Michael Brooks
Catholics follow the Ten Commandments, a set of biblical laws relating to ethics and worship. The commandments are derived from the Old Testament, specifically Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21, and form the basis of Catholic theology and morality. The numbering and interpretation of these commandments have been debated and modified over the centuries by various theologians and churches, including the Catholic Church, resulting in slight variations in how different Christian denominations number and observe them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of commandments | 10 |
| First commandment | I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me. |
| Second commandment | Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. |
| Third commandment | Remember to keep holy the Lord's day. |
| Fourth commandment | Honour thy father and mother. |
| Fifth commandment | Thou shalt not kill. |
| Sixth commandment | Thou shalt not commit adultery. |
| Seventh commandment | Thou shalt not steal. |
| Eighth commandment | Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. |
| Ninth commandment | Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife. |
| Tenth commandment | Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods. |
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What You'll Learn
The first commandment
The Catholic Church recognizes the Ten Commandments as a moral foundation, with the first three requiring reverence and respect for God's name, observance of the Lord's Day, and prohibiting the worship of other gods.
Catholics worship God through acts of faith, hope, and charity, as well as adoration and prayer. Superstition and sacrilege are considered sins against the first commandment. Superstition involves attributing God's power to creatures or objects, such as through charms, spells, fortune-telling, or spiritism. Sacrilege involves mistreating sacred persons, places, or objects.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the official summary of Church beliefs, includes a large section devoted to the Commandments, reflecting their importance as the basis for Catholic social teaching and spiritual growth.
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Catholic/Lutheran vs Protestant/Orthodox versions
The Catholic Church and Lutheran confessions share a version of the Ten Commandments, which differs from the version used by many Protestant and Orthodox Churches and Communities. The differences between these two versions lie in their numbering and grouping.
The Catholic/Lutheran version is based on the division and numbering system established by St. Augustine in the fifth century, which has become traditional in the Catholic Church. This version is derived from the texts Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21. The first commandment in this version is "I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth". The imperative against adultery is the sixth commandment, and the commands against covetousness are counted as two separate commandments.
On the other hand, the Protestant/Orthodox version uses a numbering system created by Origen in the third century, which is also followed by the Greek Fathers of the Christian East. This version considers the text against covetousness as a single proscription, resulting in four commandments about God and six about others. The first four commandments are: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me", "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image", "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain", and "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy". The second table of the law begins with "Honor thy father and mother" and ends with "Thou shalt not covet".
The differences in the interpretations and divisions of the texts by the two groups have led to the emergence of two common versions of the Ten Commandments. While the Catholic/Lutheran version counts the prohibition of adultery as a separate commandment, the Protestant/Orthodox version combines it with the commands against covetousness, resulting in a single commandment.
In summary, the Catholic Church and Lutheran confessions adhere to a version of the Ten Commandments that differs from the version used by many Protestant and Orthodox Churches. The variations stem from the different numbering and grouping of the commandments, resulting in distinct theological positions and practices.
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The Sabbath and Sunday rest
The Sabbath is a day of rest and worship in Judaism. It is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening, with strict rules such as prohibiting driving. In the first few decades of the Catholic Church, Christians of Jewish descent were allowed to observe the Sabbath and attend the Temple. However, they were not to teach these practices as essential for salvation.
In the sixth century, Caesarius of Arles taught that the glory of the Jewish Sabbath had been transferred to Sunday, and Christians were to observe this day as the Sabbath. The Council of Orléans in 538 rejected this idea, but later church leaders inscribed Sunday rest into official teachings.
The Catholic Church teaches that the particular day of observance is ceremonial and changeable. Sunday is distinguished from the Sabbath, which it follows chronologically, and its observance replaces that of the Sabbath. Catholics are to observe a day of rest from servile work on Sunday, in conjunction with the Lord's Day. This is based on Jesus' teaching that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath", meaning that good works can be done on the day of rest when needed.
Pope John Paul II called for a "New Evangelization", emphasizing the importance of "rediscovering Sunday" to transform culture and politics. He urged Catholics to keep Sunday holy, preventing it from being blended with a "weekend" mentality. This idea of Sunday as a day of rest and worship is promoted by organizations such as the Lord's Day Alliance, which was formed to preserve Sunday as the Christian Sabbath.
While the term "Sabbath" is often recognized as referring to Saturday, the Christian Sabbath represents a reinterpretation in light of Christian law and values. The Latin Church keeps Sunday as a commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus, with the Eucharist as the "heart of Sunday". Roman Catholics view Sunday as a day for assembly, with Mass being obligatory unless there is a grave impediment.
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The Lord's Prayer
Catholicism is one of the oldest Christian traditions, and its followers adhere to the Ten Commandments. The Catholic Church is not dogmatic about the numbering system used, but the Ten Commandments are traditionally memorized. The Catechism offers guidelines on how to observe the Lord's Day, which include attending Mass on Sundays and holy days.
The prayer then addresses our sins and the sins of others against us. We ask God for forgiveness and recognize that we must also forgive those who have wronged us. This is a challenging aspect of the prayer, as forgiving others is not always easy, but it is emphasized as a crucial part of our faith. We are taught that by forgiving others, we please God and reflect His nature, as He loves a forgiving heart.
The prayer concludes with a petition to be led away from temptation and delivered from evil, specifically from the devil, our spiritual enemy. This conclusion serves as a reminder that our faith is not just about our personal relationship with God but also about our struggle against evil and our need for His guidance and protection.
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Burial and cremation
The Catholic Church has specific guidelines and rituals surrounding burial and cremation. While burial was the traditional method of disposition for Catholics, the Church has allowed cremation since 1963.
The Church expresses a clear preference for burial, as it holds that this practice better expresses the values affirmed in Catholic funeral rites. The Order of Christian Funerals’ Appendix on Cremation states:
> "Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, it does not enjoy the same value as burial of the body. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites."
The Church dictates that the body must be buried, cremated or not, to properly respect the body. Burial is considered the most fitting way to express faith and hope in the resurrection of the body, a core belief in Catholicism.
Cremation is allowed as long as it is not chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine, such as denial of the resurrection. If cremation takes place immediately after death, the Archdiocese of Washington permits cremated remains to be present during the Funeral Mass, provided they are buried or entombed afterwards. The Church allows for cremated remains to be interred in ground burial sections or entombed above ground in a niche. Burial of ashes in a suitable container is required, as they are human remains which should have a reverent disposition. Ashes must be laid to rest in a sacred place, such as a cemetery, mausoleum, or crypt.
The Church prohibits the scattering of ashes, as well as their preservation in mementos, jewellery, or other objects. If a person chooses cremation and the scattering of their ashes for reasons contrary to the Christian faith, a Catholic funeral would be denied.
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