LESSON 39: COMMANDMENTS 4 AND 5

Lesson 39: Commandments 4 and 5

The Fourth Commandment

1. What is the fourth commandment?
The fourth commandment is, “Honor your father and your mother, that you may have a long life in the land which the Lord, your God, is giving you. “ (Exodus 20:12)

2. What does the fourth commandment command?
By the fourth commandment we are commanded to:

• Respect and love our parents
• Obey our parents in all that is not sinful; and
• Help our parents when they are in need.

3. Is an adult who has left home to marry still obliged to obey his parents?
Once a person has left home to form his own family he is not obliged to obey his parents, but he must always love and respect them and be ready to help them. When a person has left his home to form his own family, his first obligation is toward his spouse and his children. Nonetheless assistance to his parents must also be given according to one’s possibilities.

4. Is a person that God calls to be a religious or a priest to bey his parents, if the parents do not give their permission to become priest or religious?
If a person is called to the priesthood or to religious life, and his parents oppose it, he is not to obey his parents, but the call of God. Parents who do not permit their children to follow God’s call to the priesthood or the religious life sin seriously.

5. Does the fourth commandment oblige us to respect and to obey others besides our parents?
We are obliged to obey and respect all lawful authority, for instance our government leaders and teachers, in all that is not sinful.

We are also called to respect all those who are older than us, especially the elderly.

6. What are we supposed to do for our country?
We are to:

• Be grateful for all that our country gives us;
• Obey its lawful authority, in all that is not sinful;
• Pray for those who are in authority; and
• Contribute to the good of society; without forgetting the needs of those outside of our country.

7. What does obedience to lawful authority and contributing to the common good of society require?
Obedience to lawful authority and contributing to the common good of society require that we:

• Pay taxes;
• Exercise our right to vote; and
• Defend our country.

8. In voting, what is the most important issue for us to look at?
The most important issue for us to look at when voting is the abortion issue. If someone is in favor of keeping abortion legal (that is, if he or she is “pro-choice”) that candidate is to be automatically excluded from receiving our vote. Abortion is murder.

9. Why must we obey our parents and all lawful authority?
We must respect and obey all lawful authority since it comes from God, the source of all authority. “Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. Therefore; whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.” (Romans 13: 1-2)

10. What punishment was given in the Old Testament to someone who seriously disrespected his parents?
The person who seriously disrespected his parents was stoned to death. (Deuteronomy 21: 18-21)

11. Does God punish those. Who do not honor their parents?
Yes, God punishes those who do not honor their parents. “There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. Therefore; whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.” (Romans 13: 1-2)

12. What rewards will God give to those who honor and obey their parents?
According to the Word of God, to those who honor and obey their parents God gives many rewards.

“Children, pay heed to a father’s right; do so that you may live. For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children; a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons. He who honors his father atones for sins; he stores up riches who reveres his mother. He who honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is heard. He who reveres his father will live a long life; he obeys the Lord who brings comfort to his mother. He who fears the Lord honors his father, and serves his parents as rulers. In word and deed honor your father that his blessing may come upon you. For a father’s blessing gives a family firm roots, but a mother’s curse uproots the growing plant… My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives. Even if his mind fails, be considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your strength. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, it will serve as a sin offering – it will take lasting root. In time of tribulation it will be recalled to your advantage, like warmth upon frost it will melt away your sins.” (Sirach 3: 1-15)

13. What should you do if you are tempted to disobey your parents or be rude to them?
If you are tempted to disobey or to be rude to your parents you should be more kind and obedient than normal.

St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

St. Anthony Mary Claret was the fifth of eleven children. His family was poor but hard working. His earliest memories of home were of the family praying the rosary and going to church. As a child he prayed very much and would often reflect on the reality of eternity. Through this prayer God changed his heart. God gave him a very good heart. He was always very respectful and obedient to his parents. At one period he started to have very strong temptations. He was tempted to talk back to his mother and say unkind things to her. When he was tempted he would pray, and do exactly the opposite of what he was tempted to do. Instead of talking back, he would speak more kindly than normal to his mother. He sought to be more cheerful than normal to her. He would be more obedient than normal. In this way he beat the temptation, and his mother had never been aware of it.

In order to honor his mother, he always ate whatever she placed before him. He never complained about food. He did this for the love of God. He did this so well, that his mother never found out what foods he liked or disliked. Throughout his whole life no one ever know what foods he liked or disliked. He always ate what was put before him. In this way he offered up many little sacrifices for the love of God.

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT

14. What is the fifth commandment?
The fifth commandment is, “You shall not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

15. What does the fifth commandment command us to do?
The fifth commandment commands us to take proper care of our own spiritual and bodily well-being and that of our neighbor.

16. What are mortal sins against the fifth commandment?
Mortal sins against the fifth commandment include sins against one’s own life and sins against the life of others.

Mortal sins against one’s own life include the following:

• Suicide
• Excessive use of alcohol or drugs.

Mortal sins against the life of others include the following

• Wishing someone serious harm due to envy, revenge, or hatred.
• Murder or seriously injuring someone
• Abortion, which is deliberately murdering an unborn child
• “Mercy killing,” or “Euthanasia”, which is killing a person, or helping a person to commit suicide, so that he or she won’t have to continue suffering.
• Reckless high speed driving or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Sterilization done with the motive of not being able to have children.
• Scandal, which is causing another person to sin.

ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

17. Is it a sin to drink alcoholic beverages in moderation for someone who is 21 or order?
No, it is not a sin for someone to drink alcoholic beverages in moderation for someone who is 21 or over.

18. Is it a sin to purchase and possess alcoholic beverages for someone who is under 21 years of age?
Yes, it is a sin for someone who is under 21 to purchase and possess alcoholic beverages, since it is against the law in all 50 states.

19. Is it a mortal sin to drink until one is drunk?
Yes, it is a mortal sin to drink until one is drunk regardless of one’s age. Those who have drunk too much have the tendency to commit many other sins in thought, word, and action.

It is also a mortal sin to drive a car after one has drunk too much.

If there is a party where you know that people will be drinking too much, or using drugs, it is a sin to go to this party.

Because it could led to the habit of drinking too much many wisely choose to never begin drinking.

20. Are some people at a greater risk of becoming problem drinkers?
Yes, those who have relatives who are problem drinkers are at a higher risk of becoming a problem drinker or an alcoholic.

Alcoholism runs in families. Children of alcoholics become alcoholics about four times more often that children of non-alcoholics. There is evidence that they become alcoholic whether raised by their alcoholic parent or not. Alcoholism in the family is probably the strongest predictor of alcoholism occurring in particular individuals

Thus, if you have a parent, brother, uncle, cousin, or relative who has a drinking problem, you should not begin drinking.

21. What are some of the facts that show that drinking is a very serious moral issue for teenagers?

• Close to one-fourth of tenth graders and one-third of twelfth graders have been drunk in the past month.
• Use of alcohol and other drugs is associated with the leading cause of death and injury among teens and your adults. One death every thirty-two minutes takes place in an alcohol-related accident.
• Use of alcohol and other drugs at an early age correlates highly with future alcohol and drug problems
• Alcohol use is implicated in one- to two-thirds of sexual assaults and “date” rape cases among teens and college youth.
• A survey of high school students revealed that 18 percent of females and 39 percent of males ay it is acceptable for a guy to force sex if the girl is stoned or drunk.
• Alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment leading to risky behaviors, including sex. This often leads to contracting HIV/AIDS and other STD’s and unwanted pregnancies with the accompanying temptations to have abortions.
• Students with grade point averages of D or F in college drink three times as much as those who earn A’s.
• Long-term use of alcohol has the following effects: vitamin deficiency, stomach ailments, loss of appetite, cirrhosis and cancer of the liver, heart and central nervous system damage, memory loss, loss of appetite, and sexual impotence.

22. Why is using marijuana sinful?
Using marijuana is sinful for the following reasons.

• It is against the law.
• It supports and promotes the illegal drug business and all the sins that are connected with it.
• It often leads to the use of harder drugs. Ninety percent of those who use hard drugs such as heroin began with marijuana.
• It is harmful to one’s health.

23. How is marijuana harmful to one’s health?
Marijuana is harmful to one’s health in the following ways.

1. It produces an increase in cells that damage DNA. Female reproductive eggs and male sperm are especially vulnerable to damage.
2. It damages the immune system making a person more susceptible to infection and sickness because it lowers the white-blood-cell count. It causes cancer. Five marijuana cigarettes have the same cancer-causing capacity as 112 conventional cigarettes.
3. Smoking marijuana retards the growth of brain cells that helps person to focus, concentrate, create, learn and conceptualize. This is especially serious for teenagers, since these cells are still growing and developing during the teenage years.
4. Marijuana stays lodged in the fat cells of a person for 3 to 5 months. Mental and physical performance is negatively affected during the entire period of time.
5. It impairs the judgment, coordination, and reaction time essential for safe driving. One marijuana cigarette causes a 41 percent decrease in driving skills. Two cigarettes cause a 63 percent decrease. Because the drug is stored in the fat cells, this impairment in driving ability is likely to be observed for more than eight hours after smoking a marijuana cigarette. Moreover, because the THC is stored in the fat cells it can be subsequently released in a manner that can cause a level of impairment the following day or even the day after that.

Marijuana produces a mellow, relaxing felling. Because of that some have wanted to use it as a painkiller.

RESPECTING THE LIFE OF OTHERS

24. Are you ever allowed t use force or to kill?
You are allowed to use force or to kill only in self-defense, that is, when it is the only way you can protect life and when your life or that of another is being seriously attacked here and now.

25. Are hatred and anger mortal sins?
Hatred and anger are normally venial sins unless you desire someone serious harm and fully consent to that desire.

26. What should you do when you are tempted to envy, revenge or hatred?
When you rae tempted to envy, revenge, or hatred you should pray for the person. Ask God to bless the person and make the person holy. If you decide to love, and you pray for the person, you are loving the person. It is thus possible to love people even when you have negative feelings concerning them.

27. Are you allowed to defend yourself?
Yes, you are allowed to defend yourself. In fact those who are responsible for the safety of others have a serious duty to defend those that they are responsible for. For instance a father of a family could shoot an unjust aggressor who is trying to kill his children. His intention is not to kill the man, but to render him unable to cause harm at the moment that his children are being attacked.

28. How are we to treat immigrants who enter our country in search of decent living conditions?
We should treat immigrants who enter our country looking for decent living conditions as we would want to treat Christ: “I was … a stranger and you welcomed Me.” (Matthew 25:35). As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means o flivelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” (CCC 2241)

29. What is capital punishment?
Capital punishment is killing a person convicted of a serious crime by the proper authority of the state.

30. Does the Catholic Church permit capital punishment?
The authority of the state may use the death penalty for very serious crimes if this is the only mans to defend and protect the people’s safety from the aggressor.

Because of the state’s capacity to protect its citizens from unjust aggressors through modern prisons, “The cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically non-existent.” (CCC 2267)

 

ALL BROTHERS OF THE SAME HEAVENLY FATHER

Hall of Fame shortstop Pee Wee Reese was a teammate on the Brooklyn Dodgers of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American allowed to pay major league baseball.

Reese rejected the plan of his teammates to go on strike in order to protest Robinson’s breaking the color barrier. And in a heart-warming gesture, Reese helped Robinson be accepted into the major leagues. One day when a bigoted and man spirited crowd was jeering Robinson, Reese walked over and put his arm around Robinson’s shoulders. This stunned and quieted the crowd and helped pave the way for Robinsons acceptance.

Racism or treating people as if they were less because of their skin color, language, religion, or culture is a sin against the fifth commandment. Since God is the Father of us all, every human being is our brother or sister.