Rom. ii. 15).
4. If the law is written in all hearts, why did God give it to man also by revelation?
That we may the more surely know the law of God, and be the more strongly impelled to fulfil it; for our capacity to know and to will what is good, has been very much weakened by sin.
5. What in particular ought to induce us faithfully to keep the Divine Commandments?
1. The reverence, love, and gratitude which we owe to God; 2. The fear of eternal punishment, and the hope of eternal reward.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
§ 1. The Honor and Worship of God.
'I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before me; thou shalt not make to thyself any graven thing to adore it.'
6. What are we commanded by the First Commandment?
By the First Commandment we are commanded to pay to Almighty God due honor and adoration.
7. How many kinds of honor do we owe to God?
We owe to God two kinds of honor — namely, interior and exterior honor.
8. How do we honor God 'interiorly'?
We honor God interiorly, 1. By faith, hope, and charity; 2. By reverence and adoration; 3. By thanksgiving for all His blessings; 4. By zeal for His honor; and 5. By obedience and resignation to His holy will.
9. How do we sin against faith?
1. By infidelity, heresy, and scepticism; 2. By impious and profane language, or by wilfully listening to it; likewise by reading or spreading irreligious books and writings; and 3. By indifference in matters of faith, or by actually denying it.
Many popular novels and other books which are commonly found in public libraries are dangerous to faith and morals. All, especially young persons, ought to seek competent advice regarding the selection of books to read.
10. When do people become guilty of indifference in matters of faith?
1. When they do not care for any religion, or when they consider all religions as equally good; 2. When they stand in need of being instructed, and neglect to attend the Catechism or Christian doctrine; and 3. When parents or guardians allow their children to be brought up in an erroneous belief.
11. How do we sin against hope?
1. By despair or by distrust of God; and 2. By presumption or by false confidence.
12. When do we sin by despair or by distrust?
When we either do not hope at all for that which we ought to hope for from God,1 or when we do not hope for it with confidence in Him.2
Examples: 1 Cain and Judas; 2 Moses and the Israelites in the desert.
13. What are we to hope for from God?
We are, above all, to hope for life everlasting, and for whatever is necessary and conducive to it — that is, the forgiveness of our sins and the grace of God.
14. On what grounds are we to hope for these things?
Because God, who is infinitely powerful, merciful, and faithful, has promised them to us, and Jesus Christ has merited them for us.
15. What, then, is Christian hope?
Christian hope is a virtue infused into our souls, by which we most confidently expect all the things which God has promised us through the merits of Jesus Christ.
16. May every sinner hope for pardon?
Yes, every sinner, even the greatest, may and ought to hope for pardon, provided he will be converted with all his heart, and do penance.
'If the wicked do penance for all Ms sins which he has committed, and keep all my Commandments, living he shall live, and shall not die' (Ez. xviii, 21). — Examples: The Ninivites, Mary Magdalen, the Thief on the Cross, and others. Parable of the Lost Sheep and of the Prodigal Son (Luke xv.).
17. How far may we also expect temporal goods from God?
As far as they help us, or at least do not hinder us, to obtain eternal salvation.
18. When do we sin by presumption and false confidence?
1. When, relying on the mercy of God, we continue to sin without fear, or delay our repentance to the end of our life; 2. When we rashly expose ourselves to a danger from which we confidently expect God will extricate us.
19. Is Christian hope also consistent with fear?
Confidence in God does not exclude diffidence in ourselves 1; therefore, we should neither be excessively timid about our salvation, nor should we throw off all sense of fear and solicitude for it.2
1 'Wherefore he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall' (1 Cor. x. 12). 'I am not conscious to myself of anything, yet I am not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord' (1 Cor. iv. 4). 'Justify not thyself before God, for He knoweth the heart' (Ecclus. vii. 5). 2 'With fear and trembling work out your salvation' (Phili. ii. 12). 'I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection; lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway' (1 Cor. ix. 27).
20. What sins are chiefly opposed to the love of God?
In general, all mortal sins; but in particular, 1. Indifference and aversion to God and divine things; and 2. Hatred and repugnance to Him and His paternal dispensations.
21. How do we honor God also 'exteriorly'?
We honor God also exteriorly when we manifest our interior respectful sentiments towards Him by exterior actions; as by our uniting with others in the public services of religion or in prayer, in common with others, by kneeling, and generally by our reverent demeanor during religious exercises.
22. Why are we also commanded to honor God exteriorly?
1. Because the body has been created by God as well as the soul, and, therefore, both should pay Him honor and homage; 2. Because it is quite natural to man to manifest his interior worship of God also exteriorly; 3. Because the interior worship is intensified by exterior worship; and 4. Because exterior worship is conducive and necessary for our mutual edification, for fortifying ourselves in our faith, and for preserving and propagating our Religion.
Example: Daniel, who chose to be cast into the den of the lions rather than to give up the exterior adoration of God as prescribed by the Law (Dan. vi.).
23. How do we sin against the exterior worship of God?
By neglecting to attend divine service, or by behaving irreverently when we are present.
Punishment of the men at Bethsames because they approached the Ark of the Lord in an irreverent manner (1 Kings vi. 19).
24. May we sin in any other way against the reverence due to God?
Yes, we sin also against it by idolatry, superstition, witchcraft, sacrilege, and simony.
25. When does a person commit idolatry?
He commits idolatry (worship of images) when he pays divine honor to any creature or thing, as the heathens did.
26. When do we sin by superstition?
1. When we honor God or the Saints in a manner contrary to the doctrine or practice of the Church; 2. When we attribute to things a certain power which they cannot have, either by nature, or by the prayers of the Church, or by virtue of Divine dispensation.
For instance: When we consult fortune-tellers and make them tell us our fortunes by cutting cards or by inspecting our hands; or when we have recourse to the interpretation of dreams, or to vain and foolish signs and practices, in order to know hidden things, or to obtain luck or health; still more, when for that purpose we abuse even holy names and blessed things.
27. Is such superstition a grievous sin?
It is generally a very grievous sin, because he who practises such things mostly expects the assistance of the evil spirit, if not openly, at least secretly; but, at all events, puts that confidence in idle or delusive things which he ought to place in God alone.
28. Is it also superstitious to wear on our persons images (medals) of the Saints, or blessed things?
On the contrary, it is praiseworthy, if it is done with a pious intention — that is to say, with confidence in God, in the intercession of the Saints, or in the prayer and blessing of the Church.
29. How do people become guilty of witchcraft?
When they try, with the help of the evil spirits, to find hidden treasures, to injure others, or to work wonderful things.
Thus one day that wicked one, Antichrist, will do, 'Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in all [deluding] power, and signs, and lying wonders, and in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish' (2 Thess. ii. 9, 10). This God will permit for the just punishment of those who rejected the Christian truth and the Divine miracles.
30. What is to be thought of consulting spiritistic mediums, engaging in spiritistic meetings, evoking the spirits of the dead, and other such practices?
Such practices are forbidden by the First Commandment, and are highly sinful and dangerous (Deut. xviii.).
31. What is sacrilege?
Sacrilege is a profanation of holy things, holy persons, or holy places; for instance, the unworthy receiving of a Sacrament, the ill-treatment of an ecclesiastic, the desecration of a church or of sacred vessels, etc.
Examples: Punishment of King Baltassar (Dan. v.), of Heliodorus (2 Mac. iii.). How Christ cast the sellers out of the Temple, see John ii. 15.
32. When does a person commit simony?
When he buys or sells spiritual things, preferments, and the like, for money or money's worth; as Simon, the Magician, intended to do (Acts viii.). This sin has been forbidden by the Church under the most severe penalties, even under pain of excommunication.
Application. Make every day Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and never neglect to say your Morning and Evening Prayers. At church behave with reverence, and pray with attention, on your knees, and with your hands joined. Never use forbidden or suspicious means, in order to cure diseases or to discover hidden things. Are you in doubt whether the use of certain things is permitted or not, ask the Priest or your Confessor.
§ 2. The Veneration and Invocation of the Saints.
33. What does the Catholic Church teach respecting the veneration and invocation of the Saints?
She teaches that it is right and available to salvation to honor and invoke the Saints.
34. But is not the honor which we pay to the Saints against the First Commandment?
By no means; for 1. We pay no Divine honor to the Saints; and 2. We honor and praise in the Saints God Himself, who has shown Himself so powerful and merciful in them.
35. What is the difference between the honor which we show to God and that which we show to the Saints?
1. We honor and adore God alone as our Sovereign Lord and the Author of all good things; but we honor the Saints only as His faithful servants and friends. 2. We honor God for His own sake, or on account of the infinite perfections which He has of Himself; but we honor the Saints on account of the gifts and advantages which they have received from God.
36. But do we not kneel down when we honor the Saints? Do we not build churches and altars, and offer the Sacrifice of the Mass to them, as to God Himself?
We kneel down, it is true; but we do not adore the Saints any more than a courtier adores his king when on his knees he asks a favor of him. We consecrate churches and altars, and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to God alone, although, at the same time, we honor the memory of the Saints, and implore their intercession.
From the most ancient times the Church has approved and cherished such veneration, has instituted festivals, built churches and altars in commemoration of the Saints, and implored their intercession at the Holy Sacrifice; and God often confirmed such devotion by extraordinary graces. Churches are not consecrated to the Saints whose names they bear, but to God, under the invocation of the Saints.
37. What should we have principally in view when we venerate the Saints?
We should imitate their virtues, and strive to become like them, that we may also one day share in their eternal happiness.
38. In what does our praying to God differ from our praying to the Saints?
We pray to God that He may help us by His Omnipotence; but we pray to the Saints that they may help us by interceding with God for us.
39. Is it, then, in the power of the Saints in Heaven to obtain anything from God in our behalf?
It was in their power when they were living on earth; much more must it be so now that they are in Heaven; for death does not dissolve the communion between them and us. (See the Ninth Article of the Creed.)
'Pray one for another, that you may be saved; for the continual prayer of a just man availeth much' (James v. 16). — No one but a most obstinate infidel can deny the miracles which were, and are still, wrought by the intercession of the Saints (Proceedings of the Church at a Beatification or Canonization).
40. Does the Holy Scripture also testify that the Saints in Heaven pray for us?
Yes, the Holy Scripture says, 1. That the Angels pray for man;1 2. That the Prophet Jeremias, long after his death, 'prayeth much for the people, and for all the holy city' (2 Mac. xv. 14); and 3. That the four-and-twenty Ancients incessantly offer up the prayers of the Saints at the throne of the Most High (Apoc. v. 8).
1' And the Angel of the Lord answered, and said: O Lord of Hosts, how long wilt Thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Juda?' (Zach. i. 12). 'When thou didst pray with tears, I offered thy prayer to the Lord, ' said the Angel Raphael to Tobias (Tob. xii. 12).
41. Do, then, the Saints in Heaven know anything of us?
If they did not know anything of us, the Archangel Raphael could not have offered the prayer of Tobias to God, nor could there be joy before the Angels of God upon one sinner doing penance, as. the Gospel testifies (Luke XV. 10).
42. But is it not a mark of distrust in Jesus Christ when we address ourselves to the Saints?
No; for 1. We expect grace and salvation from God alone through the merits of Jesus Christ; and 2. If it were a mark of distrust, St. Paul would not have applied to the faithful, saying: ' I beseech you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that you may help me in your prayers for me to God' (Rom. xv. 30).
43. Why does God grant us many graces through the intercession of the Saints?
Because it is the will of God that we should acknowledge our own unworthiness and the merits of His faithful servants. Therefore He Himself, in former times, commanded the friends of Job, saying: ' Go to my servant Job, . . . and my servant Job shall pray for you' (Job xlii. 8).
44. Whom should we in particular honor and invoke above all the Angels and Saints?
Mary, the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God.
45. Why should we particularly honor and invoke Mary?
1. Because she is the Mother of God, and therefore far surpasses all the Angels and Saints in grace and glory; 2. Because, for that very reason, her intercession with God is most powerful.
46. Should we also honor the images of Jesus Christ and of the Saints?
Yes, certainly; for if even a child honors the likenesses of his parents, and a subject the image of his prince, so much the more must we honor the images of our Lord and of His Saints.
How strictly the veneration of holy images was at all times observed in the Church, was shown in the eighth century, when the heretics called Iconoclasts [image-breakers], arose. They were supported by the Greek Emperor, and they raged most obstinately and furiously against the images and those who revered them. But they were not able to abolish the pious practice. The faithful firmly suffered all imaginable ill-treatment, even torture and death; and in the year 787 the new heresy was solemnly condemned by the Seventh General Council.
47. But does not the Scripture say: 'You shall not make to yourselves any idol or graven thing '?
True; but it is also immediately added: ' To adore it' (Levit. xxvi. 1), as the heathens did. But we Catholics detest the adoration of images.
God Himself commanded Moses to 'make two cherubim of beaten gold on the two sides of the oracle' (Exod. xxv. 18), and also to 'make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign' (Num. xxi. 8), which was a figure of our Crucified Redeemer.
48. But is it not superstitious to pray before images?
Not at all; for when we pray before the images of Jesus Christ and His Saints, we pray, not to the images, but to Jesus Christ and to the Saints, whom they represent.
49. Does it not prove that we put our trust in images when we go on pilgrimages to them?
No; for we do not visit holy places because we trust in the images that are honored there, but because we know that God has been pleased to bestow many graces and benefits in such places, and therefore feel ourselves animated to pray there with greater fervor and confidence.
50. What is the use of placing images of Christ and of the Saints in our churches?
They instruct and strengthen us in our faith, and incite us to live in conformity to it, whilst they represent before our eyes the mysteries of our Religion, the history of our Redemption, and the holy lives of the Saints.
51. Why do we honor the relics of the Saints?
Because their bodies were living members of Jesus Christ, and temples of the Holy Ghost, and will one day rise again from the dead to eternal glory.
At all times relics have been kept in honor in the Church. As early as in the second century, the Christians in Antioch and Smyrna, as they testified themselves, honored the relics of their holy bishops, Ignatius and Polycarp, who had suffered death for Jesus Christ.
52. Whence do we know for certain that the veneration of relics is pleasing to God?
From this: that God has frequently been pleased to work great miracles through their means, as we read in the Holy Scripture and in the history of the Church.
'When the man [whom they were burying] had touched the bones of Eliseus, he came to life, and stood upon his feet' (4 Kings xiii. 21). 'And God wrought by the hand of Paul more than common miracles; so that even there were brought from his body to the sick, handkerchiefs and aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the wicked spirits went out of them' (Acts xix. 11, 12). St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, and others, give us an account of the miracles which were wrought at the graves of St, Stephen, St. Felix of Nola, St. Gervasius, and of many other Saints.
The authenticity of a relic which is exposed to the veneration of the faithful is not a matter of faith, but rests simply on human, but nevertheless credible, testimonies.
Application. Honor the Blessed Saints in Heaven with great devotion, especially the Most Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and your Patron Saint. Diligently read their lives, and faithfully imitate their examples. Keep in your dwellings no immodest pictures, but have, by all means, holy images, and, above all, an image of your Crucified Redeemer. Do not help to circulate unauthorized prayers, or aid unauthorized persons to promote what are called chain prayers, as abuses may easily arise from these practices. (Feast of All Saints.)
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.'
I. What does the Second Commandment forbid?
The Second Commandment forbids all profanation of the holy name of God.
2. How do we profane the name of God?
We profane the name of God, 1. By irreverently pronouncing it; 2. By deriding religion; 3. By blasphemy; 4. By sinful swearing, and by cursing; and 5. By breaking vows.
3. How do we sin by irreverently pronouncing God's holy name?
By pronouncing the name of God in jest, or in anger, or in any other careless manner.
This applies also to other names and words worthy of reverence, as the name of the Blessed Virgin, the Holy Cross, the Holy Sacraments, etc., and to the words of the Holy Scripture, which are never to be abused in jest or by way of derision.
'The Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain' (Exod. xx. 7).
4. How do we sin by deriding religion?
By scoffing at religion, at the rites or ceremonies of the Church, or by turning them into ridicule, in which cases we may also become guilty of blasphemy.
'Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, . . . you, therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness' (2 Pet. iii. 3, 17).
5. What is meant by blasphemy?
By blasphemy is meant contemptuous and abusive language uttered against God, the Saints, or holy things.
This sin is so great that, in the Old Law, those who were found guilty of it were put to death. 'He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, dying let him die; all the multitude shall stone him' (Levit. xxiv. 16). How Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, was punished for blaspheming the Lord, see 4 Kings xix.
6. May we also become guilty of blasphemy by thoughts?
Yes, when we voluntarily think contemptuously of God or of the Saints.
7. What is swearing or taking an oath?
Swearing or taking an oath is to call the All-knowing God to witness that we speak the truth, or that we will keep our promise.
We call God also to witness when we swear by Heaven, by the Holy Cross, or by the Gospel, etc. ' Whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth in it; and he that sweareth by Heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon' (Matt, xxiii. 21, 22).
8. Is it ever lawful to take an oath?
Yes; it is lawful and even obligatory when we are called upon to do so by competent authority in the interests of justice, as is the case of witnesses in a legal trial.
9. Are we bound to keep a lawful oath?
Yes; it is a grievous sin not to fulfil a lawful oath, if we are able to do so.
10. How do we sin by swearing?
We sin by swearing, 1. When we swear falsely or in doubt; 2. When we swear, or induce others to swear, without necessity; 3. When we swear to do what is evil, or to omit what is good.
'Thou shalt swear in truth, and in judgment, and in justice' (Jer. iv. 2).
11. What means swearing falsely, or in doubt?
It means, 1. To assert with an oath that something is true, though we know that it is untrue, or do not know whether it is true or not; 3. To promise with an oath something which we do not intend to perform.
12. What are we to think of perjury or a false oath?
Perjury, especially in a court of justice, is one of the greatest crimes; because he who commits it, 1. Mocks God's Omniscience, Sanctity, and Justice; 2. Destroys the last means of preserving truth and faith among men; and 3. Almost solemnly renounces God, and calls down His vengeance upon himself.
'And the Lord said to me: This flying volume which thou seest is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the earth; for every one that sweareth shall be judged by it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of Hosts, and it shall come to the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name, and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it, with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof (Zach, v. 3, 4; comp. Ezech. xvii.).
13. When a person has sworn to do something evil, or to omit something that is good, is he bound to keep such an oath?
No; for as it was a sin to take such an oath, so it would be another sin to keep it. — Example: Herod (Mark vi. 23-28).
14. What do you mean by cursing?
Cursing means to wish any evil either to ourselves 01 to our neighbor, or to any of God's creatures, whereby the name of God is frequently dishonored.
Cursing is something very hateful, which betrays a rude, angry temper. From the mouth of a Christian or child of God nothing but 'blessing' ought to come forth (1 Pet. iii. 9). Cursing is at the same time an oath, when we call upon God to punish us if we speak an untruth.
15. What is a vow?
A vow is a voluntary promise made to God to do something that is agreeable to Him, although there be no obligation to do it.
Accordingly, a vow is: 1. A real promise, by which we deliberately bind ourselves, and not a mere desire or resolution; 2. A promise made to God, because it is to God alone we make vows; and 3. A promise to do something that is agreeable to God; therefore it cannot be anything trifling, sinful, or injurious to others, nor anything good in itself, but by which something better is prevented or higher duties neglected.
16. What does the Church teach with regard to vows?
1. That they please God, because they are voluntary offerings made to Him. Thus God kindly accepted the vows of the Patriarch Jacob,1 and of the pious Anna, the mother of Samuel,2 and granted their petitions.
1'And Jacob made a vow, saying: If God shall be with me, and I shall return prosperously to my father's house, of all things that Thou shalt give to me, I will offer tithes to Thee' (Gen. xxviii. 20-22). 2 'Anna made a vow, saying: O Lord of Hosts, if Thou wilt be mindful of me, and wilt give to Thy servant a man-child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life' (1 Kings i. 11).
2. That it is a sacred duty to keep them, unless it be impossible to do so. People should therefore be very cautious about making vows, and should, in general, ask advice of their Confessor, or some other prudent Priest.
' If thou hast vowed anything to God, defer not to pay it. It is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised' (Eccles. v. 3, 4).
17. If it should become very difficult to keep a vow, in whole or in part, what is to be done?
One's confessor ought to be consulted who may, if necessary, seek a dispensation from the Bishop or the Pope, according to the character of the vow.
18. Is it sufficient not to dishonor the name of God?
No; we must also honor and revere it; i.e., we must gratefully praise it, devoutly call upon it, steadily confess it, and exert ourselves to promote its honor.
Application. Carefully avoid the shameful habit of cursing and swearing. 'A man that sweareth much shall be filled with iniquity, and a scourge shall not depart from his house' (Ecclus. xxiii. 12). On the contrary, often invoke with devotion the names of Jesus and Mary, especially in temptations against purity.
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-day.'
1. What are we commanded by the Third Commandment?
By the Third Commandment we are commanded to sanctify the Lord's day by performing works of piety and abstaining from servile works.
2. Which is the Lord's day?
In the Old Law it was the seventh day of the week, or the Sabbath-day (day of rest), in memory of God's resting on that day, after He had finished the work of Creation in six days. In the New Law it is the first day of the week, or the Sunday, in memory of the accomplishment of our Redemption, which is a new spiritual Creation (Gal. vi. 15).
'In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it' (Exod. XX. 11; comp. Gen. ii. 2, 3).
3. How was our Redemption accomplished on the Sunday?
It was on a Sunday that our Saviour rose from the dead, and it was also on a Sunday that He sent down the Holy Ghost upon His Church.
4. What works of piety, should we perform on the Sunday?
1. We are bound to hear Mass, and, if possible, we should also attend the other Divine Service, especially the Sermon and Catechetical Instruction; and 2. We should receive the Holy Sacraments, read books of devotion, or meditate on the great truths of our Religion, and occupy ourselves in works of mercy, either corporal or spiritual (James i. 27).
5. Which works are servile and forbidden?
All bodily works which are commonly performed by servants, day-laborers, and tradesmen.
"Works by which the mind only is exerted are not numbered amongst the servile works. But all those noisy and those merely worldly employments, which disturb quiet religious observance, such as law-suits, buying and selling, etc., are also forbidden.
6. Is it never lawful to do servile work on a Sunday?
It is lawful: 1. When the Pastors of the Church, for weighty reasons, give a dispensation; and 2. As often as the honor of God,1 the good of our neighbor,2 or urgent necessity 3 require it.
It is lawful to engage in occupations which on ac* count of public welfare cannot be interrupted on Sunday, as for example, those of railroad employes, watchmen, bakers, etc.
Persons compelled to work on Sunday should consult a Confessor or Pastor.
Examples: Matt. xii. 1 Officiating in the Temple, v. 5. 2 Parable of the sheep that falls into a pit, v. 11, 12. 3 The Disciples plucking ears of corn, v. 1-4.
7. Are they only guilty who themselves do forbidden work?
No; those also are guilty who without any necessity require their inferiors, as servants, day-iaborers, or tradesmen, to do such work, or allow them to do it; for God says: ' That thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest, even as thyself (Deut. v. 14).
8. Is the Sunday profaned only by servile work and staying away from Divine Service?
No; it is likewise profaned by debauchery, intemperance, and extravagant games, sports, and amusements, which make of the Lord's day a day of revelry and public scandal.
9. What should we particularly consider in order to be deterred from profaning the Sunday?
We should consider;
1. The temporal and eternal punishment with which God threatens such as break the Sabbath.
'They grievously violated my Sabbaths; I said, therefore, that I would pour out my indignation upon them in the desert, and would consume them' (Ezech, xx. 13). 'Keep you my Sabbath; for it is holy unto you: he that shall profane it shall be put to death' (Exod. xxxi. 14).
2. That it is an unjustifiable heedlessness not to devote even so much as one day to the care of our immortal soul, after the body has been taken care of during six days.
3. That the observance of the Sunday is a public profession of our Christian Faith, and, consequently, that by its profanation we bring disgrace on our Religion, and give great scandal to our fellow-Christians.
Zeal of the Jews in keeping holy the Sabbath day (2 Mac. vi. 11).
Application. Always observe the Lord's day conscientiously, and never be induced to violate it, either by thoughtlessness and excessive fondness for amusements, or by the example of wicked or infidel people. 'God be merciful unto us; it is not profitable to us to forsake the law' (1 Mac. ii. 21).
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Honor thy Father and thy Mother.'
1. What is commanded by the Fourth Commandment?
By the Fourth Commandment children are commanded to show reverence, love, and obedience to their parents, and inferiors to their superiors.
2. Why must children reverence, love, and obey their parents?
Because, next to God, their parents are their greatest benefactors, and supply His place in their regard.
3. How should children reverence their parents?
They should venerate their parents as the representatives Oi God, and should therefore always show them respect in word and deed.
'Honor thy father in work and word, and all patience' (Ecclus. iii, 9).
4. How should children love their parents?
They should, 1. Be grateful to them, and wish them well from their heart; 2. They should make them happy by their good conduct; 3. They should assist them in their necessities, and take care of them in their old age; and 4. They should bear with their faults and weaknesses.
'With thy whole heart honor thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother. Remember that thou hadst not been born but through them, and make a return to them as they have done for thee' (Ecclus. vii. 28-3d). Example of Jesus, who, when dying on the cross, still provided for His Mother.
5. How should children obey their parents?
1. They should do what their parents command, and not do what they forbid, provided they order nothing bad or unjust; and 2. They should willingly receive, and readily follow, their advice and admonitions.
'Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing to the Lord' (Col. iii. 20). Example of Jesus, who, though 'God blessed for ever,' yet was subject to Mary and Joseph.
6. What have children to expect who faithfully observe the Fourth Commandment?
In this life, they may be sure of God's protection and blessing, and in the other, of eternal happiness.
'Honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with a promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be long-lived upon earth' (Eph. vi. 2, 3). 'Honor thy father, that a blessing may come upon thee from him, and his blessing may remain in the latter end. The father's blessing establisheth the houses of the children, but the mother's curse rooteth up the foundation' (Ecelus. iii. 9-11). — Examples: Sem, Isaac, Ruth, Samuel, young Tobias.
7. When do children sin against the reverence they owe to their parents?
They sin against the reverence they owe to their parents, 1. When in their heart they despise or disregard them; 2. When they speak ill of them; 3. When they are ashamed of them; and 4. When they treat them harshly and insolently.
'The eye that mocketh at his father, and that despiseth the labor of his mother in bearing him, let the ravens of the brooks pick it out, and the young eagles eat it' (Prov. xxx. 17).
8. When do children sin against the love they owe to their parents?
They sin against the love they owe to their parents, 1. When they wish or do them evil; 2. When, by their bad behavior, they give them trouble, and bring disgrace upon them, or otherwise grieve them, or put them in a passion; 3. When they do not assist them in their need or old age; 4. When they do not bear with their failings; and 5. When they do not pray for their parents, whether living or dead.
'He that striketh his father or mother shall be put to death. He that curseth his father or mother shall die the death' (Exod. xxi. 15, 17). 'Son, support the old age of thy father, and grieve him not in his life; and if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in thy strength; for the relieving of the father shall not be forgotten' (Ecclus. iii. 14, 15).
9. When do children sin against the obedience due to their parents?
They sin against the obedience due to their parents, 1. When they obey them badly, or not at all; 2. When they do not willingly listen to their admonitions; and 3. When they offer resistance to their corrections.
'If a man have a stubborn and unruly son, who will not hear the commandments of his father or mother, and being corrected, slighteth obedience, they shall take him, and bring him to the ancients of the city, and shall say to them: This our son is rebellious and stubborn, he slighteth hearing our admonitions, he giveth himself to revelling, and to debauchery and banquetings: the people of the city shall stone him, and he shall die; that you may take away the evil out of the midst of you, and all Israel hearing it may be afraid' (Deut. xxi. 18-21).
10. What have those children to expect who do not fulfil their duties towards their parents?
In this life they have to expect the curse of God, disgrace, and ignominy; and in the life to come, eternal damnation.
'Cursed be he that honoreth not his father and mother, and all the people shall say: Amen' (Deut. xxvii. 16). 'Remember thy father and thy mother, lest God forget thee, and thou wish that thou hadst not been born, and curse the day of thy nativity' (Ecclus. xxiii. 18, 19). — Examples: Cham, Absalom, the Sons oi Heli the High-Priest.
11. What superiors, besides our parents, must we honor, love, and obey?
Our guardians, tutors, teachers, employers, masters and mistresses, and all our Spiritual and Civil Superiors.
12. What are our duties towards our guardians, tutors, teachers, and employers?
We must consider them as the representatives and assistants of our parents; and, therefore, our duties towards them are in proportion to those which children owe to their parents.
13. What are the particular obligations of servants to their masters and mistresses?
They should, for the Lord's sake, show them respectful obedience, and honestly fulfil their contracts towards them (1 Pet. ii. 9, 10).
'Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not serving to the eye, as pleasing men, but in simplicity of heart, fearing God. Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance' (Col. iii. 22-24). 'Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward' (1 Pet. ii. 18).
14. How do servants sin against their masters and mistresses?
1. By disobedience, obstinacy, moroseness, and ill-will; 2. By laziness, by pilfering dainties, and by wasting and embezzling their goods; 3. By calumny, detraction, and tale-bearing; and, "most of all, 4. By teaching evil to their children, by assisting them to do evil, or by conniving at it.
15. What are our duties towards our Spiritual Superiors?
We are bound, 1. To honor and love them as the representatives of God, and our Spiritual Fathers; 2. To submit to their ordinances; 3. To pray for them; and 4. To provide for their support in the manner established by law and custom.
'With all thy soul fear the Lord, and reverence his priests* (Ecclus. vii. 31). 'Obey your prelates, and be subject to them; for they watch as being to render an account of your souls, that they may do this with joy, and not with grief; for this is not expedient for you' (Hebr, xiii. 17). 'The Lord ordained that they who preach the Gospel should live by the Gospel' (1 Cor. ix. 14; comp. Luke x. 7, and 1 Tim. v. 17, 18). — Example of the Christians, when Peter was in prison (Acts xii.; comp. Gal. IV. 14, 15).
16. When do we sin against our Spiritual Superiors?
1. When, by word or deed, we violate the reverence due to them, or when, by speaking ill of them, we lower their character; 2. When we oppose them, and thereby may be the cause of schism and scandal; and 3. When, contrary to our duty, we refuse to contribute towards their support, and to provide for the Divine Service.
'He that despiseth you, despiseth me' (Luke x. 16). 'The Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be tormented; and especially them who despise government, audacious, self-willed, they fear not to bring in sects, blaspheming. They allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error: promising them liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption' (2 Pet. ii.). 'Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and have perished in the contradiction of Core' (Jude 11). — Examples: Core, Dathan, and Abiron, swallowed up by the earth (Num. xvi.); Forty-two boys torn by two bears (4 Kings ii. 24).
17. What are our duties towards our Civil, or Temporal, Rulers?
We are bound, 1. To show to our Civil Rulers, ordained by God. respect, fidelity, and conscientious obedience, and to suffer anything rather than raise sedition against them; 2. To pay the taxes imposed by them; and 3. To assist them in their necessities and dangers; and even to sacrifice our property and life in defence of our country against its enemies.
'Let every soul be subject to higher powers; for there is no power but from God, and those that are, are ordained of God, Therefore, he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation. Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience ' sake. Render therefore to all men their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor' (Rom. xiii. 1-7). — Examples: Jesus and the first Christians. David towards Saul (1 Kings xxiv, 7).
18. How do we sin against our Civil Rulers?
1. By hatred and contempt; 2. By reviling and blaspheming them; 3. By refusing to pay the taxes due to them; 4. By resistance and rebellion; and 5. By any sort of treason, violence, or conspiracy, against our Government and country.
Of those 'who despise dominion, and blaspheme majesty,' the Apostle St. Jude says: 'These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain's sake' (Jude 8 and 16).
19. When are parents, superiors, and sovereigns not to be obeyed?
When they command anything unlawful before God.
*We ought to obey God rather than men' (Acts vii. 29). — Examples: Joseph in the house of Putiphar; Susanna; the three Young Men at Babylon; the seven Machabees; the Apostles before the Council.
20. How should young people behave towards the aged?
Young people should treat the aged respectfully, listen to their good advice, and, as far as possible, lighten the burden of their old age.
'Rise up before the hoary head, and honor the person of the aged man, and fear the Lord thy God' (Levit. xix. 32).
Application. Hearken now to your parents, teachers, Pastors, etc., and follow them, 'Lest thou mourn at the last, and say: Why have I hated instruction, and my heart consented not to reproof, and have not heard the voice of them that taught me. and have not inclined my ear to masters?' (Prov. v. 11-13).
21. Does the Fourth Commandment regard children and inferiors only?
It includes also the duties of parents and superiors.
22. What are the duties of parents towards their children?
The first and most sacred duty of parents is to bring up their children for God and for eternal life. Therefore they should, 1. Teach them well themselves, and get them well instructed in the Catholic Religion; 2. Train them up, as early as possible, to a pious and virtuous life; 3. Set them good example; 4. Guard them against being led into sinful or dangerous courses; and 5. Correct their faults with Christian charity.
'And you, fathers, bring your children up in the discipline and correction of the Lord' (Ephes. vi. 4). 'The child that is left to his own will, bringeth his mother to shame' (Prov. xxix. 15). 'Withhold not correction from a child; for if thou strike him with the rod, he shall not die, and thou shalt deliver his soul from hell' (Prov. xxiii. 13, 14).
23. How do parents sin when they neglect these their duties?
They sin grievously, and, moreover, render themselves accessory to the sins of their children, and often are the cause of their eternal damnation (Hell).
24. Have parents charge only of the ' eternal ' salvation of their children?
They have charge also of their temporal welfare and success; therefore they sin, 1. When they inconsiderately squander their property; 2. When they do not take proper care of the food, clothing, or health of their children; or 3. When they neglect to accustom them early to labor, and to make them learn something useful.
Parents must not unreasonably interfere with their children's liberty in the choice of a state of life or a partner in marriage.
25. What are the duties of masters and mistresses towards their servants?
They should, 1. Not treat them, harshly, but kindly; 2. Give them their just wages and sufficient nourishment; 3. Urge them, by word and example, to fulfil their religious duties, and to do all that is right; and 4. Keep them from evil and all occasions of sin.
'If thou have a faithful servant, let him be to thee as thy own soul: treat him as a brother' (Ecclus. xxxiii. 31). 'Masters, do to your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a Master in Heaven' (Coloss. iv. 1). 'But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel' (1 Tim. V. 8).
26. What are the obligations of Civil Rulers to their inferiors?
Civil Rulers are ordained by God for the good of the people; therefore they should, 1. Promote public welfare as much as lies in their power; 2. Perform the duties of their office with wisdom and incorruptible justice; 3. Punish evil; and 4. Be to all a pattern of a Christian life.
'The power is God's minister to thee for good' (Rom. xiii. 4). 'And charging the judges, Josaphat said: Take heed what you do; for you exercise not the judgment of man, but of the Lord; and whatsoever you judge, it shall redound to you. There is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor desire of gifts' (2 Paral. xix. 6, 7). Therefore, at elections for public offices, it is necessary, above all things, to consider piety, judgment, and an honest and energetic will in the person to be elected.
Application. Always honor your Civil Rulers as the ministers of God for your own good, and never listen to those enemies of all law and order, who 'promise liberty, whereas they themselves are the slaves of corruption' (2 Peter ii. 19). Besides observing the laws, all are bound to live together in harmony, as far as possible, and to endeavor, each according to his means and ability, to promote virtue, peace, good order and the common welfare.
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Thou Shalt not kill.'
1. What sins does the Fifth Commandment forbid?
The Fifth Commandant forbids all sins by which we may injure our neighbor or ourselves, whether as to the life of the body or of the soul.
2. When do we injure our neighbor as to the life of his body?
1. When we kill, strike, or wound him in an unjust manner; and 2. When, by vexation or harsh treatment, we embitter and shorten his life.
3. What sin does he commit who deliberately kills his neighbor in an unjust manner?
He commits the heinous sin of murder that cries to Heaven for vengeance; for 1. He wantonly invades the rights of God; 2. He undermines the safety of human society; and 3. He plunges his neighbor into the greatest temporal, and often into eternal, ruin.
The deliberate destruction of infant life before birth, even in its earliest stages, as is sometimes done by surgeons, physicians, nurses, and others is nothing less than wilful murder.
'Whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed; for man was made to the image of God' (Gen. ix. 6). How murder is punished, even in this life, by tormenting remorse, and often by an ignominious death, we learn from the examples of Cain (Gen. iv. 16), of Ahab and Jezabel (3 Kings xxi. xxii., and 4 Kings ix.).
4. Is it ever lawful to destroy human life?
Yes, it is lawful, 1. For the supreme authority to do so in the execution of criminals (Rom. xiii. 4); and 2. For others, in defence of their country, or, when necessary, in protecting life from unjust attack.
5. Is it also lawful to send a man a challenge, or to accept his, to a duel in defence of our honor?
No; for such a duel in any case, even if it be not for life and death, is a great crime, which is in direct opposition to all order established by God and man; therefore all those who are accessory to it, even all voluntary witnesses, incur excommunication.
6. Does the Fifth Commandment forbid only the actual crime of taking away the life of our neighbor?
It also forbids everything that leads and induces to the crime; as anger, hatred, envy, quarrelling, abusive words, and imprecations.
'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer' (1 John iii. 15). 'But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment' (Matt. v. 22).
7. When do we injure ourselves as to the life of our body?
1. When we take away our life; and 2. When we impair our health, or shorten our life, by intemperance in eating and drinking, by violent anger, by immoderate grief, etc.
8. What sin does he commit who deliberately makes away with himself?
He commits three horrible crimes: 1. A crime against the Divine Majesty, who alone has power over life and death; 2, A crime against his own soul, which he mercilessly plunges into eternal hell-fire; and 3. A crime against human society, and especially against his relations, on whom he brings inexpressible grief and disgrace.
9. How does the Church, therefore, punish suicide, or self-murder?
She refuses Christian burial to the self-murderer, for his own punishment, as well as to deter others from doing the same.
10. Are we never allowed to expose our life or our health to danger?
Never without necessity; but, when a higher duty requires it we may (Matt. x. 28).
11. May we desire our own death?
No, we may not when the desire proceeds from dejection or despair; but we may when we ardently desire to offend God no more, and to be united with Him in Heaven.
'I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ' (Phili. i. 23).
12. When do we injure our neighbor as to the life of his soul?
When we scandalize him; that is, when we deliberately seduce him to sin, or voluntarily influence him, and give him occasion, to commit it.
13. Who render themselves guilty of this sin?
In general, all those who in any way incite, advise, or help others to do evil, command them to do it, or approve of it; and in particular those, 1. Who use impious or filthy language, or dress themselves immodestly; 2. Who spread abroad bad books and pictures; 3. Who open their houses to thieves, drunkards, gamblers, or other wicked men, for their unlawful meetings; and 4. Those superiors who give bad example, or who do not hinder evil, as they are in duty bound to do.
14. What should in particular deter us from giving scandal?
1. The thought that he who gives scandal is a minister of Satan, destroying those souls which Jesus Christ has ransomed with His blood, by seducing them to sin.
'He [the devil] was a murderer from the beginning' (John viii. 44). 'Destroy not him, for whom Christ died' (Rom. xiv. 15).
2. The dreadful consequences of seduction, since those who have themselves been seduced generally seduce others, and thus the sin is continually propagated.
The whole human race corrupted through the descendants of Cain (Gen. vi.). Jeroboam's sin and punishment (3 Kings xii-xiv.).
3. The awful sentence of Jesus Christ.
'He that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals; woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh' (Matt, xviii. 6, 7). Example of Eleazar, who chose to die rather than scandalize young men (2 Mac. vi.); and of St. Paul (1 Cor. viii. 13).
15. What must we do when we have injured our neighbor as to his body or soul?
We must not only repent and confess the sin, but we must also, as far as it is in our power, repair the evil We have done.
16. What are we ' commanded ' by the Fifth Commandment?
We are commanded, 1. To live in peace and union with our neighbor; 2. To promote, according to our condition, his spiritual as well as his corporal welfare; and 3. To take also reasonable care of our own life and health.
Application. Never presume to curse, to abuse, or to strike any one; but, as it is becoming to a child of God, be peaceable, kind, and meek. Shun a seducer, as the devil; for he is about to kill your soul, let his words or promises be ever so charming and pleasing. Beware of murdering your neighbor's soul by any scandalous act or word.
THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
'Thou shalt not commit adultery.'
'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.'
I. What does the Sixth Commandment forbid?
The Sixth Commandment forbids, 1. Adultery and all sins of impurity; as unchaste looks, words, jests, touches, and whatsoever else violates modesty.; and 2. Everything that leads to impurity.
'But fornication and all uncleanness let it not so much as be
named among you, as becometh saints, or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility' (Eph. v. 3, 4).
2. What is it that generally leads to impurity?
1. Curiosity of the eyes; 2. Immodest dress; 3. Flatterers or seducers; 4. Obscene books and scandalous pictures; 5. Nocturnal interviews, indecent plays and dances; 6. A too free intercourse with the other sex; 7. Drunkenness and revelry; and 8. Idleness and effeminacy.
3. What does the Ninth Commandment forbid?
The Ninth Commandment especially forbids the desire to have another man's wife, and, in general, all impure thoughts and desires.
' Whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart' (Matt. v. 28).
4. Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?
As long as they displease us, and we endeavor to banish them from our mind, they are not sins.
5. When do we sin by impure thoughts?
We sin by impure thoughts when we voluntarily represent immodest things or actions to our mind, and when we voluntarily take pleasure in them.
As it is a sin against purity designedly to look at immodest things, so it is also a sin to represent such things to our mind, or, when such representations are involuntary, willingly to take complacency or pleasure in them.
6. When do we sin by impure desires?
We sin by impure desires when we voluntarily wish to see, hear, or do something that is contrary to chastity or purity.
7. What should we do when we are tempted by impure thoughts and desires?
1. We should, in the very beginning, earnestly resist them, and implore the assistance of God; and 2. When the temptation continues, we should not be discouraged, but persevere in our resistance, and endeavor to occupy our minds with some good subject.
1. 'As I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, except God gave it, I went to the Lord, and besought Him with my whole heart' (Wisd. viii. 21). 2. 'Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown of life' (James i. 12).
8. Why must we most carefully guard against impurity?
1. Because no sin is more shameful; and 2. Because none is attended with such dreadful consequences.
9. Why is this sin so shameful?
Because man, who, as the image and temple of God, is called to a pure and holy life, is degraded by it to the level of an impure or unclean animal; whence it is styled. Sin of impurity or uncleanness (comp. 1 Cor. iii. 17).
10. What are the consequences of impurity?
1. It robs man of his innocence, and infects his body and soul; 2. It leads him to many other sins and vices, and often to murder and despair; and 3. It plunges him into misery, ignominy, and shame, and finally into eternal damnation.
'He that joineth himself to harlots will be wicked: rottenness and worms shall inherit him' (Ecclus. xix. 3). 'The whoremongers shall have their portion in the pool burning with fire and brimstone' (Apoc. xxi. 8).
Examples: Impurity led David,' Solomon, the two Elders (Dan, xiii.), Herod, and Herodias into the greatest crimes. Chiefly on account of impurity, nearly the entire human race was destroyed by the Deluge; Sodom and Gomorrha, by a rain of brimstone and fire; twenty-four thousand Israelites were put to death in the desert; and almost the whole tribe of Benjamin perished by the sword.
11. Is every sin of impurity a grievous sin?
Yes, every sin of impurity which one commits knowingly and willingly, either with himself or with others, is a mortal sin; ' for know you this and understand,' says St. Paul (Ephes. v. 5), 'that no fornicator, or unclean person, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.'
12. Are all sins of impurity equally grievous?
No; some are more grievous than others, according to the persons with whom the sin is committed; or according as the sin is more heinous and unnatural, and its consequences are more pernicious.
13. What are we to do when we doubt whether anything is a sin against purity?
We must consult our Director, and in the meantime carefully avoid what we are doubtful of.
14. What are we 'commanded' by the Sixth and Ninth Commandments?
We are commanded to be decent and modest in all our thoughts, looks, words, and actions, and to preserve most carefully the innocence of our soul as the greatest good and the most beautiful ornament of man.
15. What means should we employ in order to preserve our innocence?
We should, 1. Shun all bad company and all occasions of sin (Ecclus. iii. 27); 2. Carefully guard our senses, especially our eyes (Psalm cxviii. 37); 3. Often receive the Holy Sacraments; 4. In temptation recommend ourselves to God and to the Blessed Virgin; 5. Remember that God sees everything, and that we may die at any moment (Ecclus. vii. 40); and 6. We should earnestly exercise ourselves in humility, in the mortification of the flesh, and in self-denial (Gal. v. 24).
Application. Love the innocence of your soul; often meditate on these words of the Holy Scripture: ' Oh! how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory; for the memory thereof is immortal, because it is known both with God and with men. It triumpheth crowned for ever, winning the reward of undefiled conflicts' (Wisd. iv. 1, 2). Therefore, whether you are by yourself or with others, never say or do anything that may not be said or done before people of propriety; and should any one attempt to lead you to what is wrong, repulse him or seek for the protection of others. 'My son, if sinners shall entice thee, consent not to them. If they shall say: Come with us; my son, walk not thou with them' (Prov. i. 10-15). Avoid all immoral books, magazines and newspapers. ( See note to quest. 9, First Commandment. )
THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Thou shalt not steal.'
1. What does the Seventh Commandment forbid?
The Seventh Commandment forbids us to injure our neighbor in his property by robbery or theft, by cheating, usury, or in any other unjust way.
2. Who are guilty of robbery or theft?
Not only those who are properly called robbers and thieves, but also all those, 1. Who give them advice or assistance; 3. Who buy, sell, hide, or keep stolen goods; 3. Who do not return the things they have found or borrowed; 4. Who do not pay their debts; and 5. All those who beg without need, and thus defraud the real poor of their alms.
3. How is fraud committed?
1. By injuring, openly or secretly, our neighbor's property or business; 3. By giving false weight or measure, or bad money, or practising any other deceit in buying or selling; 4. By refusing to pay our lawful debts when we can do so.
4. How, also, may servants and employees be guilty of fraud?
1. By disposing of their employer's property without his consent; 2. By wasting time or material; and by disregarding just agreements or contracts which they have made with their employers.
Servants may not give alms of the property of their employers without their consent.
5. In what other ways may we sin against the Seventh Commandment?
1. By gambling and other extravagances injurious to one's family; 2. By evading our just share of public burdens, such as paying taxes; 3. By wasting or appropriating public money unjustly; 4. By usurious practices.
6. Who are guilty of usurious practices?
1. Those who exact unlawful interest for money loaned; 2. Those who purchase in large quantities articles of food and other necessaries, in order to obtain more than a just price for them; 3. In general, those who in trade take unfair advantage of their neighbor's ignorance or necessity.
7. May we also grievously sin against the Seventh Commandment by petty thefts or frauds?
Yes: 1. When we so often repeat them that the owner suffers a considerable loss, and even when we have only the intention of thus repeating them; and 2. When the loss of a thing, trifling in itself, causes our neighbor a considerable injury.
8. What must we do when we are in possession of ill-gotten goods or have unjustly injured our neighbor?
We must restore the ill-gotten goods, and repair, as far as we are able, the injury done; without this we cannot obtain pardon from God.
9. Who is bound to make restitution or reparation?
1. He who is in possession of the thin,o-s stolen, or of their value, or who has really done the injury.
2. If he does not do it, the obligation devolves on those who, by counsel or action, were accessory to the sin, or who did not hinder it, although they were able to do so, and were bound by the duties of their station or office to hinder the wrong.
10. How much must be restored?
1. If one has knowingly and unjustly taken or detained his neighbor's goods, he must fully compensate him.
2. If he did it unknowingly and unwillingly, he must, as soon as he comes to know that it is another man's property, restore all that is still left and as much more as his wealth has increased by it.
In the former case, full restitution must be made not only of the things stolen, or, if they are gone, of their value, but also of that which, in the meantime, they have produced; those expenses, however, being deducted which even the owner would not have been able to avoid. And, in general, the owner must be compensated for all the profits which he has been deprived of, and for all the losses he has suffered. In the latter case, we are bound to restore all that which, after deducting the expenses, is still remaining of the ill-gotten goods and of their produce, and, in general, as much as, by their possession and temporary use, we have become the richer.
11. To whom must restitution of the ill-gotten goods be made?
To the owner or to his heirs; but if this be not possible, they must be given to the poor or be appropriated to religious and charitable purposes.
12. What must they do who cannot immediately make restitution?
They must sincerely have the intention of doing so as soon as they can; and, in the meantime, they must employ all reasonable means to enable themselves to perform this duty.
13. What should we bear in mind in order to guard against stealing, or against neglecting to make restitution?
1. That death will at length wrest the ill-gotten goods from us, and perhaps sooner than we expect; 2. That the stolen property will bring us, not happiness and blessing, but misfortune and malediction, uneasiness and a miserable end;1 and 3. That there is no greater foolishness than to forfeit Heaven for the perishable things of this world, and to plunge our soul into unquenchable fire.2
1'He who soweth iniquity shall reap evils' (Prov. xxii. 8). 2 ' What doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?' (Matt. xvi. 26).
14. What are we commanded by the Seventh Commandment?
We are commanded to give to every one his due, and to be charitable to our neighbor.
Application. Give to every one his own, and be contented with what you have. 'A little, justly gained, is better than much, gained unjustly.' Never steal anything, be it ever so little, and mind this true saying: 'Small beginnings make great endings.' Beware of daintiness, drunkenness, idleness, gambling, vain show, and finery; for all this leads people to robbery and theft, and brings them to ruin.
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT OF GOD.
'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.'
1. What does the Eighth Commandment forbid?
The Eighth Commandment forbids above all to give false evidence; that is, to say in a court of justice what is not true.
'And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit against him [Naboth]; and they, like men of the devil, bore witness against him before the people' (3 Kings xxi. 13).
2. How are we to give evidence in a court of justice?
We must tell the exact truth, just as we know it, and neither more nor less.
3. What other sins are forbidden by the Eighth Commandment?
1. Lies and hypocrisy; 2. Detraction and calumny or slander; 3. False suspicion and rash judgment; and, in general, all sins by which the honor or character of our neighbor is injured.
4. What is meant by a lie?
To say knowingly and deliberately what is not true, with the intention of deceiving.
5. Is it ever lawful to tell a lie?
No; it is never lawful to tell a lie, neither for our own nor for another's benefit, not even in jest or need; for every lie is essentially opposed to God, who is truth itself.
'A lie is a foul blot in a man' (Ecelus. xx. 26). 'Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord ' (Prov. xii. 22). — Example: Punishment of Ananias and Saphira (Acts v.). Although it is never lawful to tell an untruth, yet we are sometimes bound by charity or official duty to conceal the truth.
6. How do we sin by hypocrisy?
By pretending to be better or more pious than we really are, in order to deceive others.
'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men 's bones, and of all filthiness. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity' (Matt. xxiii. 27, 28).
7. How do we sin by detraction?
By revealing the faults of others without any necessity.
8. When is it allowed to reveal the faults of others?
We are allowed, and even bound, to reveal them, 1. When it is for the good of the guilty person; or 2. When it is necessary for preventing a greater evil.
9. What is to be observed in making such revelation?
1. The revelation must proceed from a pure motive of charity, and be made to such only as are able to remedy the evil; 2. The fault is not to be exaggerated, nor is what is uncertain to be represented as certain.
10. How do we sin by calumny or slander?
By imputing faults to our neighbor which he has not at all, or by exaggerating his real faults.
'If a serpent bite in silence, he is nothing better that backbiteth secretly' (Eccles. x. 11). — Example: Aman (Esth. xiii.).
11. Is every calumny or detraction equally sinful?
No; the sin is the greater, 1. The more important the fault is, and the more considerable the person of whom it is mentioned; 2. The greater the loss and injury is which he suffers by it; 3. The more people there are who hear it; and 4. The worse our intention is in divulging it.
A most injurious and detestable sin is tale-bearing or whispering—i.e., when we relate to a person what another has said of him, and thus create hatred and dissension between them. 'The whisperer and the double-tongued is accursed; for he hath troubled many that were at peace' (Ecclus. xxviii. 15).
12. Is it also a sin even to listen to detraction or calumny?
Yes, it is a sin, 1. To listen with pleasure to detraction or calumny; 2. Not to prevent it when it is in our power; and 3. To occasion and encourage it by asking questions or approving of it.
'Hedge in thy ears with thorns, hear not a wicked tongue' (Ecclus. xxviii. 28), 'The north wind driveth away rain, as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue' (Prov. xxv. 23).
13. What is he obliged to do who, by slander or abusive language, has injured the character of his neighbor?
He is obliged, 1. To retract the slander or to beg pardon; and 2. To repair all the injury he has done him.
'A good name is better than great riches' (Prov. xxii. 1). Therefore it is an obligation to restore the former as well as the latter.
14. Must we also retract when we have divulged 'true' but hidden faults?
No; in such a case we should try to excuse our neighbor, and to repair his honor by some other lawful means.
15. When do we sin by false suspicion and rash judgment?
We sin, 1. By false suspicion, when, without sufficient reason, we deliberately surmise evil of our neighbor; and 2. By rash judgment, when, without sufficient reason, we believe the evil to be true and certain.
'Judge not, that you may not be judged. . . . Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye?' (Matt. vii. 1, 3).
16. What are we 'commanded' by the Eighth Commandment?
We are commanded, 1. To speak the truth in all things; 2. To be solicitous for the honor and reputation oi. every one; and 3. To bridle especially our tongue.
17. How far should we also be solicitous for our own honor?
As far as the honor of God, the edification of our neighbor, and the duties of our state of life require it.
'We forecast what may be good not only before God, but also before men' (2 Cor. viii. 21). Yet we should always be ready to suffer also reproach and ignominy for our own and our neighbor 's salvation, or for the sake of Jesus Christ. In this sense it is said, 'If one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other' (Matt. v. 39); and, 'If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be blessed' (1 Pet. iv. 14). 'And they [the Apostles] indeed went from the presence of the Council rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus' (Acts v. 41).
18. How are we to be solicitous for our own reputation?
Above all by continually leading a Christian life,1 and by avoiding, to the best of our power, even the least appearance of evil.2 In defence of our reputation when attacked we can use none but lawful means.
1 ' But with modesty and fear, having a good conscience: that whereas they speak evil of you, they may be ashamed who falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ' (1 Pet. iii. 16). 2 ' From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves ' ( 1 Thess. v. 22).
19. How may we best guard against the sins of the tongue?
1. By not talking inconsiderately, and by bearing in mind that we have to give an account of every idle word we speak (Matt, xii. 36); and 2. By keeping our heart free from ambition, envy, hatred, vengeance, etc.
1. ' He that keepeth his mouth, keepeth his soul; but he that hath no guard on his speech, shall meet with evils' (Prov. xiii. 3). 2. 'O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh' (Matt, xii. 34).
Application. Detest all lies and falsehoods. Never speak uncharitably of your neighbor, nor grieve him by reproachful words: ' The stroke of a whip maketh a blue mark; but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones' (Ecclus. xxviii. 21). However, do not conceal faults from those who can correct them.
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.
'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.'
1. What does the Tenth Commandment forbid?
The Tenth Commandment forbids all voluntary desire of our neighbor's goods.
'The desire of money is the root of all evils' (1 Tim. vi. 10). — Example: Achab (3 Kings xxi.).
2. What are we ' commanded ' by the Tenth Commandment?
We are commanded to be contented with what is our own, and not to be envious of what belongs to others?
3. How can a Christian, even in poverty, be easily contented with his own?
By bearing in mind, 1. That a clean conscience is the greatest treasure; 2. That our true home is in the other world; 3. That Christ also has become poor for our sake, and that one day He will magnificently reward all those who patiently suffer poverty for His sake.
4. Why does God forbid not only all evil actions, but also all evil thoughts and desires?
Because evil thoughts and desires defile the heart, and finally lead also to evil actions.
'Man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart' (1 Kings xvi. 7). 'From the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,' etc. (Matt. xv. 19).
Application. Turn your thoughts toward eternity, and you will have no difficulty to despise all that is temporal. ' Walk in the Spirit,' i.e., love God, the Supreme Good, ' and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh ' (Gal. V. 16). Happy is he who can truly say: ' My soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God' (Ps. lxxxiii. 3).