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Half way through Lent

By RH

      Here we are - half way through Lent and the first reading is from the Book of Exodus. God speaks to His people and gives them a code of life to follow - the Commandments. The first three have to do with our relationship to God and the other seven have to do with our relationship with each other. Lent is a perfect time to go to confession. In order to make a good confession, we need to examine ourselves to see where we have failed in living our Catholic Christian life. The 10 Commandments are a really good instrument to use to see how we measure up and where we need to improve. Maybe these comments will help.

    1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods besides Me. What do we worship? Money? Cars? A job? Does any of this come before our time with God?

    2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. How easy it is to use the name of God in vain. We think everyone else does it, so we slip into thinking that it is okay.

    3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. How can you keep Sunday as a holy day if you cannot find the time to be in church and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus? Shopping, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling or movies do not make the day holy! It is important to spend some time with our God.

    4. Honor your father and your mother. When is the last time you called or cared for a parent? Not only does this commandment pertain to parents, but to others in authority as well.

    5. You shall not kill. This does not only pertain to killing the body but to killing the spirit, as well. Sometimes, the way we talk to or treat another person may injure them psychologically or spiritually. The golden rule says - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

    6. You shall not commit adultery. Adultery usually pertains to married people but this commandment includes fornication. Society today says it is okay for men and women to live together without marriage - but this commandment says otherwise.

    7. You shall not steal. Wasting time at work is stealing from the company. Realizing that you have received too much change back at a store and not saying something is stealing. Taking and keeping things that are not yours is stealing. 

    8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Gossip is so easy - telling stories about someone else that may injure their reputation - making up stories about someone else.

    9. Thou shall not covet thy neighbors wife. Are you happy in your marriage? Do you realize that the person you are married to is the partner God picked out for you? Do you remember what it is about that person that made you fall in love with him/her?

    10. Thou shall not covet thy neighbors goods. Do you know that envy is wanting something that someone else has so badly that you will do anything to get it. We are all unique and have specific talents and abilities - we can use them to make a good life.