The First The First CommandmentCommandment

““You shall have no other gods You shall have no other gods before me.”before me.”

Human obligationHuman obligation

Fundamental human obligationFundamental human obligation– To acknowledge the existence of God To acknowledge the existence of God

and to worship Himand to worship Him

God’s relationship to humanityGod’s relationship to humanitynot a “solitary” godnot a “solitary” god

God is intimate and active in the lives of God is intimate and active in the lives of His peopleHis people

the name Jesus means “God saves”the name Jesus means “God saves”

Theological virtues -- faithTheological virtues -- faith

Belief in all the truths that God has Belief in all the truths that God has revealed, even though they cannot revealed, even though they cannot be proven, because they come from be proven, because they come from God Who is truth itself.God Who is truth itself.

Fundamental attitudes to faithFundamental attitudes to faith– Receive God’s revelations with humilityReceive God’s revelations with humility– Intellectually cultivate faith by Intellectually cultivate faith by

attempting to understand its content attempting to understand its content more clearly.more clearly.

Duties toward faithDuties toward faith

Safeguarding the faithSafeguarding the faith Communicating the faithCommunicating the faith Sins against the virtue of faithSins against the virtue of faith

– Voluntary doubtVoluntary doubt– Involuntary doubtInvoluntary doubt– AtheismAtheism– HeresyHeresy– ApostasyApostasy– SchismSchism

Theological virtue -- hopeTheological virtue -- hope

Trusting in God’s promises and Trusting in God’s promises and relying not on our strength but on relying not on our strength but on the help of the grace of the Holy the help of the grace of the Holy SpiritSpirit

Sins against hopeSins against hope– Presumption – expecting salvation Presumption – expecting salvation

without personal effortwithout personal effort– Despair – ceasing to hope for salvationDespair – ceasing to hope for salvation

Theological virtue -- loveTheological virtue -- love

Love God above all things for God’s Love God above all things for God’s own sake and our neighbors for the own sake and our neighbors for the love of God.love of God.

Christian love has three objects”Christian love has three objects”– GodGod– NeighborNeighbor– SelfSelf

Sins against charitySins against charity

IndifferenceIndifference Ingratitude Ingratitude LukewarmnessLukewarmness AcediaAcedia Hatred of GodHatred of God

Virtue of ReligionVirtue of Religion

Regulates the relationship between God Regulates the relationship between God and mankindand mankind

Acts belonging to the virtue of religionActs belonging to the virtue of religion– AdorationAdoration– AtonementAtonement– PetitionPetition– ThanksgivingThanksgivingFundamentally accomplished through prayer Fundamentally accomplished through prayer

and especially in the sacrifice of the Massand especially in the sacrifice of the Mass

Sins against the virtue of Sins against the virtue of religionreligion

Idolatry—elevation of other realities to the Idolatry—elevation of other realities to the state of godsstate of gods

Superstition --any belief or practice that Superstition --any belief or practice that renders false worship to God or attributes renders false worship to God or attributes supernatural or magical powers to objects or supernatural or magical powers to objects or actionsactions

Divination – prediction of the future by so-Divination – prediction of the future by so-called paranormal meanscalled paranormal means

Sacrilege – abuse of the sacraments, Sacrilege – abuse of the sacraments, persons, places, or things consecrated to Godpersons, places, or things consecrated to God

Sins against the virtue of Sins against the virtue of religionreligion

Magic (sorcery)– desire to control the Magic (sorcery)– desire to control the occult forces that supposedly occult forces that supposedly influence the world.influence the world.

IrreligionIrreligion– Tempting GodTempting God– SimonySimony

IdolatryIdolatry

Worship of gods or goddesses other Worship of gods or goddesses other than Yahwehthan Yahweh

Old testamentOld testament– Polytheism – worship of many gods Polytheism – worship of many gods

(pantheon)(pantheon)– Monotheism – worship of one godMonotheism – worship of one god

Jesus expanded the concept of idolatry Jesus expanded the concept of idolatry (“You cannot worship god and (“You cannot worship god and mammon”)mammon”)