Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part VIII.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part VIII. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).   

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2125) Since it rejects or denies the existence of God, atheism is a sin against the virtue of religion (Cf. Rom 1:18). The imputability of this offense can be significantly diminished in virtue of the intentions and the circumstances. "Believers can have more than a little to do with the rise of atheism. To the extent that they are careless about their instruction in the faith, or present its teaching falsely, or even fail in their religious, moral, or social life, they must be said to conceal rather than to reveal the true nature of God and of religion" (GS 19 § 3).       

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2126) Atheism is often based on a false conception of human autonomy, exaggerated to the point of refusing any dependence on God (Cf. GS 20 § 1). Yet, "to acknowledge God is in no way to oppose the dignity of man, since such dignity is grounded and brought to perfection in God...." (GS 21 § 3) "For the Church knows full well that her message is in harmony with the most secret desires of the human heart" (GS 21 § 7).        

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Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part VII.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part VII. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).    

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2123) "Many… of our contemporaries either do not at all perceive, or explicitly reject, this intimate and vital bond of man to God. Atheism must therefore be regarded as one of the most serious problems of our time" (GS 19 § 1).    

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2124) The name "atheism" covers many very different phenomena. One common form is the practical materialism which restricts its needs and aspirations to space and time. Atheistic humanism falsely considers man to be "an end to himself, and the sole maker, with supreme control, of his own history" (GS 20 § 1). Another form of contemporary atheism looks for the liberation of man through economic and social liberation. "It holds that religion, of its very nature, thwarts such emancipation by raising man's hopes in a future life, thus both deceiving him and discouraging him from working for a better form of life on earth" (GS 20 § 2).      

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Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part VI.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part VI. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).    

A deepening through CCC

(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.    

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(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).       

(This question: “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?  is continued)

Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part V.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part V. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).    

A deepening through CCC

(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).        

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(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).       

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Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 355 – Part IV.

YOUCAT Question n. 355 - Part IV. “You shall not have strange Gods before me.” What does that mean?

(Youcat answer - repeated) This commandment forbids us: to adore other gods and pagan deities or to worship an earthly idol or to devote oneself entirely to some earthly good (money, influence, success, beauty, youth, and so on); to be superstitious, which means to adhere to esoteric, magic, or occult or New Age practices or to get involved with fortune telling or spiritualism, instead of believing in God’s power, providence, and blessings; to provoke God by word or deed; to commit a sacrilege; to acquire spiritual power through corruption and to desecrate what is holy through trafficking (simony).     

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2117) All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity.

Reflecting and meditating 

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2118) God's first commandment condemns the main sins of irreligion: tempting God, in words or deeds, sacrilege, and simony.   

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