The Ten Commandments
You probably remember learning the Ten Commandments when you were a child. Of course you recall the basics: you shouldn’t kill or commit adultery and you shouldn’t use God’s name as a swear word or commit idolatry.
But perhaps you’ve forgotten most of the commandments, or you aren’t really sure how they apply to your life. It seems unlikely that you have or would ever think of committing murder (a sin against the fifth commandment), but did you know there are other ways you can break the fifth commandment without killing anyone?
The Ten Commandments
Denying the existence of God, rejecting the Catholic Faith, loving something or someone more than God (money, power, sex, etc.), engaging in superstition or divinization, involving oneself in the occult, sacrilege, materialism, atheism
Cursing, blasphemy, speaking about things of the Catholic Faith with irreverence or hatred, belittling others in your speaking, perjury, using the name of God or the saints in vain or irreverently, breaking vows or promises to God, distracting others in Mass by excessive talking
Missing Mass on Sunday, doing unnecessary servile work, engaging in unnecessary commerce, receiving Communion in a state of mortal sin, Coming late and leaving early at Mass habitually, eating or drinking within one hour of Communion (without medical reason)
Disobedience to parents, neglecting elderly parents in need, not providing for the religious education and formation of your children, not praying with and for your children, disobedience to authority figures, provoking or insulting your parents, being inconsiderate of a spouse’s faults, neglecting to take care of your family due to laziness or shyness
Murder, abortion, aiding someone in obtaining an abortion, euthanasia, suicide, fighting, hatred, desires of revenge, verbal or emotional abuse, abusing alcohol or drugs, gluttony, serious anger, losing control of your temper, animal cruelty, taking pleasure in another person’s suffering
Being unchaste, lust, using artificial birth control, participating in in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination or sterilization, entertaining impure thoughts, committing adultery, committing fornication or masturbation, engaging in homosexual activity, engaging in sexual foreplay outside of marriage, engaging in prostitution, dressing immodestly
Stealing, petty theft, plagiarizing, cheating, keeping borrowed or lost items without attempting to return, tax evasion, business fraud, paying unjust wages, excessive gambling or betting, not honoring contracts or promises
Lying, boasting, bragging, exaggerating, hypocrisy, slander, spreading rumors, criticizing others, gossiping, rash judging, revealing secrets, lying, deceiving others
Being unchaste, lust, using artificial birth control, participating in in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination or sterilization, entertaining impure thoughts, committing adultery, committing fornication or masturbation, engaging in homosexual activity, engaging in sexual foreplay outside of marriage, engaging in prostitution, dressing immodestly
Envy, jealousy, greed (all can apply to unhealthy desires to your neighbor’s material goods or to their talents, achievements, etc.)
Take time to reflect on the Ten Commandments and how they relate to everyday sins in your life. You can and should use these commandments as a guide to examine your conscience and make a good Confession!
(*This list is not exhaustive, and there is a difference in gravity between mortal and venial sins against the commandments.)