By Faith Addington, Catholicism Editor
While the first four commandments focus on our relationship with God, the last six commandments focus on our relationship with those around us. Each of these commandments gives us the foundation to how to live as Jesus did.
Honor your father and your mother. God’s greatest commandment, said by Jesus in the gospel of Matthew, is to love. First and foremost, we are called to love God. Second to that, we are called to love all others. How can we fully love God when we fail to love those around us?
You shall not murder. When God gave us this commandment, He was not only thinking of the murder of humans. He was thinking of slander, bad habits, and sin; anything that destroys or ends a life. When we talk negatively about another person, we destroy their reputation. When we engage in bad habits or sin, we destroy our relationship with God, those around us, or even ourselves.
The final four commandments focus on uncontrolled lust and greed. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet. In each of these commandments, God is instructing us to not focus on what others have, rather what we ourselves have been given. We have all heard the childhood phrase, “worry about yourself,” and this is the final commandment that the Lord gives to us. When we take note of what those around us have – perhaps travel plans, clothing, technology, fame/reputation, or even the “good luck” some people always seem to have – we are forsaking the gifts God has given to each individual person for the good things others appear to have. This jealousy causes us to not only ignore the gifts that we have been given, but also harm those around us who are affected by our actions, violating God’s greatest commandment of love. These final four commandments demand a complete trust in the love of the Lord and in His commandments.
Lord, we invite you into every aspect of our lives.
Help us to find you in our thoughts, words and actions.
Guide us to build a foundation from your Word,
loving You first, and those around us second.
We ask this in Your name,
Amen.
The Saint 