VATICAN - Prayers for Lent : The Act of Contrition (6)

Vatican City (Fides Service) - God gives his people the Commandments - On Mount Sinai God gives Moses Commandments for the people of Israel on the journey towards the Promised Land. Our modern mentality tends to rejects the word «commandment» as an obstacle to freedom to decide what is good and what is evil: what I like, is good, what I dislike is evil … the first sin of Adam and Eve… and the same is true today…
How could God who is Love desire anything but good for his children? How could he not desire their happiness? When we disobey his commandments, we deny that God is Love and we reject his loving care. God gave His commandments so man would not be like the prodigal son, or the lost sheep…to help him realise that sin and a disorderly life lead to eternal darkness and death. Whereas the Commandments announced by the Prophet Isaiah hand quoted by Saint Matthew are light and life: «The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned» (Mathew 4, 16: cfr Isaiah 9,1).
The Lord Jesus changed not one word of the Commandments God gave to Moses: «Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them» (Matthew 5, 17) and warns those who dared to meddle with the commandments because by obeying the commandments we demonstrate our love for God who desires to lead humanity to the green pastures of eternal life. Jesus himself tells us that the more we love God the more we will keep his commandments: «If you love me you will keep my commandments» (John 14, 15).
The only way to dispel the confusion which reigns in the world and in hearts today is to rediscover the sense of God’s Commandments and to strive lovingly and gratefully and humbly to follow our Good Shepherd. (Continua) (J.M.) (Agenzia Fides 23/3/2007, righe 22, parole 331)
A Traditional Catechetical Formula
1. I am the LORD
your God: you
shall not have
strange Gods before me.
2. You shall not
take the name of
the LORD your
God in vain.
3. Remember to
keep holy the
LORD’S day.

4. Honour your father
and your mother.
5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not
commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear
false witness against
your neighbour.

9. You shall not covet
your neighbour’s wife.

10. You shall not covet
your neighbour’s goods.
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, Compendium)