1.

FIRST COMMANDMENT
The book is a complete explanation of
the Ten Commandments.
FIRST COMMANDMENT:
I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD:
YOU SHALL NOT HAVE
STRANGE GODS BEFORE ME.
To purchase the Book, or for theological
inquiries (e-mails only), contact the author:
AUTHOR Rev. Fr. Paolo O. Pirlo, SHMI
EDITION 1st Edition, Manila, July 16, 2016
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
PUBLISHER Sons of Holy Mary Immaculate
Quality Catholic Publications
Isabella De Rosis St., Multinational
1708 Parañaque City, Philippines
Tel. (02) 828-2338
Tel. (02) 828-9509
sonsmaryphil@yahoo.com

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 2. A CATECHIST’S PRAYER
Loving Father, giver of all that is,
help me to remember that every gift
I have comes from you. Expand my
vision so that I can appreciate your
goodness in the world around me.
Jesus, our Redeemer, you are
the path to the treasures of my
heart and soul. Strengthen my
commitment to be a catechist and
deepen my capacity to share your
truth with those in my care.
Holy Spirit, Love Divine, all life
and energy flows from you.
Illuminate my thoughts and
intensify my desire to grow ever
deeper in my faith.
I lift up my prayer to you, God—
Father, Son, and Spirit—in humility
and hope. Amen.
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 3. THE INTRODUCTION
Why does the First Commandment start
with an introduction?

 The introduction follows The

The
Commandments
Commandments
the pattern of ancient are
are aa Covenant
Covenant
royal covenants, in which between
between God
God and
and
the king revealed his name his
his people.
people.
and important deeds. In
return, the people were
expected to render loyalty
and obedience.
 Accordingly, God revealed
his name, “I am Yahweh;”
and declared his
achievement: “I brought
you out of the Land of
Egypt.”
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 4. THE INTRODUCTION
Does the Decalogue apply only to the Jews
or to all men?
 The Decalogue applies to all men alike: the Jews,
because God delivered them from the slavery of Egypt;
and to all other people, because God, through Christ,
rescued them from the bondage of sin and death.
 After reaching the use
of reason, and
provided he is not
blinded by ignorance
or vice, every person
can find the
Decalogue inscribed
in his Conscience.

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5. SUMMARY OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

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 6. FAITH
What are the moral demands of the virtue of Faith?
 The virtue of Faith
requires us to know the
existence and the
nature of God.
 God’s existence can be
demonstrated with the
Proof of Order and
Design: “The universe
display order and
design; these cannot
originate on their own:
therefore, there must
exist a supreme
organizer and designer,
whom we call God.”

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 7. FAITH
What is the meaning of: “Ignorance of Scripture
is ignorance of Christ”?
 This sentence of St. Jerome means that we ought to
study the Bible in order to know and love God.
 St. Paul spoke of “the obedience of faith” (Romans
1:5), because the more we deepen our faith in God,
the more we obey his will.

The
The more
more we
we study
study the
the Bible,
Bible, the
the more
more we
we love
love God.
God.

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 8. HOPE
What are the moral demands of the virtue of Hope?

 The virtue of Hope

requires us to
confidently and actively
wait for God as the final
purpose of our life.

 This expectation should

be confident, that is,
without any doubt; as St.
James wrote: “The one
who doubts is like a wave
of the sea that is driven
and tossed by the wind”
(James 1:6).
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 9. HOPE
What is the difference between
active and passive Hope?

 Active Hope pertains to

working zealously for the
glory of God and the
salvation of souls; while
passive Hope is living in
idleness.

 St. Paul scolded those

who waited for the coming
of Jesus in a passive
mode, commanding:
Every
Every mature
mature Christian
Christian in
in good
good
health
“Those who do not
health ought
ought to
to be
be
gainfully
gainfully employed.
employed. work must not eat” (2
Thess. 3:10).
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 10. LOVE
What are the moral demands of the virtue of Love?
 The virtue of Love
requires us to
worship and serve
God as our Creator
and Provider.
 We worship God by
practicing a regular
spiritual life; as the
old saying goes: “As
a bird without wings,
as a fish without
water, as a soldier
without arms, so is a
Christian without
prayer.”
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 11. LOVE
What is the Shema?
 The Shema is the primary Jewish prayer, which says: “Hear,
O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all
your mind, and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:4-9).
 A copy of the Shema, is carried by the Jews in their arms and
foreheads, and placed on the doorposts of their houses, to be
reminded of the love of God.

A Jewish bracelet with the “SHEMA ISRAEL.”

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 12. ATHEISM & AGNOSTICISM
What is the difference between Atheism and Agnosticism?

ATHEISM: Is the refusal AGNOSTICISM: It is the

lack of concern for God,
to believe in the
based on the supposition that
existence of God. he cannot be known.

“I do not believe in a personal “I don't know if there's a God

God.” – Albert Einstein or not.” – Bill Gates

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 13. ATHEISM & AGNOSTICISM
Why is Atheism a sin?
 Atheism is a sin because the existence of God can be
known by observing the world around us.
 According to
the Principle
of Causality:
If there is a
watch, there
must be a
watchmaker; if
there is a
building, there
must be an
architect; if
there is the
universe, there
must be God.

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 14. ATHEISM & AGNOSTICISM
For what reasons do people become atheists?
PRIDE: IMMORALITY: IGNORANCE:

Some persons, because of The desire to be free of any Many who were raised up in

their intellectual or social morality is a major cause for an unbelieving family or

success, grow in pride to the atheism. The believers are society are atheists because

extent of replacing God with committed to God’s will, they ignore the existence

their ego, with reason, or while the atheists are the and the love of God.

with other ideologies. masters of their own

morality.

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 15. ATHEISM & AGNOSTICISM
Why is Agnosticism a sin?
 Agnosticism is a sin
because it makes a “Do not know if I believe in
person indifferent to God.” - George Clooney
God and to spiritual
matters, and engrossed
in materialism and
hedonism.
 The agnostic motto is:
“Carpe diem,” which
means, “Seize the day.”
Since they do not know
whether there is God and
eternal life, they strive to
enjoy the present day as
much as possible.
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 17. HERESY, SCHISM & APOSTASY
What is the difference between Heresy, Schism and Apostasy?

HERESY: SCHISM: APOSTACY:

It is to profess a belief It is to separate from the It is the renunciation of

contrary to our faith and communion of the Church. Christianity, either to join

another religion or to become

morals.
atheist.

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 18. HERESY, SCHISM & APOSTASY
Why is Heresy a sin?
 Heresy is a sin because it contradicts the truths of
our faith. Jesus gave a warning against the heretics,
when he said: “Many false prophets will appear and
deceive many people” (Matthew 24:11).
 Arius (256-336
Heretics are like
AD), a heretic wolves in sheep’s
priest of clothing.
Alexandria in
Egypt, was
condemned by the
Council of Nicea
(345 AD) for
professing the
false teaching that
Jesus is not God.
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 19. HERESY, SCHISM & APOSTASY
Why is Schism a sin?
 Schism is a sin because it breaks the community of the
Church. The Aglipayans, for instance, are schismatic because
they separated from the Catholic Church without, at first,
changing any major doctrine.

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 20. HERESY, SCHISM & APOSTASY
Why is Apostasy a sin?
 Apostasy is a sin because is a betrayal of the Christian
faith. We must be faithful to our religion till death,
because the apostates will not be saved.
 Martin Luther
Luther while burning the Bull of
(1483-1546), Excommunication.
the initiator of
Protestantism,
began as a
heretic (1519),
became a
schismatic
(1521), and
ended up as an
apostate (1526).

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 21. POLYTHEISM & IDOLATRY
What is the difference between Polytheism and Idolatry?

POLYTHEISM: IDOLATRY:
It is the belief in the It is the worship of objects,
persons, or activities, in
existence of many gods.
place of God.

A series of Hindus The Golden

The Golden Calf
Calf
Divinities. idolized by
idolized by the
the Jews.
Jews.

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 22. POLYTHEISM & IDOLATRY
Why is Polytheism a sin?
 Polytheism is a sin because we must neither believe
nor worship any other divinity than the one true God.

Gadesh, a Hindu divinity, with an elephant face.

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 25. POLYTHEISM & IDOLATRY
Why is Idolatry a sin?
 Idolatry is a sin
The
The Israelites
Israelites committed
committed idolatry
idolatry by
by
because it worshipping
worshipping an
an idol
idol instead
instead of
of God.
God.
worships objects,
persons, or
activities, in place
of God.

 St. Paul considers

idolatry as
foolishness, as he
wrote: “These
became fools …
They worshiped
the creature rather
than the creator”
(Romans 1:22-25).
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 26. POLYTHEISM
& IDOLATRY
What are the Three
Greatest Idols of
humankind?
 The Three Greatest
Idols of humankind
are Greed, Lust, and
Pride, from which all
sins originate.

 They can be
neutralized by means
of the Three
Evangelical Counsels:
Poverty, Chastity,
and Obedience.
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 29. DIVINATION
What is Divination?
 Divination is any form of activity involving the recourse to
supernatural powers, demons, or the souls of the dead,
to manipulate natural forces, to foresee the future, or to
influence the course of events. All these practices are an
“abomination against God” (Deuteronomy 18:12).

Any form of Divination is a deal with the Devil.

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 30. DIVINATION
What are Magic, Sorcery & Necromancy?

MAGIC: SORCERY: NECROMANCY:

Also known as Witchcraft, it is Otherwise called Devilry, it is It is the conjuration of the

the appeal to supernatural the use of magical powers that spirits of the dead for the

powers in order to manipulate are obtained through evil purposes of revealing the future

natural forces and to gain spirits. or influencing the course of

benefits. events.

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 31. DIVINATION
What are Superstition & Astrology?

SUPERSTITION: ASTROLOGY:
It is the attribution of a magical value to It is any activity dealing with the
certain objects or practices. A sacrilegious influence of celestial bodies in human
form of superstition is the carrying of affairs. It includes Chiromancy and
Christian images for immoral means. Horoscope.

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 32. DIVINATION
What is the story of King Saul and the Medium of Endor?
 One day, King Saul
requested the Witch
of Endor to conjure
the soul of prophet
Samuel, in order to
consult him on the
outcome of the
imminent war against
the Philistines.
 Indeed, the spirit of
Samuel appeared,
but only to announce
that God will punish
him and his son with
death for practicing
divination (cf. (cf. 1
Samuel 28:8-29).
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33. INGRATITUDE, INDIFFERENCE & SACRILEGE
What are the three major sins against the virtue of Love?
 The three major sins
against the virtue of Love
are Ingratitude,
Indifference, and
Sacrilege.
 On December 27, 1673,
the Sacred Heart of
Jesus appeared to St.
Margaret Mary Alacoque,
and said: “Behold this
Heart, which has loved
men so much; and in
return I receive from the
greater number nothing
but ingratitude,
The
The apparition
apparition of
of the
the Sacred
Sacred Heart
Heart to
to indifference, and
St.
St. Margaret
Margaret Mary
Mary Alacoque.
Alacoque. sacrileges.”
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34. INGRATITUDE, INDIFFERENCE & SACRILEGE
What are Ingratitude, Indifference & Sacrilege?

INGRATITUDE: INDIFFERENCE: SACRILEGE:

It is the lack of appreciation for It is the lack of concern for God It is an act of disrespect for

God and for his blessings. It is and spiritual matters. Indifferent holy things. The worst kind of

the sin of those who disregard people are engrossed in a sacrilege is against the Holy

the Sunday Mass and pray only materialistic and hedonistic Eucharist, such as receiving the

inOut
Out of
of ten
tenoflepers,
moments need. only
lepers, only Pilate
lifestyle, washed
Pilate and his
care not
washed hisabout sacred species in the state of
one
one was
was grateful.
grateful. hands
hands because
Jesus. because he
he did
did mortal sin.
not
not care.
care.

King
King Belshazzar
Belshazzar died
died for
for
desecrating the Temple’s
desecrating the Temple’s
holy
holy vessels.
vessels.

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 35. PRESUMPTION & DESPAIR
What are Presumption & Despair?

PRESUMPTION: DESPAIR:
It is the supposition that a person can be saved upon It is the assumption that a person cannot be saved
his own capacity, without any help from God. It is a because of his many sins. It is a sin for two
sin: first, because it causes a person to rely in his reasons: first, because it is a lack of faith in God’s
self-righteousness; second, because it makes the mercy; second, because it is a lack of trust in man’s
incarnation and conversion.
redemption of Christ irrelevant.

The
The presumptuous
presumptuous Pharisee
Pharisee Despair
Despair drove
drove Judas
Judas
was
was rejected
rejected by
by God.
God. Iscariot
Iscariot to
to suicide.
suicide.

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 36. THE MAKING OF IMAGES
What kind of images are prohibited by the First Commandment?

IMAGES OF IDOLS: IMAGES OF GOD:

The making and worshipping of images of idols is In the Old Testament, the making of images of
forbidden by God, who said: “You shall not make the true God was also prohibited, because the
for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything … you infinite and eternal Lord cannot be symbolized by
shall not bow down before them or serve them” limited and contingent representations.
The
The Israelites
(Exodus Israelites
20:4-5). committed
committed idolatry
idolatry
by
by worshipping
worshipping the
the Golden
Golden Calf.
Calf.

God
God is
is pure
pure spirit
spirit and
and cannot
cannot be
be
represented
represented by
by material
material images.
images.

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 37. THE MAKING OF IMAGES
Did God prohibit the making of images?
 God did not prohibit us from making images of the angels and
the saints, or of the people we love, but from making images of idols
and of God.
 In fact, God ordered
Moses to make the
images of two
cherubim on the Ark of
the Covenant, and of a
bronze serpent on a
pole.
 If images were
prohibited, we should
avoid any picture
taking, remove all
statues from public
places, and even get rid
of our money bills,
which have images on
them.
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 38. THE MAKING OF IMAGES
Why do we make images of the Trinity?
 In the Old Testament, the
images of God were not
allowed. In the New
Testament, however, we can
have images of Jesus,
since he made himself
visible; and of the Holy
Spirit as dove and fire,
because he revealed himself
in that form.
 We might represent the
Father by way of analogy;
meaning, the attributes of a
human father might be
applied to represent the
divine Father in heaven.
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 39. THE MAKING OF IMAGES
What is the difference between Iconoclasm and Iconolatry?

ICONOCLASM: ICONOLATRY:
It is the deliberate destruction of all religious It is the adoration of religious images in

images as contrary to God’s will. It is based on the themselves, on the belief that they have

supposition that the faithful might commit the sin supernatural powers. This superstitious form of

of idolatry, by worshipping religious images instead idolatry was always condemned by the Church.
Many
Many We,
We, Catholics,
Catholics, do
do not
not adore
adore
ofProtestant
God.
Protestant images
images in
in themselves,
themselves, but
but
denominations
denominations venerate
venerate the
the person
person they
they
require
require their
their represent.
represent.
members
members to to
destroy
destroy all
all the
the
religious
religious
images
images in
in their
their
possession.
possession.

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 40. THE MAKING OF IMAGES
What is the Church’s position regarding the veneration of images?
 The Church’s official
position was defined at
the Second Council
of Nicaea of 787 in
these terms:

 “Christians are allowed

to venerate holy
images, representing
Jesus, the Angels and
the Saints, as models
of Christian life and
aids for prayer; but
According
According toto tradition,
tradition, St.
St. Luke
Luke painted
painted
are never allowed to
the
the first
first icon
icon of
of the
the Virgin
Virgin Mary.
Mary. worship them as
idols.”
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 41. THE VENERATION
OF THE SAINTS
What is the difference between
Adoration and Veneration?

 Adoration is the
worship rendered to
God alone, whom we
love as our creator
and provider.

 Veneration is the
act of respect we
render to the Saints,
as a source of
inspiration,
instruction and
intercession.
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 42. THE VENERATION OF THE SAINTS
What are the three reasons why we venerate the Saints?

INSPIRATION: INSTRUCTION: INTERCESSION:

The lives of the Saints inspire us The Saints’ teachings instruct The prayers of the Saints

to become like Jesus. For us to become Holy. For instance: intercede to God for our needs.

instance: when venerating St. when reading the Rule of St. For instance, at Cana, Jesus

Francis, we are inspired to Benedict, we learn to sanctify transformed water into wine

become simple and joyful. our life by prayer and work. upon Mary’s intercession.

St.
St. Francis
Francis inspires
inspires us
us to
to St.
St. Benedict
Benedict instructs
instructs us
us Mary
Mary interceded
interceded toto Jesus
Jesus
be
be simple
simple and
and joyful.
joyful. to
to pray
pray and
and work.
work. on
on behalf
behalf of
of the
the spouses.
spouses.

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