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PART II
RULE OF CONDUCT
AS LAID DOWN IN THE COMMANDMENTS
OF GOD
It is not enough to belong to the Church and to believe in the teachings
of Jesus to be saved; we must also keep the Commandments of God.
“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments.” (Matt. 19:17).
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS OF
LOVE
One day a Scribe asked Our Lord which is the first Commandment.
He answered: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart,
and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength. This is the
first commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than
these.” (Mark 12:30, 31).
We should love God above all things because He is all-good, and because
He created, redeemed, and sanctifies us, and daily gives us many graces.
“Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.” (1 Jn.
4:19).
We show that we love God by keeping the Commandments.
“He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me.”
(John 14:21).
Our neighbor is everybody.
We should love our neighbor:
1) Because God loves him
2) Because we are all created
by the Heavenly Father
3) Because God calls all men to
be brothers and sisters of the Redeemer
4) Because Jesus commands us to
love him.
“Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray
for them that persecute and calumniate you." (Matt. 5:44).
We show love to our enemies:
1) By forgiving them from
our hearts
2) By helping them in their
needs
3) By praying for them.
“If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you
your offenses.” (Matt 6:15).
We must love ourselves, because God commands this. “Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Mark 12:31).
True love of one’s self means to seek first and above all things our
eternal happiness.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice.”
(Luke 12:31).
The Bible gives us many beautiful examples of the love of neighbor
and enemy. These examples are explained in the Corporal and Spiritual
Works of Mercy.
The Corporal Works of Mercy:
1. To feed the hungry
2. To give drink to the thirsty
3. To clothe the naked
4. To give shelter to the homeless
5. To visit the imprisoned
6. To visit the sick
7. To bury the dead.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy:
1. To warn sinners
2. To instruct the ignorant
3. To counsel the doubting
4. To comfort the sorrowing
5. To bear wrongs patiently
6. To forgive wrongs
7. To pray for the living and the dead |
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