1. 8.1 Morality: A Response to God’s Love
Chapter 8
The Decalogue
©Our Sunday Visitor Curriculum Division

2. Chapter Overview
God’s gift of the Decalogue to the Israelites is also a gift to us.
The first commandment affirms the importance of adoring the one, true God and rejecting false gods.
The second commandment calls for speaking and acting with reverence toward God.
The third commandment reminds us to set aside the Lord’s Day for prayer, worship, rest, and recreation.

3. Commitment to the First Commandment
Christian Morality
Document # TX001835

4. Why do we consider the First Commandment the starting point of our moral life?
The First Commandment calls us to put our faith in God alone. When we do this, we commit to following God’s moral law, our true path to love and happiness.
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5. Why do all the other commandments depend on the First Commandment?
The First Commandment calls us to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Because of our love for God, we will reverence and honor him—which are at the heart of the Second and Third Commandments. We will also love and respect those he made in his image—our neighbors and ourselves—which forms the heart of the Fourth through the Tenth Commandments.
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6. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1840
“The theological virtues have God for their origin, their motive, and their object—God known by faith, God hoped in and loved for his own sake.”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1840
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7. How does commitment to the First Commandment strengthen our practice of the theological virtues?
Commitment to the First Commandment encourages the practice of faith, putting our trust in an unchanging source of life and goodness—in God, who is faithful to his promises.
Commitment to the First Commandment encourages the practice of hope. Hope is expecting God’s blessings in this life and the reward of Heaven in the next.
Commitment to the First Commandment leads to love: of God, others, and self.
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8. How does failure to keep our commitment to the First Commandment lead to sin?
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Putting our faith in God means accepting the truths of faith revealed through the Scriptures and Tradition and taught through the Church’s Magisterium. Thus, failing to put our faith in God can lead to heresy or apostasy—rejection of Christian faith.

9. Acedia: not caring, apathy, boredom
How does failure to keep our commitment to the First Commandment lead to sin?
Failing to trust in God may lead to despair: ceasing to believe that God cares.
Failing to love God may lead to ingratitude, indifference, hatred, or pride.
Acedia: not caring, apathy, boredom
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10. How do we nurture a relationship with God and strengthen faith, hope, and love?
We strengthen our relationship with God primarily through the Sacraments, and also through adoration, prayer, sacrifice, and keeping our promises and vows.
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11. What was the Hebrew understanding of idolatry?
In its original context, the First Commandment was understood to forbid the literal worship of gods and goddesses other than Yahweh.
For the Israelites idolatry was a real and concrete thing. Archaeologists have found many statues of pagan gods and goddesses in the ruins of ancient Israel.
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12. How did Jesus broaden the Hebrew understanding of idolatry?
Jesus expanded the understanding of idolatry with teachings such as “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Mammon means wealth or power.
Today we understand idolatry to mean not allowing anything to take the place of God in our lives.
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13. What are modern examples of idolatry?
Idolatry is turning toward something that is not God for our happiness and fulfillment. Modern examples could be the pursuit of money, success, fame, entertainment, freedom aka license itself or sex.
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The quotation on slide 4 is from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America, second edition, number Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV). English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—LEV.
The scriptural quotation on slide 10 is from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms. Copyright © 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. Used by the permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

14. Vocabulary
Adoration: “The first act of the virtue of the religion.” (CCC #2096) Adoration takes us out of ourselves in an act of reaching out to God in praise and exaltation. Raising our hearts and minds to God. Prayerful acknowledgement that God is God and Creator of all that is.
Venerate: an action that shows deep reverence for something sacred. For example, on Good Friday, we venerate the Cross.

15. Vocabulary
Superstition: Attributing divine power to external actions and not to God.
Magic attempts to control God and make things happen despite him. (i.e. rubbing a rabbit’s foot, carrying a lucky coin) or things (i.e. crystals, tarot cards, statues).
“Reliance on such power, rather than trust in God, constitutes an offense against the honor due to God alone, as required by the first commandment” (Catechism, Glossary).

16. Vocabulary
Divination: the practice of seeking power or knowledge through supernatural means apart from the one true God; a sin against the first commandment.
Magic: the belief in supernatural power that comes from a source other than God.

17. Vocabulary
Sacrilege: to abuse/profane/treat with disrespect the Sacraments, a person, place or thing dedicated to God. This is a grave sin especially when committed against the Eucharist.
Simony: buying or selling of something spiritual – such as grace, a Sacrament, or sacred relic – which have God alone as their owner.

18. Vocabulary
Acedia/Indifference: Not caring, apathy, boredom. Ignore God, neglect God, deny His power.
Atheism: denial or rejection of the existence of God
Idolatry: worship other beings, creatures or material goods in a way fitting to God alone.

19. Vocabulary
Blasphemy: speaking, acting, or thinking about God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary or the saints in a way that is irreverent, mocking, or offensive.
Perjury: the sin of lying under an oath to tell the truth. A sin against the 2nd Commandment.

20. Vocabulary
Blasphemy: speaking, acting, or thinking about God, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary or the saints in a way that is irreverent, mocking, or offensive.
Perjury: the sin of lying under an oath to tell the truth. A sin against the 2nd Commandment.

21. Vocabulary
Sabbath: “the seventh day” on which God rested in the Creation story.
For Catholics, the Sabbath is Sunday and is observed by three specific acts :
1) Attending Mass
2) Works of service and charity
3) Rest, relaxation, prayer

22. Compose a version of the Ten Commandments according to…
MTV
Sports
Soap Operas
National News Networks
Facebook
Shopping
A culture of your choice – ask Mrs. S.

23. Brainstorm your group’s “culture” List 10 Commandments
Ch Group Activity
Steps
Brainstorm your group’s “culture”
List 10 Commandments
Questions to consider…
What does this group worship? What is the MOST important?
What type of speech do they use?
Is rest/relaxation valued? Is community worship valued?

24. Questions to consider continued:
Ch Group Activity
Questions to consider continued:
How are elders and family members valued?
What about life?
What about possessions and truth?
What about relationships?
What about telling the truth?
What about feelings towards others property? Toward others family members?

25. The consequences Ch 8 Group Activity
What happens when people break these commandments in this specific culture?
Do you agree? Disagree? Why?
In light of your exploration of this culture, how is your Catholic faith supported by the culture?
How is your Catholic/Christian faith challenged or even devalued by this culture?

26. Presentation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ch 8 Group Activity
Present your culture and your Commandments
Have fun! Get creative:
Put on a skit
Create a newspaper/display/ppt presentation
Come up with something else!