Lesson 10:

YES FAMILY
AND HUMAN
LIFE
How do
we value
families and
human life?
Human life is God’s greatest gift to us.

Our lives are sacred especially because God

made us alive in His own image and likeness.

God further dignified human life by sending His divine

Son to become man like us in all things except sin.

Hence, respect for human life is an important human and

Christian virtue. To care for our own life and the lives of
others is our moral responsibility, entrusted to us by God,
which we share with all other persons.
Respect for
human life forms
the basis for the
fourth and fifth
commandments

The 4th Commandment,

“Honor your father and
your mother,” relates the
origin of our human lives. Our
parents share in God’s
creative act of bringing
human persons into this world
through us their children.
The 5th
Commandment,
“You shall not kill,”
protects the value of
human life by rejecting all
they threaten it.

Both the responsible

transmission of human life,
and the protection and
promotion of the quality of
human life, are concrete
means of loving our
neighbors.
 THE FOURTH
COMMANDMENT
THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

“Honor your father and your mother,” (Exodus 20:12).

Its original meaning referred more to the obligation of
grown children, now adults, to take care of their aged
parents,

“My son, my steadfast in honoring your father; do not

grieve his as long as he lives. Even if his mind fails, be
considerate of him; do not revile him because you are
in your prime.” (Sirach 3:12-13)
The family is the
original cell of social
life.

It is the natural society

in which husband and
wife are called to give
themselves in love
and in the gift of life.
Authority, stability,
and a life of relationships
within the family
constitute the foundations
for freedom, security, and
fraternity within society.

The family is the community in

which, from childhood, one can
learn moral values, begin to honor
God, and make good use of
freedom. Family life is an
initiation into life in society.
(CCC 2207)
The 4th and 5th Commandment are connected in a
special manner. Human life and parents are not to
be evaluated in terms of productivity.

Aged, unproductive parents, just like Sunday rest and

worship, have their own fundamental personal value
and worth which must be respected.

And respect for aged parents is a necessary virtue not

just for the individual family, but for the community as
well. Respect for the aged community create and
actively builds up the Christian community.
The 4th Commandment
enjoins equal respect for
both parents. They are to
receive equal respect,
despite their role in the
family.

The commandment
liberates and frees us
from enslavement to
false norms on human
worth and responsibility.
The Duties of Children

2215 Respect for parents (filial piety) derives from

gratitude toward those who, by the gift of life, their
love and their work, have brought their children into
the world and enabled them to grow in stature,
wisdom, and grace.

"With all your heart honor your father, and do not forget
the birth pangs of your mother. Remember that through
your parents you were born; what can you give back to
them that equals their gift to you?"
Filial respect is shown
by true docility and
obedience.

As long as a child lives at

home with his parents, the
child should obey his parents
in all that they ask of him when
it is for his good or that of the
family. "Children, obey your
parents in everything, for this
pleases the Lord."
Children should also
obey the reasonable
directions of their
teachers and all to
whom their parents have
entrusted them. But if a
child is convinced in
conscience that it would
be morally wrong to
obey a particular order,
he must not do so. (CCC
2216, 2217)
But, in some cases the 4th Commandment can be hard to
keep. One obstacle is that not all fathers and mothers act
as loving parents. There are many ways that filial love is not
shown, such as Child abuse and child neglect.

Sadly, many children experience psychological disturbances,

traumatic experiences, and other forms of suffering because of
parental action or neglect.

More often, poverty and destitution prevent even the self-

sacrificing Filipino parents to provide of their children with basic
necessities.
Thus, enduring
love and patience
is essential on the
part of both parents
and children. To
respect and honor a
parent who is
unloving is not easy.
Escape is easier.
But, God wills that all may live in peace,
harmony, and love. This is made possible
through the grace of the Holy Spirit who gives
us the strength to forgive, to be more patient,
understanding, and to be strong to face the
greater challenges in life. This character is
fostered by an active prayer life and
openness to Christ’s spirit.
 THE FIFTH
COMMANDMENT
THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT

“You shall not kill,” (Exodus 20:13). Its forbids

direct attacks on human life and physical integrity.
It protects God’s gift of life and promotes care and
respect for the life and integrity of all persons despite
age, race, religion, and beliefs on different matters.

The basis for the extraordinary value of human life is

GOD. He is the Lord the Giver of life, in whom “we
live and move and have our being”(Acts 17:28)
• Jesus linked the fifth commandment with the
Commandment of love. “ You have heard that it
was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate
you enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and
pray for those who persecute you, that you may be
children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His son
rise on the bad and the good, causes rain to fall on the
just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45).
• A person can also kill through thought. Jesus said,
“Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you
know that no murderer has no eternal life remining in
him”. (1 John 3:15)
• The fifth commandment forbids anger. “
You have heard that it was said to your
ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills
will be liable to judgement. But I say to you,
whoever is angry with his brother will be liable
to judgment…” (Matthew 5:21-22)

• Jesus pointed out that killing, both

physically and mentally, starts from anger
of the heart.
We must be
guarded against
temptations of
anger, hatred,
revenge, and
violence, so that we
my be truly sons
and daughters of
God.
• The basic value behind the Fifth
Commandment and the teaching of
Jesus is that God alone is the ultimate
Lord and Master of life.
• Life comes from God and He continually
sustain it, therefore it belongs to Him.
• The 5th commandment is not just about “not
killing”, but of protecting, promoting, and
enhancing the quality of life.
• It calls us to respect life and human dignity of
others.
• The Church emphasizes that it is our moral
obligation to respect human life from womb
to tomb, form the moment of conception until
death, despite one’s status on different
matters.

• Negligence of respecting human life or worse

violation of the of the 5th commandment is
something that we will be accountable for
before the Lord on the day of Judgement.
Offenses against the 5th Commandment
include:

• Murder
• Genocide
• Abortion- deliberate ejection of a
nonviable fetus from the mother’s womb
• Unjust Euthanasia-
mercy killing or doing away with the
handicapped and terminally ill
• Willful suicide- act of taking one’s own
life.
Violations against the
integrity of the human
person include:

• Mutilation
• Physical and mental
torture
• Undue psychological
pressure
• Euthanasia
• Willful suicide
Offenses against
human dignity
includes:

• Subhuman living
conditions
• Arbitrary
imprisonment
• Deportation
• Prostitution
We as Christians should ground our valuing
of human life in the Triune God- The Source of
Life- our Faith safeguards reverence for parents and
for human life in an unshakable way.

We should understand that No power or institution on

earth can take away the human person’s inalienable
dignity

Believing in God our living Creator and doing His will

stands as our answer to our longing for true freedom,
justice, and peace.
REFERENCES:
• Afire with Gratitude: We live a life of love
pages 133-139