Remember the 10 commandments?
"I, the LORD am your God,.....
You shall not have other gods besides me.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain.
"Remember to keep holy the sabbath day.
Honor your father and your mother,....
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,
nor anything else that belongs to him."
I was teaching a religious ed. class about the ten commandments. In the hour I had to teach my students the ten commandments we'd covered maybe 4 and time was not on my side. I was trying to cover them in a way the kids would understand and in a way that would make a change in how my students looked at Christ. Then Father O'Shea came in and watched the lesson for a few minutes. After a pause I pointed to our priest at the back of the room and, as I taught them, the students all stood up in respect. Father O'Shea shook his head and had everyone sit back down. I asked him if he had anything to add to the lesson, knowing what a silly question that was. He looked around the room and in his Irish lilt explained that the Ten Commandments were taught by Christ in many ways. He went through each of them quickly and then told the kids that the most important way to view the ten commandments was in Christ's teaching of the golden rule. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.i This is the law and the prophets." He then told a short story of when he was in school that was witty but poignant. With those few words Father O'Shea related to those students what was going to take me another class period to complete. Someone once said that if you understand something well enough, you can make it simple for others. If when you explain something to others, you have a difficult time simplifying it, then you don't know enough about the subject yourself. I will always appreciate the lesson taught by father O'Shea that day. Both about the Ten Commandments and about myself.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. (John 6:68c)Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.