Monday, March 11, 2013
445. What does God prohibit by his command, “You shall not have other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2)? (part 4 continuation)
(Comp 445 repetition) This commandment
forbids: * Polytheism and idolatry, which divinizes creatures, power, money, or
even demons. * Superstition which is a departure from the worship due to the
true God and which also expresses itself in various forms of divination, magic,
sorcery and spiritism. * Irreligion which is evidenced: in tempting God by word
or deed; in sacrilege, which profanes sacred persons or sacred things, above
all the Eucharist; and in simony, which involves the buying or selling of
spiritual things. * Atheism which rejects the existence of God, founded often
on a false conception of human autonomy. * Agnosticism which affirms that
nothing can be known about God, and involves indifferentism and practical
atheism.
“In brief”
(CCC 2139) Tempting God in words
or deeds, sacrilege, and simony are sins of irreligion forbidden by the first
commandment.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2118) God's first commandment condemns the main sins of
irreligion: tempting God, in words or deeds, sacrilege, and simony. (CCC 2119) Tempting God consists in putting his
goodness and almighty power to the test by word or deed. Thus Satan tried to
induce Jesus to throw himself down from the Temple and, by this gesture, force
God to act (Cf. Lk 4:9). Jesus opposed Satan with the word of God: "You
shall not put the LORD your God to the test" (Deut 6:16). The challenge
contained in such tempting of God wounds the respect and trust we owe our
Creator and Lord. It always harbors doubt about his love, his providence, and
his power (Cf. 1 Cor 10:9; Ex 17:2-7; Ps 95:9). (CCC 2120) Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the
sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things, or places
consecrated to God. Sacrilege is a grave sin especially when committed against
the Eucharist, for in this sacrament the true Body of Christ is made
substantially present for us (Cf. CIC, cann. 1367; 1376).
Reflection
(CCC 2121) Simony
is defined as the buying or selling of spiritual things (Cf. Acts 8:9-24). To
Simon the magician, who wanted to buy the spiritual power he saw at work in the
apostles, St. Peter responded: "Your silver perish with you, because you
thought you could obtain God's gift with money!" (Acts 8:20). Peter thus
held to the words of Jesus: "You received without pay, give without
pay" (Mt 10:8; cf. already Isa 55:1). It is impossible to appropriate to
oneself spiritual goods and behave toward them as their owner or master, for
they have their source in God. One can receive them only from him, without
payment. (CCC 2122) The minister should ask nothing for the administration of
the sacraments beyond the offerings defined by the competent authority, always
being careful that the needy are not deprived of the help of the sacraments
because of their poverty"(CIC, can. 848). The competent authority
determines these "offerings" in accordance with the principle that
the Christian people ought to contribute to the support of the Church's
ministers. "The laborer deserves his food" (Mt 10:10; cf. Lk 10:7; 2
Cor 9:5-18; 1 Tim 5:17-18). [IT
CONTINUES]
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