Chapter 19: The First Three
Commandments
INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Lead an examination of conscience for the First Commandment (p. 436).
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the First Commandment in light of the theological virtues?
 What are the sins against the First Commandment in relation to the
theological virtues? What is the First Commandment in light of the virtue of
religion? What are the sins against the First Commandment in relation to the
virtue of religion?
KEY IDEAS
 The First Commandment requires wholehearted love of God exercised
through the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.
 Sins against the First Commandment include doubt and incredulity contrary to
faith; despair and presumption against hope; and indifference, ingratitude,
sloth, lukewarmness, and hatred against love. The virtue of religion entails
honor and worship due to God through adoration, prayer, sacrifice, and
promises or vows.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is one way a person can know instinctively human beings
have dignity?
People do not like to be treated disrespectfully.
Why does God deserve infinite respect from people?
God possesses infinite dignity and thus deserves infinite respect from his
creatures.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTION
What is the essence of each of the first three Commandments?
Respect for God is the essence of the first three Commandments.
Extension: The First Commandment is about respect for God’s nature as
the one true God. The Second Commandment centers on respect for
God’s name. The Third Commandment requires respect for God by
worshiping him properly.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTION
In the ancient world, what was distinctive about the Jewish religion?
The Jews alone were monotheistic. They believed in one God who
completely transcends the material world.
Extension: The pagan world, by contrast, was polytheistic, believing in
many gods.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What relationship did God demand from his people?
He demanded that they worship and love only him.
How are the Ten Commandments divided into two groups?
The first three Commandments concern each person’s relationship with
God, while the last seven pertain to the treatment of neighbor.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Perform a paragraph shrink on the selections from Deus Caritas Est
(pp. 429-430) on the concept of faith between Jews and Christians.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How is the First Commandment the basis of both Judaism and Christianity?
Both Judaism and Christianity share the belief that there is but one God who is above
all else, and he alone should be worshipped.
What is the relationship between the First Commandment and the theological
virtues?
In Baptism, the new Christian is given the gifts of faith, hope, and love. His or her
relationship with God is a return of these theological virtues to him expressed
through worship.
What are the two divisions of sins against the First Commandment?
They are (1) sins against the theological virtues and (2) sins against the virtue of
religion.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Complete the following table, based on the Catechism, no. 2086, to
articulate why faith, hope, and love should be a natural response to God.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the origin and purpose of the theological virtues?
God infuses the theological virtues at Baptism. Their purpose is to give
Christians the ability to act as God’s children and merit eternal life.
How can Christians cooperate with the graces of the theological
virtues so they will grow in them?
They can cooperate through prayer, sacrifice, celebrating the Sacraments,
and virtuous practices.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to write and answer three Focus Questions that get to
the heart of what the Church teaches about the moral right to religious
freedom.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the virtue of faith?
Faith is a stable disposition of the soul that enables a person to believe truths,
revealed by God, that exceed the light of natural reason, on God’s authority.
What is the virtue of hope?
Hope is the stable capacity to trust that God, in his mercy, will give all the graces
needed not only to reach salvation but also to reach full union with Jesus Christ.
What is the virtue of charity?
Charity is the stable ability to love God and neighbor with the very heart of Jesus
Christ.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
According to Pope Benedict XVI (p. 432), how does hope for future
happiness assist people living in the present?
Everyone should embrace present difficulties because suffering leads to
the happy goal of redemption, which is an eternal reward far outweighing
temporary hardships.
According to St. John (p. 433), why are love of God and neighbor
related?
St. John taught that a person cannot love God if he or she hates his or her
neighbor.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What duty does each person have to care for his or her own faith?
He or she should reject everything that opposes or puts personal faith at
risk. Extension: He or she should also properly form his or her faith.
What are healthy challenges to a person’s faith?
Learning how to defend the Faith from attacks and ignorance can be good.
What should a person do when something attacks the Faith and he or
she does not know how to respond?
He or she should find the answer in the Catechism or another reliable source
of Catholic teaching.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
FOCUS QUESTION
With respect to the Faith, what problem exists in many modern
movies, books, and television programs?
Many have no redemptive value and tempt people to sin.
Extension: Western culture posits many ideas antithetical to the Catholic
Faith. While the Faith can overcome every intellectual challenge to it,
individual Catholics may fall prey because of ignorance, the apparent
soundness of certain ideas, or fallen human nature. People must therefore
approach contemporary culture carefully and critically.
1. The First Commandment (pp. 428-435)
GUIDED
EXERCISE
Work with a partner to
create a Graphic
Organizer that lists,
defines, and gives an
example of the sins
against faith, hope, and
charity.
1. The First Commandment (pp. 428-435)
Virtue
Faith
Sin
Doubt
Definition
Voluntary doubt is intentionally
calling into question some aspect
of Divine Revelation out of an
unwillingness to accept it.
Involuntary doubt is a hesitation
in belief arising from laxity.
Example
Voluntary doubt: A person questions
the Church’s teaching about the
immorality of homosexual acts
because he or she wants to perform
them. Involuntary doubt: A person
has difficulty believing the Church’s
teachings on homosexual acts because
he or she is practicing them.
Incredulity
This is neglect or refusal to accept
revealed truth. Schism is refusal
to submit to the authority of the
Pope and the bishops in
communion with him. Heresy is
the post‐baptismal rejection of
one or more tenets of the Faith.
Apostasy is a total repudiation of
the Catholic Faith.
Schism: a person regularly attends a
Mass celebrated by a priest who has
separated himself from the Church.
Heresy: a person rejects the teaching
about Christ being really present in
the Eucharist. Apostasy: a person
rejects his or her Christian upbringing
to pursue an academic degree out of a
false notion that faith is opposed to
reason.
1. The First Commandment (pp. 428-435)
Hope
Despair
Presumption
This is a loss of trust in God’s
mercy and love, usually arising
from an exaggerated sense of past
sins, personal weaknesses,
unworthiness, or sinfulness.
This is counting on God’s mercy
without any attempt to avoid sin
or believing a person can be saved
by his or her own effort alone.
A person stops practicing the Faith —
sinking deeper and deeper into a life
of sin — out of a false notion that his
or her sins are too great for God to
forgive.
A person commits a mortal sin and
alleviates his or her guilt by thinking,
“I can just confess it next week before
Communion.”
1. The First Commandment (pp. 428-435)
Charity
Indifference
This is a lack of commitment in
the practice of the Catholic Faith.
Ingratitude
This is a failure to recognize and
acknowledge God’s love exhibited
in his generous blessings.
This is sadness or dejection of the
will with respect to the spiritual
goods received from God.
Acedia
(Spiritual Sloth)
Lukewarmness
Hatred of God
This is a lackluster, lazy, or
perfunctory practice of the
Catholic Faith.
This is hating God due to a
distaste for his laws, resentment
over the consequences of
personal sin, or because of some
severe or tragic suffering.
A person misses Mass on Sunday
because he or she has tickets to a
playoff game.
After a bout with the flu, a person
forgets to thank God, who is the giver
of all good things, including health.
A person hits the snooze button,
causing him or her to rush around in
the morning, leaving no time for
morning prayers.
A person goes to Mass to fulfill the
Sunday obligation, even arriving a
little late.
A person curses God because his or
her best friend died unexpectedly.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 1-6 (p. 447)
Practical Exercises 1-2 (p. 448)
Workbook Questions 1-15
Read “The Virtue of Religion” through the sidebar “Examination of
Conscience: The Second Commandment” (pp. 435-439)
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph discussing the meaning of the First Commandment
with respect to the virtues of faith, hope, and love.
1. The First Commandment
(pp. 428-435)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to analyze three of the points in the examination of
conscience based on the First Commandment (p. 436). For each point,
identify what sin might be behind it, why, and what virtue the sin violates.
(For some points, more than one sin can be attributed.)
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Incorporate the examination of conscience for the Second
Commandment (p. 439) into the Opening Prayer.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the Second Commandment?
 What are sins against the Second Commandment?
KEY IDEAS
 The Second Commandment enjoins people to show the utmost respect
for the name of God.
 Sins against the Second Commandment include disrespect through
blasphemy or false oaths.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the virtue of religion?
It is the moral virtue by which a person gives God the honor and worship
due to him through adoration, prayer, sacrifice, and certain promises or vows.
What is idolatry?
It is treating or addressing a finite being as if it were divine.
What are common, contemporary versions of idolatry?
Common, contemporary versions of idolatry include obsession with
professional work, wealth, power, celebrity, achievement, sports, or even
another person.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the most dreadful sin against the virtue of religion?
Satanic worship is the worst sin against the virtue of religion.
What is superstition?
It is any belief or practice that offers improper worship to God, including
a belief that using certain trinkets, mantras, or rituals will secure a
supernatural effect or help a person avoid bad luck.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is divination?
It is the use of occult powers in an attempt to predict the future or to
obtain information that cannot be discovered through normal channels.
Why is divination dangerous?
Besides being a sin, it may also invite involvement of dangerous demonic
powers.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is magic?
Magic is seeking occult forces through rituals or formulas as a means to
obtain either a good or evil effect. Examples include witchcraft and New
Age practices.
What is irreligion?
Irreligion is disrespect or mockery of God’s goodness and sacred dignity.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTION
What are the two kinds of irreligion?
Sacrilege is grave disrespect, insensitivity, desecration, or malicious action
toward the Sacraments, sacred persons, sacred places, or sacred objects.
Simony is the buying or selling of spiritual goods such as indulgences or
the administration of a Sacrament.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTION
How is respect for a person’s dignity related to the proper use of
his or her name?
An important aspect of recognizing a person’s dignity is addressing him
or her by name, whether a human or divine person. Extension: This is
verified by a plethora of derogatory nicknames.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did the Israelites show their utmost respect for God?
They refused to speak God’s name, instead referring to him as “Lord,”
“the Name,” or using initialisms like YHWH.
How did St. Paul reflect Christians’ respect for God’s name?
St. Paul emphasized the importance and power of God’s name in the
Person of Jesus Christ and the power of the invocation of his name as an
effective means of prayer.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to come up with three common examples of ridicule
of the Faith or using God’s name in vain.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How do sins against the Second Commandment involve the virtue of
religion?
The Second Commandment is a practical application of the virtue of religion,
requiring the proper use of promises and vows and forbidding any irreverent use
of God’s name.
What is a false oath or promise?
A false oath involves calling upon God as a witness to what that person says or
promises to do without having any intention of telling the truth or doing what he
or she promises.
What is blasphemy?
Blasphemy is the act of speaking contemptuously of God or his perfections, or of
the saints, including the Blessed Virgin Mary.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Think/Pair/Share using the following question based on the Catechism,
no. 2148:
 How can the use of God’s name to cover up criminal practices, enslave
people, torture people, or put people to death lead others to repudiate
religion?
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 7-12 (p. 447)
Practical Exercises 1-2 (p. 448)
Workbook Questions 16-33
Read “III. The Third Commandment” through
“Conclusion” (pp. 439-442)
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the meaning of the Second
Commandment and major sins against it.
2. The Second Commandment
(pp. 435-439)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to identity a sin against each of the points of the
examination of conscience based on the Second Commandment (p. 439).
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Incorporate the examination of conscience for the Third Commandment
(p. 441) into the Opening Prayer.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 How do Christians fulfill the Third Commandment?
 What are the sins against the Third Commandment?
KEY IDEAS
 Catholics fulfill the Third Commandment by attending Mass and
resting on Sunday.
 Sins against the Third Commandment include failure to attend Mass
and to observe the Sunday rest.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did the Chosen People of the Old Testament learn the proper way to
worship God?
God himself instructed them how to worship him through a detailed set of laws,
which included the institution of a priesthood, the construction of a temple,
principal feasts, practices of worship, and the observance of the Sabbath.
Why did the people of Israel rest on the Sabbath, or seventh day?
They and everyone and everything under their authority, including animals, were
ordered to rest in imitation of God’s rest on the seventh day of creation.
How did the first Christians worship God?
They practiced the Jewish form of worship in the Temple or the synagogue on
the Sabbath before celebrating the Eucharist in private in their homes on the
Lord’s Day, or Sunday, the day of Christ’s Resurrection.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the two offenses against the Third Commandment?
They are failing to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
and failing to respect the Lord’s Day as a day of rest.
Why is the Sunday obligation serious?
Attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist on Sunday is central to the
Christian life and serves as the principal means by which people receive
instruction in the Faith and the graces of Christ’s redemption.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What can excuse a person from the Sunday obligation?
He or she may only miss Mass for a serious reason.
What are two serious reasons to be excused from the Sunday
obligation?
Two serious reasons for missing Mass include illness and the care of
infants.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
If one is unsure whether he or she has sufficient reason to miss Mass,
what should he or she do?
He or she should consult his or her parish priest.
What is an example of a situation in which it is impossible to attend Mass?
A soldier in battle may not be able to attend Mass, and this would be sufficient
reason to miss Mass.
Why can the Sunday obligation be fulfilled on Saturday evening?
A feast officially begins on the preceding evening. Extension: The Jewish
reckoning of a day begins at sunset and lasts until the next sunset.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the benefits of Sunday rest?
Rest on Sunday gives a person time to worship God, replace lost energy, enjoy
family and friends, and take part in cultural and recreational activities.
What kind of work is permitted on Sunday?
Work that is required for the welfare and safety of the individual and for the
common good—health care workers, police, firefighters, pharmacists, etc.—is
permissible on Sundays. Extension: This is usually referred to as “necessary
work.”
Does necessary work excuse a person from the Sunday obligation to attend
Mass?
No. Time must be made to worship God.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Complete a paragraph shrink on the quote from Dies Domini,
no. 52 (p. 441), about the spirit of the Sabbath rest.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to complete Practical Exercises 5-6 about the
proper use of the Sabbath.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
 Study Questions 13-18 (p. 447)
 Practical Exercises 2-3, 5-6, 8 (p. 448)
 Workbook Questions 34-42
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the obligations of the Third
Commandment.
3. The Third Commandment
(pp. 439-442)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to develop apologetic points for the reasonableness
of the first three Commandments of the Decalogue as the Church
understands them.
THE END