Part II, Chapter I — Commandments of God

161. What are the commandments of God?

The commandments of God, or Decalogue, are the moral laws that God in the Old Testament gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, and that Jesus Christ perfected in the New.

162. What does the Decalogue impose on us?

The Decalogue imposes on us the strictest natural duties toward God, ourselves, and our neighbor, as well as the other duties that flow from these — for example, those of one's state in life.

163. To what may our duties toward God and toward our neighbor be reduced?

Our duties toward God and toward our neighbor are reduced to charity, that is, to the "greatest and first commandment" of the love of God and to the "like" commandment of the love of neighbor: "On these two commandments," said Jesus Christ, "depend the whole Law and the Prophets" (Matt. XXII. 40).

163 a. The two commandments of charity: 1. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; 2. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

164. Why is the commandment of the love of God the greatest commandment?

The commandment of the love of God is the greatest commandment because whoever observes it by loving God with all his soul certainly observes all the other commandments.

165. Can the commandments of God be observed?

The commandments of God can all be observed, and at all times, even in the strongest temptations, by the grace which God never denies to one who calls upon Him from the heart.

166. Are we bound to observe the commandments of God?

We are bound to observe the commandments of God because they are imposed by Him, our supreme Master, and are dictated by nature and by sound reason.

167. Does whoever transgresses the commandments of God sin gravely?

Whoever deliberately transgresses even one commandment of God in a grave matter sins gravely against God, and therefore deserves hell.

168. What must be noted in the commandments?

In the commandments we must note what is ordered and what is forbidden.

§ 2. The Commandments of God in Particular

169. What does the first commandment, "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have other gods before me," order us?

The first commandment, "I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have other gods before me," orders us to be religious, that is, to believe in God and to love, adore, and serve Him as the one true God, Creator and Lord of all.

170. What does the first commandment forbid us?

The first commandment forbids us impiety, superstition, and irreligion; and also apostasy, heresy, voluntary doubt, and culpable ignorance of the truths of Faith.

171. What is impiety?

Impiety is the refusal to render any worship to God.

172. What is superstition?

Superstition is divine worship, or worship of latria, rendered to one who is not God, or to God Himself but in an unsuitable manner: such as idolatry, or the worship of false divinities and of creatures; recourse to the devil, to spirits, and to any suspect means in order to obtain things humanly impossible; the use of unsuitable, vain, or Church-forbidden rites.

173. What is irreligion?

Irreligion is irreverence toward God and toward divine things, such as tempting God, sacrilege or the profanation of a sacred person or thing, and simony, or the buying and selling of spiritual things or of things connected with the spiritual.

174. If the worship of creatures is superstition, how is the Catholic veneration of the Angels and of the Saints not superstition?

The Catholic veneration of the Angels and of the Saints is not superstition because it is not the divine worship, or worship of adoration, due to God alone: we do not adore them as God, but venerate them as the friends of God and for the gifts they have from Him; and thus, in honor of God Himself, who in the Angels and the Saints works wonders.

175. Who are the Saints?

The Saints are those who, by heroically practicing the virtues according to the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ, have merited a special glory in heaven and also on earth, where, by the authority of the Church, they are publicly honored and invoked.

176. Why do we venerate also the bodies of the Saints?

We also venerate the bodies of the Saints because they served them in the exercise of heroic virtues, were certainly temples of the Holy Spirit, and will rise glorious to eternal life.

177. Why do we venerate also the smallest relics and the images of the Saints?

We venerate also the smallest relics and the images of the Saints in their memory and honor, referring all veneration to them — wholly differently from the idolaters, who render to images or idols a divine worship.

178. Did not God in the Old Testament severely forbid images?

God in the Old Testament severely forbade images for adoration — and indeed nearly all images — as a proximate occasion of idolatry for the Hebrews, who lived among idolaters and were much inclined to superstition.

179. What does the second commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain," forbid us?

The second commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain," forbids us to dishonor God's name: therefore to name Him without respect; to blaspheme God, the Most Holy Virgin, the Saints, and holy things; and to make oaths that are false, unnecessary, or in any way unlawful.

180. What is an oath?

An oath is to call God to witness what one affirms or what one promises; therefore whoever swears to do evil, or perjures himself, gravely offends God, who is Holiness and Truth.

181. Is blasphemy a great sin?

Blasphemy is a great sin because it is an insult to and a mockery of God or His Saints, and often even a horrible heresy.

182. What does the second commandment order us?

The second commandment orders us always to have reverence for the holy name of God, and to fulfill our vows and our sworn promises.

183. What is a vow?

A vow is a promise made to God of some good that is pleasing to Him, to which we bind ourselves out of religion.

184. What does the third commandment, "Remember to keep holy the feast days," order us?

The third commandment, "Remember to keep holy the feast days," orders us to honor God on feast days with acts of outward worship, of which for Christians the essential is the Holy Mass.

185. Why must we perform acts of outward worship? Is it not enough to adore God, who is Spirit, inwardly in the heart?

It is not enough to adore God inwardly in the heart; we must also render Him the outward worship that is commanded, because we are subject to God in our whole being, soul and body, and we must give good example; and also because otherwise the religious spirit is lost.

186. What does the third commandment forbid us?

The third commandment forbids us, on feast days, servile works.

187. What works are called servile?

Servile works are the manual labors proper to artisans and workers.

188. Are all servile works forbidden on feast days?

On feast days are forbidden all servile works that are not necessary for life and for the service of God, and not justified by piety or by some other grave reason.

189. How is it fitting to occupy feast days?

It is fitting to occupy feast days for the good of the soul, by attending preaching and catechism and performing some good work, and also by resting the body, far from every vice and dissipation.

190. What does the fourth commandment, "Honor thy father and mother," order us?

The fourth commandment, "Honor thy father and mother," orders us to love, respect, and obey our parents and whoever has authority over us, that is, our superiors in authority.

191. What does the fourth commandment forbid us?

The fourth commandment forbids us to offend our parents and our superiors in authority, and to disobey them.

192. Why must we obey our superiors in authority?

We must obey our superiors in authority because "there is no authority except from God; ... therefore he who resists authority resists the ordinance of God" (Rom. XIII. 1-2).

193. What does the fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," forbid us?

The fifth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," forbids us to do harm to the life, both natural and spiritual, of our neighbor and of ourselves; and therefore it forbids us murder, suicide, dueling, woundings, blows, insults, imprecations, and scandal.

194. Why is suicide a sin?

Suicide, like murder, is a sin because God alone is the master of our life, as of our neighbor's; moreover, it is a sin of despair which, in addition, takes away with life the possibility of repenting and of being saved.

195. Has the Church established penalties against suicide?

The Church has established the deprivation of ecclesiastical burial against the suicide who is responsible for the act committed.

196. Why is dueling a sin?

Dueling is a sin because it is always an attempt at murder, and even — almost — at suicide, made out of private vengeance, in contempt of the law and of public justice; moreover, because by it the decision of right and wrong is foolishly committed to force, to skill, and to chance.

197. Has the Church established penalties against duelists?

The Church has established excommunication against duelists and against anyone who voluntarily attends a duel.

198. What is scandal?

Scandal is to give one's neighbor, by any wicked act, the occasion of sinning.

199. Is scandal a grave sin?

Scandal is a most grave sin, and God will demand an account of the evil that one causes others to commit by perfidious incitements and by bad example: "Woe to that man through whom scandal comes" (Matt. XVIII. 7).

200. What does the fifth commandment order us?

The fifth commandment orders us to wish well to all, even to our enemies, and to repair the bodily and spiritual harm done to our neighbor.

201. What does the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not commit impure acts," forbid us?

The sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not commit impure acts," forbids us every impurity: therefore immoral actions, words, looks, books, images, and entertainments.

202. What does the sixth commandment order us?

The sixth commandment orders us to be "holy in body," showing the greatest respect for our own person and for that of others, as the works of God and as temples in which He dwells by His presence and by His grace.

203. What does the seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," forbid us?

The seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," forbids us to harm our neighbor in his goods: therefore it forbids thefts, damages, usury, frauds in contracts and in services, and lending a hand to such harms.

204. What does the seventh commandment order us?

The seventh commandment orders us to restore the goods of others, to repair damages culpably caused, to pay our debts, and to give the just wage to workers.

205. Will one who, being able, does not restore or repair obtain forgiveness?

One who, being able, does not restore or repair will not obtain forgiveness, even if in words he declares himself repentant.

206. What does the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," forbid us?

The eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness," forbids us every falsehood and every unjust harm to another's reputation: therefore, besides false witness, calumny, lying, detraction or murmuring, flattery, and rash judgment and suspicion.

207. What does the eighth commandment order us?

The eighth commandment orders us to speak the truth in due time and place, and to interpret in a good sense, when possible, the actions of our neighbor.

208. One who has harmed his neighbor in his good name by accusing him falsely or by speaking ill of him — to what is he bound?

One who has harmed his neighbor in his good name by accusing him falsely or by speaking ill of him must, as far as he is able, repair the harm caused.

209. What does the ninth commandment, "Thou shalt not desire thy neighbor's wife," forbid us?

The ninth commandment, "Thou shalt not desire thy neighbor's wife," forbids us evil thoughts and desires.

210. What does the ninth commandment order us?

The ninth commandment orders us perfect purity of soul, and the greatest respect — even in the depths of the heart — for the sanctuary of the family.

211. What does the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not desire thy neighbor's goods," forbid us?

The tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not desire thy neighbor's goods," forbids us the unbridled greed for riches, without regard for the rights and the good of our neighbor.

212. What does the tenth commandment order us?

The tenth commandment orders us to be just and moderate in our desire to better our condition, and to bear with patience the hardships and other miseries permitted by the Lord for our merit, since "we must enter the kingdom of God through many tribulations" (Acts XIV. 22).