Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
Keep holy the Sabbath Day
God tells us something about Sunday:
The Sabbath, Sunday, has always been special for the community. From the beginning the faithful would gather to celebrate the memorial of the Lord’s death and resurrection. TI he great gift which I have given you in the Mass makes you present, in faith, at Calvary and Easter Sunday. Mass is brining into your world this great act of reconciliation. My apostle Paul reminds you that when he writes: he reconciled all things through the blood of His cross. Reconcile means to make things the way they should be.
So at Mass my mercy is given to you. It is there, you may not feel it, but it is working within you. I guess a simple way of defining my mercy is: I fix things. I fix the mistakes of people, I work inside of terrible situation trying to bring good out of them, My mercy, or rather I the merciful one do an awful lot that people will probably never know. This is what Mass does.
Now since you have all been touched by this mercy you should share it. You see I do not give gifts just for the individual but I give to the individual so he may use it to make my kingdom present in the world. My gifts, in this case mercy, are for the world.
Having said all that the next part is the tough one. Look at the world and see all the things that are not right with it. Poverty, selfishness, greed, pride man’s inhumanity to man all these need fixing. You can not do everything. But you can do something to make my kingdom better. Maybe volunteering to work at the parish food pantry? The point that I am trying to make is that Sunday Mass is not just one hour you spend in Church. To keep it holy means to live what has happened to you…touched by God’s mercy. The words of my prophet Isaiah come to mind: Come let us set things aright, says the Lord
Questions for reflection:
Have you ever felt during Mass a weight being taken off your shoulders?
Do you see yourself as a “fixer” in God’s Kingdom?
Any ideas of what you could do to be the hands of God?
Keep holy the Sabbath Day
God tells us something about Sunday:
The Sabbath, Sunday, has always been special for the community. From the beginning the faithful would gather to celebrate the memorial of the Lord’s death and resurrection. TI he great gift which I have given you in the Mass makes you present, in faith, at Calvary and Easter Sunday. Mass is brining into your world this great act of reconciliation. My apostle Paul reminds you that when he writes: he reconciled all things through the blood of His cross. Reconcile means to make things the way they should be.
So at Mass my mercy is given to you. It is there, you may not feel it, but it is working within you. I guess a simple way of defining my mercy is: I fix things. I fix the mistakes of people, I work inside of terrible situation trying to bring good out of them, My mercy, or rather I the merciful one do an awful lot that people will probably never know. This is what Mass does.
Now since you have all been touched by this mercy you should share it. You see I do not give gifts just for the individual but I give to the individual so he may use it to make my kingdom present in the world. My gifts, in this case mercy, are for the world.
Having said all that the next part is the tough one. Look at the world and see all the things that are not right with it. Poverty, selfishness, greed, pride man’s inhumanity to man all these need fixing. You can not do everything. But you can do something to make my kingdom better. Maybe volunteering to work at the parish food pantry? The point that I am trying to make is that Sunday Mass is not just one hour you spend in Church. To keep it holy means to live what has happened to you…touched by God’s mercy. The words of my prophet Isaiah come to mind: Come let us set things aright, says the Lord
Questions for reflection:
Have you ever felt during Mass a weight being taken off your shoulders?
Do you see yourself as a “fixer” in God’s Kingdom?
Any ideas of what you could do to be the hands of God?
Thursday, February 17, 2011
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN
I asked God the question: How do I live this Commandment? I usually do not use bad language, except for an occasion slip I do not pronounce the name of God except in prayer. Is that the sum total of what God expects of me? I closed my eyes and made believe, in faith God was speaking to me,
He said “I will give you another way of looking at and living this Commandment. Respect is the pivotal word. It is a simple word but with an abundance of meaning. Respect is responding to the hope and dreams of someone. I would like you to think about respect in terms of gifts you receive. We show respect to the one who gives us the gift by respecting the gift. We use it or wear it for the purpose intended.
I have given you many gifts. The one I would like to focus on is creation. The sun, moon minerals good land to grow crops these are all gifts which I have given you to use and to take care of. The difference between these gifts and other gifts is that still belong to me. It takes the gift of faith to accept this fact. This is true especially in the 21st century where everyone seems to treat creation as an owner rather than a steward. We see many items with “made in China” stamped on them. A person of faith should see “this belongs to God.”
So, how do you respect my name? In the context of respect and a vision of nature you respect my name by taking care of my creation, “my” being the big word. Little things, turning off the faucet, careful how we use electricity not being wrapped up in consumerism (learn how to ask: do I really need this). In dealing with people, do you look at them with “this person is God’s possession” stamped on their foreheads? You see everything and everyone has my name on them. Disrespect them and you disrespect me. You truly take my name in vain, that is, you make it trivial.
YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN
I asked God the question: How do I live this Commandment? I usually do not use bad language, except for an occasion slip I do not pronounce the name of God except in prayer. Is that the sum total of what God expects of me? I closed my eyes and made believe, in faith God was speaking to me,
He said “I will give you another way of looking at and living this Commandment. Respect is the pivotal word. It is a simple word but with an abundance of meaning. Respect is responding to the hope and dreams of someone. I would like you to think about respect in terms of gifts you receive. We show respect to the one who gives us the gift by respecting the gift. We use it or wear it for the purpose intended.
I have given you many gifts. The one I would like to focus on is creation. The sun, moon minerals good land to grow crops these are all gifts which I have given you to use and to take care of. The difference between these gifts and other gifts is that still belong to me. It takes the gift of faith to accept this fact. This is true especially in the 21st century where everyone seems to treat creation as an owner rather than a steward. We see many items with “made in China” stamped on them. A person of faith should see “this belongs to God.”
So, how do you respect my name? In the context of respect and a vision of nature you respect my name by taking care of my creation, “my” being the big word. Little things, turning off the faucet, careful how we use electricity not being wrapped up in consumerism (learn how to ask: do I really need this). In dealing with people, do you look at them with “this person is God’s possession” stamped on their foreheads? You see everything and everyone has my name on them. Disrespect them and you disrespect me. You truly take my name in vain, that is, you make it trivial.
Amusing Signs
In a Paris hotel elevator:Please leave your values at the front desk.
On the walls of a Baltimore estate:Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.-- Sisters of Mercy
In front of a church:Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case.
In a Bucharest hotel lobby:The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
On a long established New Mexico dry cleaning store:Thirty-eight years on the same spot.
In a hotel in Athens:Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.
In a New York medical building:Mental Health Prevention Center
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.
On a New York convalescent home:For the sick and tired of the Episcopal church
On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
In a clothing store:Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.
In a Swiss mountain inn:Special today -- no ice cream.
In a Tacoma, Washington men's clothing store:15 men's wool suits - $100 - They won't last an hour!
In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:We take your bags and send them in all directions.
In a New York restaurant:Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.
On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
In a Paris hotel elevator:Please leave your values at the front desk.
On the walls of a Baltimore estate:Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.-- Sisters of Mercy
In front of a church:Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case.
In a Bucharest hotel lobby:The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
On a long established New Mexico dry cleaning store:Thirty-eight years on the same spot.
In a hotel in Athens:Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.
In a New York medical building:Mental Health Prevention Center
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday.
On a New York convalescent home:For the sick and tired of the Episcopal church
On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:Our wines leave you nothing to hope for.
In a clothing store:Wonderful bargains for men with 16 and 17 necks.
In a Swiss mountain inn:Special today -- no ice cream.
In a Tacoma, Washington men's clothing store:15 men's wool suits - $100 - They won't last an hour!
In a Copenhagen airline ticket office:We take your bags and send them in all directions.
In a New York restaurant:Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.
On the door of a Moscow hotel room:
Put the Poor First in Federal Budget Decisions Say Catholic Bishops, CRS President
WASHINGTON (February 15, 2011)— Expressing concern over proposed federal budget cuts in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, the heads of two U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) committees and the president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) sent letters to Congress on February 14, reminding elected officials that “decisions on how to allocate opportunities and burdens in setting budget priorities are more than economic policies — they are significant moral choices.”
More
WASHINGTON (February 15, 2011)— Expressing concern over proposed federal budget cuts in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Appropriations Resolution, the heads of two U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) committees and the president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) sent letters to Congress on February 14, reminding elected officials that “decisions on how to allocate opportunities and burdens in setting budget priorities are more than economic policies — they are significant moral choices.”
More
Thursday, February 10, 2011
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN
I asked God the question: How do I live this Commandment? I usually do not use bad language, except for an occasion slip I do not pronounce the name of God except in prayer. Is that the sum total of what God expects of me? I closed my eyes and made believe, in faith God was speaking to me,
He said “I will give you another way of looking at and living this Commandment. Respect is the pivotal word. It is a simple word but with an abundance of meaning. Respect is responding to the hope and dreams of someone. I would like you to think about respect in terms of gifts you receive. We show respect to the one who gives us the gift by respecting the gift. We use it or wear it for the purpose intended.
I have given you many gifts. The one I would like to focus on is creation. The sun, moon minerals good land to grow crops these are all gifts which I have given you to use and to take care of. The difference between these gifts and other gifts is that still belong to me. It takes the gift of faith to accept this fact. This is true especially in the 21st century where everyone seems to treat creation as an owner rather than a steward. We see many items with “made in China” stamped on them. A person of faith should see “this belongs to God.”
So, how do you respect my name? In the context of respect and a vision of nature you respect my name by taking care of my creation, “my” being the big word. Little things, turning off the faucet, careful how we use electricity not being wrapped up in consumerism (learn how to ask: do I really need this). In dealing with people, do you look at them with “this person is God’s possession” stamped on their foreheads? You see everything and everyone has my name on them. Disrespect them and you disrespect me. You truly take my name in vain, that is, you make it trivial.
YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN
I asked God the question: How do I live this Commandment? I usually do not use bad language, except for an occasion slip I do not pronounce the name of God except in prayer. Is that the sum total of what God expects of me? I closed my eyes and made believe, in faith God was speaking to me,
He said “I will give you another way of looking at and living this Commandment. Respect is the pivotal word. It is a simple word but with an abundance of meaning. Respect is responding to the hope and dreams of someone. I would like you to think about respect in terms of gifts you receive. We show respect to the one who gives us the gift by respecting the gift. We use it or wear it for the purpose intended.
I have given you many gifts. The one I would like to focus on is creation. The sun, moon minerals good land to grow crops these are all gifts which I have given you to use and to take care of. The difference between these gifts and other gifts is that still belong to me. It takes the gift of faith to accept this fact. This is true especially in the 21st century where everyone seems to treat creation as an owner rather than a steward. We see many items with “made in China” stamped on them. A person of faith should see “this belongs to God.”
So, how do you respect my name? In the context of respect and a vision of nature you respect my name by taking care of my creation, “my” being the big word. Little things, turning off the faucet, careful how we use electricity not being wrapped up in consumerism (learn how to ask: do I really need this). In dealing with people, do you look at them with “this person is God’s possession” stamped on their foreheads? You see everything and everyone has my name on them. Disrespect them and you disrespect me. You truly take my name in vain, that is, you make it trivial.
Catholic Humor: Math Little Tommy was having trouble in math, so his mother enrolled him in a Catholic school, thinking the discipline would help him. When Tommy came home with an A on his first report card, his mother was thrilled "Tommy, how did you do it!" "Well," he replied, "when I got to school and I saw the guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they were serious about math."
In impromptu synod meditation, pope cites threat of 'false gods'By John ThavisCatholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Before the speech-giving began at the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, Pope Benedict XVI offered participants an unusual reflection on the threat of "false gods" that beset the modern world.After leading prayers in the synod hall the morning of Oct. 11, the pope spoke off-the-cuff for about 20 minutes about the meaning of the psalms that were chanted by the 185 synod fathers. He traced humanity's historical move away from polytheism and focused on the meaning of Christ's entry into human history.But he said the modern world is still threatened by an array of destructive powers based on "false divinities that must be unmasked." These include the ideology of terrorism that purports to act in the name of God, drug abuse that devours human lives like a beast, as well as a widespread view of marriage that no longer values the virtue of chastity, he said.They also include the "anonymous" economic interests that, instead of belonging to man, enslave and even massacre people, he said.He said the battle against such forces is part of a constant struggle for the church and for the faith. The Book of Revelation, he said, sheds light on this struggle against false gods, particularly in its image of the serpent who creates a river to drown a woman in flight, and of the earth that swallows up the river."I think the river is easily interpreted as these currents that dominate everyone and that want to make the church and the faith disappear," he said. "And the earth that absorbs these currents is the faith of ordinary people, which doesn't allow itself to be overcome by this river.""The faith of ordinary people is the true wisdom," he said.The pope added that the climate change being experienced by humanity today is another type of threat, one evoked in the language of Psalm 82, which speaks of a time when "all the foundations of the earth are shaken.""And today we see that with the climate problems, the foundations of the earth are threatened, threatened by our behavior," he said."These exterior foundations are shaken because the interior foundations are shaken -- the interior foundations of morality and religious values, of the right way of living according to the faith," he said.END
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
• ,
Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents. In these brief reflections, we highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition.
Life and Dignity of the Human PersonThe Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.
Call to Family, Community, and ParticipationThe person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Rights and ResponsibilitiesThe Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.
Option for the Poor and VulnerableA basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of WorkersThe economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.
SolidarityWe are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.”1 The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
Care for God’s CreationWe show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.
This summary should only be a starting point for those interested in Catholic social teaching. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition. For a copy of the complete text of Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (No. 5-281) and other social teaching documents, call 800-235-8722.
Copyright 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
Publication No. 5-315USCCB PublishingWashington, D.C.ISBN 1-57455-315-1
1 Paul VI, For the Celebration of the Day Of Peace (Rome: January 1, 1972).
Text is drawn from Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (Washington, DC: USCCB, 1998) and Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2003).
USCCB Permissions
Email us at sdwpmail@usccb.orgSocial Development and World Peace 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3180 © USCCB. All rights reserved.
Email us at JPHDmail@usccb.org Justice, Peace and Human Development 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3180 © USCCB. All rights reserved.
Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents. In these brief reflections, we highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition.
Life and Dignity of the Human PersonThe Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.
Call to Family, Community, and ParticipationThe person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Rights and ResponsibilitiesThe Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.
Option for the Poor and VulnerableA basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of WorkersThe economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative.
SolidarityWe are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.”1 The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
Care for God’s CreationWe show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.
This summary should only be a starting point for those interested in Catholic social teaching. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition. For a copy of the complete text of Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (No. 5-281) and other social teaching documents, call 800-235-8722.
Copyright 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
Publication No. 5-315USCCB PublishingWashington, D.C.ISBN 1-57455-315-1
1 Paul VI, For the Celebration of the Day Of Peace (Rome: January 1, 1972).
Text is drawn from Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (Washington, DC: USCCB, 1998) and Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2003).
USCCB Permissions
Email us at sdwpmail@usccb.orgSocial Development and World Peace 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3180 © USCCB. All rights reserved.
Email us at JPHDmail@usccb.org Justice, Peace and Human Development 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3180 © USCCB. All rights reserved.
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
I am the Lord your God, you shall not have other gods before me
Everyone has a center. What I mean by that is we all need and indeed have something inside of us which holds our lives together. This center is the prism through which we see the world. It is the background upon which our lives are painted It is our primary motivating force , the engine of our lives. We shall call this our “core center.”
This core center lives inside of a person with other ties. Family, work, friends all in some way are also centers. Decisions in life are made in reference to these auxiliary(my own term) centers. As a matter of fact for most people these are the pragmatic basis for most of our action. Still they are colored by how we perceive them. This is the core center.. If someone has money as the center he will relate to people simply as economic functions. If the desire for power or prestige is at the center he will deal with people as instruments to attain both what he wants and in the case of power as objects of this power. .
We all have to ask ourselves the basic question: what is my core center and how does this relate to the other “centers.” in my life?
In the First Commandment God reveals Himself as the one who wants to be the center. It seems to me that the First Commandment is both a statement of fact, I am the Lord your God, and an invitation. The invitation comes in my either accepting or not accepting this fact. It is God standing in front of us and saying:
“Look, I am your God whether you know it or not. I am your God even if you say
I do not exist. I am at the very center of your existence. You owe your being alive to me. I realize that everything I said may be difficult for you to understand. In the age in which you live reality is measurable. If it is not measurable, if we can not touch it or feel it is not real. Certainly everything I said about myself is not measurable. It is my reality, which really goes far beyond what can be seen.”
“Anyway” God continues “what I am doing with this First Commandment is to remind you of the relationship I have with you and to invite you to respond to it. You see if it is not me it will be something else which guides you. Money, power, prestige all have the potential of being “god” in your life. They promise all the things that only I can deliver on. They promise happiness, peace, fulfillment etc…They are the great dissemblers, promise one thing and give the opposite. That is why I put that part about not having strange gods before me. These things are always trying to dislodge me from your heart. I do not want you to live in a lie.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
To say “I am a child of God” is rather simple. Do I live that way or are these other “gods” the light of my life?
Do I perceive people in the totality of who they are, someone whom God has called His own or do I stay simple on the “what I see” about that person level?
All creation belongs to God. We are its stewards. Do I respect the ecology as belonging to God?
I am the Lord your God, you shall not have other gods before me
Everyone has a center. What I mean by that is we all need and indeed have something inside of us which holds our lives together. This center is the prism through which we see the world. It is the background upon which our lives are painted It is our primary motivating force , the engine of our lives. We shall call this our “core center.”
This core center lives inside of a person with other ties. Family, work, friends all in some way are also centers. Decisions in life are made in reference to these auxiliary(my own term) centers. As a matter of fact for most people these are the pragmatic basis for most of our action. Still they are colored by how we perceive them. This is the core center.. If someone has money as the center he will relate to people simply as economic functions. If the desire for power or prestige is at the center he will deal with people as instruments to attain both what he wants and in the case of power as objects of this power. .
We all have to ask ourselves the basic question: what is my core center and how does this relate to the other “centers.” in my life?
In the First Commandment God reveals Himself as the one who wants to be the center. It seems to me that the First Commandment is both a statement of fact, I am the Lord your God, and an invitation. The invitation comes in my either accepting or not accepting this fact. It is God standing in front of us and saying:
“Look, I am your God whether you know it or not. I am your God even if you say
I do not exist. I am at the very center of your existence. You owe your being alive to me. I realize that everything I said may be difficult for you to understand. In the age in which you live reality is measurable. If it is not measurable, if we can not touch it or feel it is not real. Certainly everything I said about myself is not measurable. It is my reality, which really goes far beyond what can be seen.”
“Anyway” God continues “what I am doing with this First Commandment is to remind you of the relationship I have with you and to invite you to respond to it. You see if it is not me it will be something else which guides you. Money, power, prestige all have the potential of being “god” in your life. They promise all the things that only I can deliver on. They promise happiness, peace, fulfillment etc…They are the great dissemblers, promise one thing and give the opposite. That is why I put that part about not having strange gods before me. These things are always trying to dislodge me from your heart. I do not want you to live in a lie.
SOME QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
To say “I am a child of God” is rather simple. Do I live that way or are these other “gods” the light of my life?
Do I perceive people in the totality of who they are, someone whom God has called His own or do I stay simple on the “what I see” about that person level?
All creation belongs to God. We are its stewards. Do I respect the ecology as belonging to God?
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