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 TOPIC 28.1
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2083-2132

Supplementary reading: https://opusdei.org/en/article/topic-28-the-first-and-second-commandments/

 THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

The Decalogue in General

“… with all your heart” “… with all your soul “… with all your strength”
… with all your mind”

Virtues Related to the First Commandment

Charity Faith Hope Religion

 The Decalogue in
General
◦ Scripture: Dt 5:6-21; Ex 20:2-17

◦ “Ten Words” < Gr., deca, “ten” + logos, “words”)

◦ Not just “rules” nor only set a “minimum” to avoid evil

◦ But guideposts for a moral and spiritual journey

towards perfecting God’s image written in our hearts

◦ Revelation of “God’s human face” revealed fully in Christ,

the “Word- made-flesh” (cf. Jn 1:14).

◦ Love of God and of neighbor:

core of all that the Decalogue asks of us
 The First
Commandment
“with all your heart”
“You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your mind, with all your strength.”
Dt 6:5
Cf. Lk 10:27; Mt 22:37

◦ We are called to love God as God deserves

--Truth, Goodness, Beauty, Justice, Mercy, Love Itself

◦ “…all your heart” –not in a half-hearted way;

for God loves us with a boundless love

◦ “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life.”
Jn 3:16
 The First Commandment
“with all your soul,
with all your mind”

“…all your soul”

◦ love God above all things, and others for God’s love
◦ God must be the one we cherish
and value most in life
◦ “For me to live is Christ.”
Phil 1:21

“…all your mind”

◦ great desire to know God and His loveable will for us
◦ Hunger to know Catholic faith and morals
as taught by the Church
◦ “This is eternal life, to know thee the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”
Jn 17:3
 The First
Commandment
“with all your strength”
“…all your strength”
we are sinful and weak,
but with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
we can attain holiness

◦ “…a sound came from heaven like the rush

of a powerful wind, and there appeared to them tongues
as of fire…”
Acts 2:2-3
◦ need for prayer and mortification

◦ The spiritual struggle against the world,

the flesh, and the devil

◦ “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation;
for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mt 26:41
◦ need for the sacraments (Confession, Holy Communion)
 Virtues related
to the First Commandment
Charity
the love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit

◦ “…God’s love has been poured into our hearts

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Rom 5:5

◦ …a supernatural virtue given along with sanctifying grace

◦ The life-giving principle of all other virtues

◦ The most perfect virtue:

“Love is the fulfilling of the law, the bond of perfection”
cf. Rom 13:8-10; Col 3:14; 1 Cor 13:13

◦ Sins against Charity:

◦ lukewarmness,
◦ hatred of God,
◦ any sin whatsoever (against God, ourselves and our neighbor)
 Virtues related
to the First Commandment
Faith
we cannot love God if we do not know Him

◦ The supernatural virtue that enables us to hold as true

all that God has revealed and as it is taught by the Church.

◦ “The Church is the pillar and mainstay of the truth.”

1 Tim 3:15
Cf. Mt 16;18-19; 18:18; Lk 10:16; Mt 28:18-20

◦ The more we know God, the more we love Him;

and vice-versa.

◦ Need for doctrinal formation to strive for holiness

and do apostolate.

◦ Sins against Faith:

◦ atheism, agnosticism, deliberate doubt, position that “all religions
are the same,” apostasy, schism, voluntarily endangering our faith (indiscriminate reading
of books against faith and morals; participation
in non-Catholic worship).
 Virtues related
to the First Commandment

Hope
we will aspire to reach heaven if we think it is unattainable

◦ Motive for hope: God’s omnipotent and merciful love

◦ “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye

of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom
of God.” – “Who then can be saved?” – “With men
this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mt 19:24-26

◦ Need for humility, faith, and trust

in God’s mercy and help

◦ Sins against hope:

◦ despair, discouragement; presumption;
◦ putting our ultimate goal in life in wealth, pleasure, power
 Virtues related
to the First Commandment
Religion
the moral virtue that leads us to render God the worship that is His due

◦ Acts of religion:
◦ Adoration & Prayer,
◦ Sacrifice, and prompt readiness to do His will

◦ Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

most perfect act of adoration, thanksgiving, atonement,
and impetration man can offer God

◦ Offering up our work, and all events and circumstances

of our day to God, in union with the Sacrifice of Christ at Mass.

◦ Sins against religion:

◦ sacrilege, superstition, magic,
◦ divination, horoscope, Satanism.
 TOPIC 28.1
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2083-2132

Supplementary reading: https://opusdei.org/en/article/topic-28-the-first-and-second-commandments/