106. The Fifth Commandment

The first murder on earth was committed by Cain when he killed Abel. "And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen. 4:8-9) Murderers do not act as brothers of the murdered.

"THOU SHALL NOT KILL."

What are we commanded by the Fifth Commandment?

— By the fifth commandment, we are commanded to take proper care of our own spiritual and bodily well-being and that of our neighbour. Sins included in this commandment are many, such as: murder, suicide, anger, fighting, hatred, scandal and bad example.

What is murder?

— Murder is the voluntary and unjust killing of a human being.

1. Murder is a great sin. A murderer violates the rights of God over human life, and, besides taking a life, robs his victim of the opportunity to gain merits for heaven, and prepare himself for death.

God created man, and has supreme dominion over life. "You know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15).

2. The direct intention to kill an innocent person is always forbidden, as against this commandment, whether it be by public or private authority. And the human body may not be mutilated unless that were the only way to preserve the health or save a life. Also, since violation of the body is forbidden except to save life or health, anyone performing sterilization commits grave sin.

However sick a person may be, and even at his own request, to relieve him of pain, no one, not even the government itself, may take his life. Some would propagate the idea of euthanasia, what they term "mercy killing", a direct and deliberate killing of those in great pain, of the defective, moronic, or otherwise incapacitated. Such "mercy killers" are murderers, who usurp the rights of God over life.

3. A mother bearing a child should be very careful to protect and preserve the life of her child. As the soul is created at the very moment of conception, anything wilfully done which results in the death of even an unborn child is murder.

Not even to save the mother's life may an unborn child be killed by direct abortion. If the death of the child results secondarily, in an attempt to save the mother's life, and after all precautions have been taken to safeguard the child, this is indirect abortion, and is permitted, for grave cause. In the United States, one pregnancy out of three ends in abortion.

4. It is lawful to kill animals for food, because God has given them for the use of man. The fifth commandment forbids the killing only of human beings. God Himself commanded the killing of animals for sacrifice, after having given this commandment.

It is our duty to care for animals, refrain from tormenting them, and from killing any useful animal without reason; but we must not lavish on them exaggerated affection, as if they were idols.

When is it lawful to take another's life?

— It is lawful to take another's life:

1. In self defence, or the defence of another unjustly attacked. A woman may kill, to protect herself against criminal assault. One may defend life or property against enemies, going so far as to kill.

One, however, may not do more than what is needed for defence: if wounding an assailant is sufficient, it would be wrong to kill him. One is not justified to kill in order to protect property of trifling value. Setting a trap to kill a chicken thief is murder.

2. In executing criminals condemned by legitimate authority. Society must protect itself from crime, and may through constituted authority order a sentence of death.

Private persons and mobs have no right to put anyone to death. Lynching is murder.

3. In a just war. A nation has the right to exist and protect itself. It is lawful for it to repel by force those seeking to destroy it, and thus to defend its rights in a grave matter. Nations may also assist other nations unjustly attacked, or whose rights are encroached upon.

War, however, is an evil which must not be embarked upon except as a last resort. Nations have a tendency to regard their particular side as just, even when it may not be.

What is anger?

— Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure, combined with a desire to punish the offender.

1. Anger is contrary to the spirit of Christ, Who is meek and humble of heart. We must take care not to hurt or wound another's feelings. If we fall into the misfortune of doing so, we must apologize or make amends in some other way. "Do not let the sun go down upon your anger" (Eph. 4:26).

Anger often arises from pride or envy. Those who think much of themselves get angry at every supposed slight or injury. They should remember Christian charity, and fear these words: "Everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement" (Matt. 5:22).

2. Unjust anger leads to fighting, hatred, quarrelling, cursing, mockery, revenge, and other grave sins, may even end in murder.

What is hatred?

— Hatred is strong dislike of or ill-will towards anyone.

1. Hatred is a kind of habitual anger. One who hates sees no good in the person hated, and would like to see evil rain down on that person, who then becomes an enemy.

If we hate certain qualities of a person, but have no antagonism towards the person himself, our feeling is not necessarily sinful. It is not hatred to detest the evil qualities of others; we must hate the sin, but not the sinner. We must be careful, however, not to commit rash judgement, regarding qualities, as we cannot know all circumstances; let us have charity towards all.

2. Hatred is a sin because he who hates another violates the commandment of God, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer" (1 John 3:15).

What is the sin of revenge?

— The sin of revenge is the desire to inflict immoderate and unjust punishment on someone who has injured us, from a motive of anger. When serious, revenge is vengeance, a sin against charity and justice, most sinful and unchristian. However much we are injured, we have no right to take the law into our hands.

St. Paul said, "Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord" (Rom. 12:19). "He that shall seek to revenge himself shall find vengeance from the Lord" (Deut. 32:35).