By Msgr. Louis Naughton

Judical Vicar

ATLANTA—During his recent pilgrimage to Mount Sinai (Feb. 26), Pope John Paul II described the Decalogue in these words:

The Ten Commandments are the law of freedom: not the freedom to follow our blind passions, but the freedom to love, to choose what is good in every situation, even when to do so is a burden. It is not an impersonal law that we obey; what is required is a loving surrender to the Father, through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

It is in that same vein that the following observations are offered.

A very useful and accurate reference in this area is the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It has been used as the principal resource in compiling the following material, which is anything but exhaustive and complete.

The first three commandments summarize the basics of our relationship with God and of our duty and obligations towards him. Even though they oblige universally, one should not be surprised if, in fact, they seem to have little if any tangible effect upon a non-believer. The remaining seven commandments (which bear upon human interpersonal relationships) have a universal application and are binding upon all people of goodwill.

1. I am Yahweh your God. You shall have no gods except me.

God calls us to accept and worship him both in the formal sense as well as in lifestyles in conformity with the faith, which we claim to profess. Worship of false gods: e.g., what are a person’s priorities in life? Does love of and commitment to material things (e.g., money, career, selfish interests) take undue precedence over our obligations and responsibilities to God (e.g., formal worship, prayer); to ourselves (e.g., personal health, rest, recreation, leisure) and to others (e.g., family members [including spouses, children, parents], co-workers, employers, employees, customers, clients, dependents, et al.)?

Rejection of God in a formal radical way (e.g., by embracing atheism, agnosticism, Satanism or a pagan religion) is contrary to the First Commandment and constitutes gravely sinful matter. Likewise, meddling with the occult is to be rejected. Superstition, idolatry, divination, magic and sorcery are forbidden. A person who sins by means of apostasy, heresy or schism contravenes the First Commandment.

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

Common contraventions of the Second Commandment come within the area of the abuse of the gift of speech. This would include: perjury; false oaths; improper or irreverent use of the name of God or Our Lord; swearing; blasphemy; cursing and the use of unbecoming and vulgar language.

3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.

For Christians the Sabbath is observed on Sunday and is called the Lord’s Day. Catholics, in observance of the Third Command-ment, are obliged to participate in Mass in normal circumstances on Sundays (and holy days of obligation). Sunday is also meant to be a day of grace, leisure and rest from non-essential work especially when such work would otherwise impede our formal worship of God. We need this rest and leisure to enable us to give time to the Lord, to recoup our drooping spirits by healthy relaxation of mind and body and to cultivate our cultural and social lives. In our society this kind of rest and leisure is more difficult to pursue on holy days that are not also legal holidays, but we should try to observe as much as we can of the spirit of the Christian feast in question.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

The Fourth Commandment summarizes the basic respect that we owe to our parents in particular and to society at large. It includes our civic duties. It embraces the proper attitude and response which are owed to lawful authority at any level (e.g., regarding the laws of the land which are not contrary to the demands of the moral order; the reasonable demands and expectations of our lawful superiors; our employers; etc.).

5. You shall not kill.

Human beings are the masterpieces of God’s creation. Therefore, all of human life, without any exception of persons, is sacred. Anything contrary to that basic principle is a contravention of the Fifth Commandment. This commandment embraces issues surrounding human life: including legitimate defense; intentional homicide; abortion; euthanasia and suicide. It also embraces issues with regard to respect for the dignity of persons: scandal; respect for health; respect for the person; scientific research; respect for bodily integrity; respect for the dead and unjust punishment inflicted; etc. Further, it embraces issues regarding safeguarding and pursuit of peace and avoiding war or any other unnecessary conflicts. Other areas include: unwarranted anger; quarreling; fighting; violence; rage; revenge; hatred; substance abuse; driving under the influence; driving over lawful substance limits and dangerous driving.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

The Sixth Commandment obliges us to the basic respect we owe to ourselves and to others in the sexual domain. All of us are called to the vocation of chastity, which involves the integrity of the person and the integrity of the gift of our sexuality. Offences against chastity include lust, self-abuse, fornication, pornography, prostitution, rape, intimate sexual relations between members of the opposite sex who are not married to each other and intimate sexual relations between members of the same sex. Intimate sexual relations between members of the opposite sex can be pursued authentically only within the context of a valid marriage. Conjugal fidelity is demanded. Married couples (who are not sterile) must be open to the procreation and education of children within the framework of responsible parenthood; the means used to accomplish this must conform to moral integrity. Adultery is a grave sin. While the other spouse is still living, a divorced person cannot enter a new marriage relationship (with a third party) with the blessing of the church unless the previous marriage is proved to have been invalid in the eyes of the church.

7. You shall not steal.

The Seventh Commandment enjoins the practice of justice and charity in the administration of earthly goods and the fruits of a person’s labor. This commandment embraces the whole range of economic activity and social justice at local, national and international levels. Here we are addressing a question of basic justice. All of us are called to a respect of persons and their properties. Theft is forbidden; restitution must be made unless this proves impossible. Lawful debts must be paid (even when there are no civil consequences). Promises and contracts must be kept. This commandment forbids acts or enterprises that lead to enslavement or exploitation of human beings. An employee has a right to a just wage. A person is obliged to give a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay; likewise an employer is obliged to give a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Employers are obliged to make sure that employees are adequately covered by the legal demands of basic coverage and protection (including safe working conditions). We must respect the environment. Finally, practical love for the poor is an essential element of this commandment. As St. John Chrysostom says in reminding us that all that we have is ultimately a God-given gift to be shared with others: not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs (cf., the parable of Lazarus in Lk.16: 19-31).

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

The focus of the Eighth Commandment is on honesty and respect for the truth. We must live the truth as witnesses to the Gospel in the way that we relate to others. Offenses against the truth include lies, false witness and perjury. Respect for the reputation, good name and character of others forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them injury, e.g., by making rash judgments about others; by detraction (i.e., disclosing, without a valid reason another’s hidden faults); by calumny (harming the reputation of others by lying about them). Lying is the most direct offense against the truth. The gravity of a lie is measured against the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the person who lies and the harm suffered by its victims. We must be very careful about mouthing off too quickly and too rashly, lest we unwittingly endanger the good name of another person, whether in personal conversation or in media reports. Shakespeare puts it well: He who steals my purse steals trash, but he who steals my good name steals all I ever hope to have. Reserve and prudence (as distinct from manipulative and malicious silences) are called for when the good name of another person could otherwise be damaged irreparably.

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

The Ninth Commandment warns against lustful desires. Purity of heart enables us to see with the eyes of God; to accept others as our brothers and sisters in Christ; to perceive the human body (our own as well as that of the other person) as a temple of the Holy Spirit, and a manifestation and reflection of divine beauty. By means of God’s grace all of us can live in accordance with the virtue and gift of chastity, with purity of intention, while at the same time seeking only what is best both for ourselves and for others. Purity of vision entails refusal to comply with whatever would incline us from the path of God’s way (including that of chastity). This involves the practice of chastity and purity of intention. Modesty embraces patience, decency and discretion and protects the intimate center of the person.

10. You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.

The Tenth Commandment forbids greed and envy. Avarice is the passion for riches and their attendant power. Envy is the immoderate desire to have for oneself the lawful possessions of another. We can combat envy through goodwill, humility and abandonment to the providence of God. Alas, how many injustices are perpetrated by the lust for power and control.

Overall, it would seem fair to state that any reasonable person will regard the instructions of the Decalogue as sensible, offering good practice and designed to prevent what would otherwise disrupt or harm interpersonal relationships and thus give rise to unnecessary divisions and strife. (Helpful Scripture references: Dt. 20: 1-17; Lv. 19: 1-37; Mt. 25: 31-46.)

To conclude with the words of Pope John Paul II (at Mount Sinai, on Feb. 26, 2000):

“Mount Sinai stands at the very heart of the truth about human beings and their destiny. Here God revealed his name! Here God gave his law, the Ten Commandments of the covenant!”