While I was able to read the introduction, it’s really hard because nothing wants to enter in my mind. Actually, I’m found myself lazy on that night. It is useless for me to read on that time. So I decided not to and just start typing next morning, at dawn to be exact. But as I go on skimming the text, few lines caught my attention.
From Martin Luther’s Large Catechism (1529), “God rightly calls all persons murderers who do not offer counsel and aid to men in need and in peril of body and life.” I believe in the content that this justification focuses not only to the external actions done by a man where it is asked whether it is right of wrong. It also tackles the inside character and particular relationships. For a man who could kill someone, someone’s to criticize not only for what he had done, but what kind of person he was. Right or wrong, there’s always something we could say to a person because we think that this thoughts may also help us to improve how to deal with that particular person.
The Ten Commandments are a rock because they express the providential sovereignty of God. Recognizing His power to rule us over anything may show at the Ten Commandments he had given to Moses as we read the account in Exodus. Obeying and paying attention to this is a way of entering the presence of care and loving God in our lives. Like the passages written in the Bible, some individuals had a glimpse of our providential God, especially Moses who was given a task. It was only showed that anyone of us could see a glimpse of Him if we have strong faith and recognizes His power over us and His name – we may do this on our prayers, and how we could show our devotion for him.
Now, after God had given Moses the Ten Commandments, the first tablet referred to the love of God; and the seven commandments written on the other tablet related to the love of our neighbor.
The First Commandment
“Thou shall not have other gods beside me.” – There is only one God. Only one who has the power to rule over us. Why do we need to worship and praise others as we go on thinking what’s their right to be praised of? We must know how we can violate this Commandment to avoid doing it. Try to escape from encountering some acts that contradicts you to praise Him like fortune-telling and practice divinations.
Hmm… I don’t really understand how being merciful or rescuing someone is related to this Commandment. Is it because God wants to teach us that we should practice our merciful heart; or just a conclusion of another belief? But, anyways, I should do my reflection based on the texts from the book.
As we go on, the author believes that “Mercy is an act of rescue.” Well, I agree with him because God showed this act to us. How? If we come to think of it, it is because of His merciful heart and love for us why we are rescued from evil (which is Satan), and continued living life up to this point of time. What’s rescuing means? It is saving someone out of danger, and as creatures created by God Himself, our danger is our sins.
The writer said that by understanding his belief helps us to realize the powerful utterances (prayer) of an ailing person who cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” They were crying because they’re asking for help for their illnesses. And goes to show God’s intimate saving actions in our own lives. It is hereby to see what He had done for us from the pasts and us, as His creatures must return it back by showing comprehension to His commands. Praise Him, only Him.
The Second Commandment
I love this law… “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord, your God in vain.” We must really not to play or destroy the name, image, and identity of the Lord. What’s our right to do that after salvation from evil and live long enough? They may say, it’s only an expression; but still, you’re destroying Him. Why? You can use other expressions of your own!
In the book, the author said that if we invoke someone’s name, we are invoking authority because their respected name carries their authority. Invoking someone’s name has two characteristics. First, to know this person based on his tone of respect because respect and disregard are part of our culture expressed in tone. The way we speak to that person may also reflect what kind of personality you had. Second, how we could communicate with love because by a simple act like utterance of a person’s name, we can show how our love is for them.
So too with the Lord, the way we utter His name contemplates how much respect we must gain for Him and how much love we could give, for us to give for the others. I believe that each individual has a different personality that serves as different uniqueness of the Lord. And by respecting their names, we respect Him. By showing how much of love we had, we prove it to Him.
The Third Commandment
As Christians, it is really our duty to “Always remember the Sabbath day,” not because we are ought to do so, but because this is the way and day we must give thanks to the Lord for the things He had done for us, for the blessings. This is also one way to mold us as Christians. I remember the story of one of my teachers; he was asked “how and why” that thing was produce. Then he answered, “Because it is the rule.” As for me, yes he’s right Ü, for it is really the rule and sometimes, we don’t have to ask, just follow; and because that’s the way we always do things.
The author included in his writings what’s God’s purpose of this stage. First is to rest. Rest for me is an act of freeing your mind all over again for a new start. In order for us to open a new day and have peaceful minds, we must really rest, recreate ourselves. Second is, we must celebrate.
We all know that celebration is not only for important occasions. Of course, if we are resting, we must celebrate that we have time to clear our minds after all the thoughts. And as Christians, the celebration of the Lord’s day means “thanks giving”, and is through the Eucharist. Last one is to gather. It is where we could find ourselves together with our brothers and sisters (the children of God) celebrating and simultaneously remember Him.
The Fourth Commandment
We think that this commandment calls us to obey because we learned it that way, and the first virtue we were taught was the virtue of obedience. But the commandment says, “Honor your father and your mother” but we translate it from honor to “obey”. What’s the difference of the two? What is ‘to give honor’ to you? Yes, I believe that honoring someone has a difference with obeying him.
Honor is our act to give a great respect, and our way to respect (our parents) is by obeying them. They’re like our parents here on Earth. They’re our first teachers who guides and molds us to the bright future. They are the way how we could deal others as well. So, it is our duty to give honor for we must be thankful.
Years past, and if they were aged, not only obedience could show respect. A simple act of listening to their stories is also a way we could express their great value in us. And by accepting their thoughts of you, right or wrong, just smile and think of the things – that may be a compliment. You don’t have to loathe because when the time comes, you’ll going to miss them to. Spent time and listen.
We are summoned to face, acknowledge and claim them, for better or worse, as our own. We are to appease to those stories and those persons, our parents. But beyond reconciliation, we are called to let those before us to speak again, not as parents commanding obedience, but as adults sharing their years and life-experiencing before we were born. Now, we are to cherish their memories, so as to honor them. We must also know them as they knew us.
Obey, not because you are ought to do so, but because of love and respect. Be thankful for the years and they shared their lives with you, they share their stories. Someday, we’ll experience how to become one of them. We could experience difficulties from the start. But what I said, “Spent time and listen,” because the virtue of listening is for an individual to understand and learn.
The Fifth Commandment
What is life for you? – A borrowed one? What comes into your mind when we are to talk about life? In the book, he said that the face of a baby is a wonderful expression of life. Well, I believe him; because in life, our first step here in the Earth is to become a baby – and give light to everyone. And also, as a Christian, human life for us is a promise. Different promises of God were showed here.
First is the promise of God as Creator who made us, His creatures an image of Him. Second is the promise of God as Redeemer who sacrificed and gave His life to the Father to save and be forgiven to our sins and continue life. Next, is the promise of God as Provider who leads us and gave us Holy Spirit to guide us in the right path we must able to take. Last thought is the promise of God made visible to us and was taught generation to generation.
If we are to look at a certain baby, back in our minds, we are asking: “What’s within this kid?” “What’s going to happen to him?” – A mystery of life. Not only ‘love is like a rosary, full of mystery’ because life is also a charade. You don’t know what’s coming next until it was acted. You don’t know what to do in your next days, if you’re still alive or not.
What makes killing forbidden? In a law, killing is a major offense. Because we are not counting to ‘just’ a life, we are counting God’s life and we have no rights to violate this. It is ours. Life was God’s property.
This is why we’re preventing death-dealing practices because it does contradict the giftedness and promise of life. Instead of learning these stuffs, we must learn how to respect especially human life. Because without respect to human life, we are prone to destroy it. So, for the babies out there, if they’re still a kid, let’s help them learn things in a better way. We do not let them behind because they’re just babies. Remember that “They’re our hope for our country.”
The Sixth Commandment
There’s nothing wrong about having a relationship. But having an affair to someone and cheat to your partner, that’s a different conversation. In a school, cheating is a major offense, right? Likewise in a relationship, our so called ‘third party’ is the most main reasons why some couples have to break up. I believe that cheating is lying. Because when you cheat, you’re not going to tell it to someone and when your partner asks you, you’re not going to tell the truth, and by not telling the truth is lying.
If the fifth commandment is about life, the sixth is about the body. But we must talk first about the mind. Yes, mind… because a certain body cannot move without the mind asking to do something, or without someone holding or touching him. A body cannot just decide on its own. Things that you’re body is doing is usually comes first in your mind.
Body is the reality of communication. Yes, it is true because our body is the ones who act what’s in your mind. In here, we let others feel what they are supposed to feel. We let reality takes place for what we’re thinking of. But we must be responsible about taking actions because you may not know what we’re doing.
Like destroying a certain marriage, ruining their vows as husband and wife. It is not just a ‘physical thing’ but yes, we are also hurting someone else’s feeling. And violating them is an act of betrayal. Unfaithfulness to someone you were vowed for in front of Our Lord – Lying not only to your partner but to the child of God and to Him.
The Seventh Commandment
There’s no good in stealing. If we know someone’s ownership, return it back. If you know it is not yours, do not interfere without any consent of the owner. Like in the story that is said in the book, we have to give up to a person his stuff though he’s has no longer interested in it. If he gave it, take it. Just don’t steal it and make different alibis.
Kidnapping is also an act of stealing. Because when we say “stealing”, what comes first into our minds is an act done in a physical manner. And invading others property… like what I said, if the owner gave it, take it or whatever you want, if not, leave it where it has to be. Let’s try to think of the stuffs or actions that we’re doing. We may not notice our mistakes if someone don’t tell it.
“Theft” in spiritual means, is the revelation of the act of what you covet in mind. And you use this for the sake of bestowal or transferring something for you; for you to enjoy your own. Stealing or theft is taking someone’s property in an unlawful manner. And sometimes, you’re acting like that thing is really yours when you know to yourself that is not. The right definition of this argument is not that “‘taking’ something that doesn’t belong to you,” but “‘claiming something…”
The Eighth Commandment
Simply right: “At every ‘don’t’ is a ‘do’. Don’t kill, steal, lie, commit adultery, destroy are the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth commandment. Why we are ask to DO avoid these things? – To respect and protect the human life and body, to promote justice and truth. This is to prevent false witnessing against thy neighbor.
For us to promote justice and especially the truth, we must start in ourselves. We must have the courage of telling a fact to something. Be a TRUE witness! Not a false one that may lead a danger to an individual. This is a true justice is.
Like in a crime, you are one of the witnesses and you decided not to tell the truth… where is your conscience? You will agree that the camp (family) of the suspect will just pay for your silence? How about the justice and rights of the victim? Because of the money, you lost your personality that leads justice and truth reign. You let yourself be dirt in the society because of money.
Remember that money is nothing without dignity. Then, you’re telling, “Of course, I have my dignity!” How are you gaining your dignity? If you have respect to yourself, you must know how to respect others. Learn to yourself and not from others that you think has great ideas; because you may not learned all lessons in life from the others.
Speak what we believe! Enable your leadership and guide everyone to pursue the truth not only for our country, but also for the justice of the people living and hoping for a better something in it. To do this, we must listen, understand, respect, and look into reality of life. I am speaking because it is an idea; I am speaking because it is a command from Him. Don’t be a Pontius Pilate of anything just to save your own life.
The Ninth and Tenth Commandment
“Thou shalt not covet your neighbor’s wife; your neighbor’s goods.”
Coveting is an act of wanting or longing something (that another person has) in your mind with envy. To covet is going beyond simply admiring someone else's possessions or thinking “I’d like to have one of those.” Coveting includes envy – resenting the fact that others have what you don't. So if your neighbor has a beautiful wife and you began thinking “I’d like to have her for my own,” you are therefore coveting. And if you’re trying to look at a woman with lust, you now commit adultery with her and starting to want her.
In our report last discussion, I was able to speak about the difference of the thought of wanting something and needing a thing. Of course, aside from its spelling, when you said that you ‘need’ something, it is for me an essential. Like, let’s say… a necessary thing to a person. Each of us has needs in life. Like a shelter, food, clothes, attention, love, security.
Now, wanting something is very different from needing because these things are not your necessities in life. Sometimes, these wants is just because of ‘you are envy with’ that belongings. Not just belongings. At times, it is to someone. Coveting is occasionally because of the expectations of that person.
If we are expecting something, like “Why I don’t have yours and he has?” Then we are disappointed and starting to think of that we must have what he had. If it’s a woman, you’re coveting his wife, and if to things, you’re coveting his goods. Whatever it is, you’re still coveting and pursuing the disobedience to the commandments of God. Different acts but same idea.
But there’s a way we could overcome covetousness. First is the act of conversion, the change of our heart. Be pure and not to think evil. Clean not only your heart, but also with your mind. So that, reform may follow… the change of our lives. Of course, you cannot start into something huge already. We must gradually change what it has to be change, little by little. After changing, cleaning, try to think what to restore or what we call in overcoming covetousness is the act of restitution that means making up for the loss or damage. Reflect on the things you had done. Say sorry, for the wrong thoughts…
