Hey there, The mind is a powerful thing. It can heal our body. It can minimize pain. It can alter reality. The mind can also do harm. This is where the Ninth Commandment comes in. The first eight commandments deal with actions that are sinful. The last two commandments are different. They deal with sins based on thoughts … including today’s Ninth Commandment: thou shalt not covet thy …
NOT Bearing False Witness Against Your Neighbor
Hey there, “Bear false witness.” The eighth commandment uses such old fashioned language that it may get a little lost in translation. We tend to think of it as lying. And that’s accurate. But it goes beyond telling an untruth … to also encompass things like knowingly misleading, gossiping, defaming, and omitting the truth.. This week’s issue of Genuflect takes a modern day look at …
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Stealing: It’s About Respecting More Than Property
Hey there, One of my favorite movies is Ocean’s Eleven. Eleven con men come together to rob 3 Las Vegas Casinos of millions of dollars. We watch as the team is assembled. We see the planning and practicing. We see the successful con … and we see the celebration. We root for them every step of the way … and delight in their success. Ocean’s Eleven glorifies theft. And there are …
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Uncovering The Sin of Adultery
Hey there, The question is asked. “Is there anything more beautiful in life than a boy and a girl clasping clean hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage? Can there be anything more beautiful than young love?” And the answer is given. “Yes there is a more beautiful thing. It is an old man and an old woman finishing their life’s journey together on that path. Their hands are …
The Fifth Commandment’s Call to Respect Human Life
Hey there, Noah was taking the animals into the ark in pairs as he had been commanded by God. He took in elephants, giraffes, cows, bears, monkeys and all the animals. Finally, he tried to take in a donkey. He told the donkey to go in, but the donkey would not go in. He tried pushing the donkey in, but the donkey would not move. He tried pulling the donkey in, but the donkey would not …
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Honoring Your Father And Your Mother
Hey there, A few years ago I was visiting one of my kids at college and I decided to take advantage of confession that was offered ahead of Mass at the campus Catholic church. I sat face to face with the Priest and he asked me how my relationship was with my parents. Sadly, I reported to him that my parents were both deceased. And we moved on to another topic. I thought at the time it was …
Remembering to Keep Holy The Sabbath
Hey there, I remember when I was young, there were certain items you couldn’t purchase on Sunday. More than one Sunday we were told we couldn’t purchase some items in our cart. That’s because there were “blue laws” in place that allowed stores to only sell items that were necessities. Like medicine, food, and some beverages. And apparently even further back in the 18th century, the …
Removing Blasphemy From Your Vocabulary
Hey there, My father never cursed … ever. Well, truthfully, there was one time shortly before his death when he was hospitalized with an illness, suffering from dementia, and highly agitated. In his anger, he threw out a curse word … and I was shocked. It was the only time I ever heard foul language come from his mouth. He was a member of the “greatest generation” and a true gentleman. I …
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Delving Into The First Commandment’s Deeper Meanings
Hey there, Have you ever found out years later that a song you love has a deeper meaning? One of my favorites, “Hotel California” by The Eagles, with lyrics about checking out, but you can never leave … is a veiled reference to the greed of the music industry that traps musicians. John Lennon said that his timeless hit “Imagine” is actually a Communist Manifesto. Lots of things can …
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Making The Most of Catholic Advent And Christmas Seasons
Hey there, When I was growing up, we never put our Christmas decorations up until after Dec. 13th. I recall this so clearly because that’s my birthday. We always waited until after then to get our live tree, put our lights on our house, and hang our stockings with care. I spent the first part of December anticipating my birthday, and then the second half celebrating Christmas. And you know …
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Being More Charitable Every Day
Hey there, Wherever you look you see someone asking for a handout. It may be a person on the side of the road, or a charitable organization calling your house, or your niece’s school fundraiser. There’s no escaping it. Don’t get me wrong, these are people or organizations in need and it’s great to donate when we can. But financial contributions are not the only form of Charity. There …
Getting Into The Rhythm of The Liturgical Year
Hey there, It’s well documented that when we hear music we like, we experience a physiological reaction that’s involuntary, exciting, sometimes unexpected, and often enjoyable. We may not know the reason … or even be conscious of it, but we enjoy the way we feel when we listen to music, and we instinctively believe that listening to music might be one of the only ways to feel those …
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