Part II, The Commandments: The Second Commandment of God

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT OF GOD. 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.'

1. 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'» 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 King? 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.

Q. 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 cr 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, and of the pious Anna, the mother of Samuel,- and granted their petitions.

'And .lacob 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). ''Anna made a vow, saying: O Lord of

Hosts, if Thou wilt be mindful of me, and wilt give to Thj 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.