The Ten Commandments

Jesus called his disciples to obey the Ten Commandments. The commandments were given to Moses and the Hebrew people as part of the Covenant that God was making with them: "I will be your God and you will be my special people." (Exodus 19:3-6) Following the 10 commandments is a minimum for being part of God's people. The first three commandments direct one's relationship to God and the last seven spell out relationships to one's neighbors.

The commandments which are most often stated in negative terms, e.g., "You shall not steal" remind us of the outside limits, that which we must not violate in our relationships. But we are not simply called to avoid doing wrong. We are called to do good, to develop what brings about goodness, order and life and so we are to "Respect the Property of Others."

The Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Christian listing varies from the Jewish listing in that Christians combine their first two commandments and separate their last commandment into two parts. Thus the Christians listing is:

I am the Lord your God, you shall honor no other god but me.
This commandment directs us to remember that God is the answer to life's issues and that religion is to be taken seriously. Only in God will we ever find fulfillment.
You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
This commandment directs us that we are to take seriously our belief in God. Words and actions, such as on and off again practice of one's religion or even swearing, which makes light or casual our belief that God is Lord of all, are forbidden.
You shall keep holy the Lord's day.
For Christians the Lord's day is Sunday, the day of the Resurrection. This commandment directs us to spend at least one day a week refocusing the most important elements of life: Praise for God's blessings; enjoyment of family and friends; personal rest and relaxation.
You shall honor your Father and your Mother.
This commandment directs us to honor the parents who give their children life and nourish them. In learning how to honor parents, who are both like and unlike their children, one learns how to honor others on the journey of life.
You shall not kill.
This commandment forbids the taking of human life for each person is a unique reflection of God. It forbids abortion and euthanasia. It calls us to find ways to make war and capital punishment actions of the past. It calls us to respect life and put aside everything that would take life from another or diminish their dignity.
You shall not commit adultery.
This commandment forbids adultery which, like killing, destroys the social fabric. Adultery, premarital sex, involvement with pornography and addiction to sexual fantasy is always harmful because it diverts and weakens one's energy and ability to make faithful commitments. In turn this eats away at the foundation of family life, the basic unit of society. This commandment directs us to honor our bodies as sacred and to honor others as persons not simply as objects of personal or physical pleasure.
You shall not steal.
This commandment forbids the taking of another's property whether that be material goods or ideas. We are not to steal from individuals nor from businesses no matter how large. This commandment calls us to respect private and public property. Among other things this commandment would forbid the polluting of our earth, air or water and not littering. This commandment directs us to be forthright and honest in our dealings with others and be people of integrity which calls employers to pay just wages and employees to give a full day's work.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
This commandment forbids lying. We are to tell the truth to others and about others. This commandment forbids gossiping about others or harming their reputation in any way. This commandment also directs us to respect the rights of others, especially to their good name.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
This commandment has to do with what goes on in one's heart. All kinds of thoughts pop into one's head. In and of themselves such thoughts or desires are not sinful. When we keep those thoughts and desires, mull over them and let them take possession of us we are just a step away from action. This commandment directs us to avoid the situation, where we become possessed by wanting what rightfully belongs to another.
In today's world, this commandment would be better stated: You shall not covet your neighbor's spouse. This commandment directs us to keep watch over what is going on in our minds and hearts with regard to our neighbor's spouse and keep ourselves pure, that is to say, focused in the right way.
You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
Like the 9th Commandment, this commandment directs us to put out of our minds and hearts anything that would lead us to waste time or energy or worse act on taking what rightly belongs to our neighbor.

The New Commandment

In his own life Jesus showed his disciples what it meant to love. In word and action he brought Good News to others. He welcomed the poor and the outcast. He forgave his enemies.

On the night before he died, Jesus commanded his disciples to "Love as he loved" (Jn 15:12). By washing his disciples feet, he called them to grow in providing loving service for others. He was and is calling us to grow and grow and grow in love.

The Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy:

These are concrete and specific ways of expressing love for one's neighbor.

The Corporal Works of Mercy	The Spiritual Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry Give drink to the thirsty Clothe the naked Visit those in prison Shelter the homeless Visit the sick Bury the dead	Help others do what is right Teach the ignorant Give advice to the doubtful Comfort those who suffer Be patient with others Forgive injuries Pray for the living and the dead