Part II, The Commandments: The Fourth Commandment of God

THE FOURTH COMMAXDMEXT 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' (Ec« clus. 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 tneir 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. Renr.ember that thou hadst not beeki born but tnyough them, and make a return to them as they have done for thee' (Ecelus. 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 thi« 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, Kuth, 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 tc 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).

t). When do children sin against the obedience due to icheir 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 E«li 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 illwill; 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 tliem 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 jgubmit 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).

1 6. 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' (Jucie 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, jesisteth 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' (Eom. xiii. 1-7). — Examples: Jesus and the first Christians. David towards Saul (1 Kings xxiv, 7).

i8. 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 theit inferiors?

Civil Eulers 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' (Eom. 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 Eulers as the ministers of God for your own good, and never listen to those enemies of all law and order, who promise lib-" erty, 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 commonwelfare.