Part II, The Commandments: Chapter III, The Six Commandments of the Church

The Six Commandments of the Church.

1. Are there, besides the Commandments of God, any others which Christians are bound to keep?

Yes, the Commandments of the Church.

2. Whence has the Church a right to give Commandments?

From Jesus Christ Himself, who has commissioned His Church to guide and govern the faithful in His name (pages 142-3, quest. 42-44).

Therefore, to despise the Commandments of the Church is to despise Christ Himself. 'He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me' (Luke x. 16).

3. Has the Church no further right than to give Commandments?

She has also a right to watoh over the observance of these Commandments, and to punish those who break them ; for instance, to refuse them the Holy Sacraments (Matt, xviii. 18), and finally to exclude them from the Church, and to deprive them of Christian burial when they die (1 Cor. v. 3-5). (See page 133, quest. 10.)

4. Which are the general or chief Commandments of the Churck?

These six:

1. To abstain from servile work and to hear Mass on all Sundays and Holy days of obligation.

2. To fast and to abstain on the days appointed by the Church.

3. To confess our sins at least once a yesLV.

4. To receive worthily the Blessed Eucharist at Easter or within the time appointed.

5. To contribute to the support of our pastors.

6. Not to marry persons within the forbidden degrees of kindred or otherwise prohibited by the Church; nor to solemnize marriage at the for:idden times.

5. Why has the Church given us these Commandments?

To explain the Commandments of God more precisely, and to determine more particularly how they are to be kept ; and 2. To lead us to a religious and penitential life, and thereby to secure our eternal salvation.

6. How do these Commandments of the Church bind us?

They bind us strictly — that is, under pain of grievous sin.

'If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican' (Matt. x\ni. 17). Even in the Old Law God had ordained: 'He that will be proud and refuse to obey the commandment of the priest, that man shall die, and thou shalt take away the evil from Israel ; and all the people hearing it shall fear, that no one afterwards swell with pride' (Deut. xvii. 12, 13).

Application. Be determined always humbly and corw scientiously to observe the Commandments and Ordinances of the Church, that one day Jesus Christ may own you as a faithful sheep of His flock, which He has charged St. Peter and his successors to feed.