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YOU CAN LIVE A MORAL
LIFE! |
"What God commands He
makes possible by grace"
(CCC, 2083).
"Jesus says, ‘I am the vine, you are
the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much
fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.’ The fruit referred to in this
saying is the holiness of a life made fruitful by union with Christ. When we
believe in Jesus Christ, partake of His mysteries, and keep His
commandments, the Savior Himself...becomes, through the Spirit, the living
and interior rule of our activity"
(CCC, 2074).
In other words, it is only when we have a growing relationship with the Lord
Jesus that we are empowered to live more and more the way God commands us
to. Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit to help us obey the Father’s commands.
God’s laws were made for
our benefit! Our obedience opens us to receive more of God: more of His
love, His help, His comfort, His healing, etc.
"The gift of the Commandments is the gift of
God Himself"
(CCC, 2059).
Any time we disobey God, we make our lives more difficult because we are
turning away from love: "Sin sets
itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it"
(CCC, 1850).
This is why it’s important to make a good examination of conscience. Use
this Examination of Conscience prayerfully. Make note of the sins you’ve
committed as they come to mind. Then reflect on how these sins have opposed
love. As soon as possible, confess them and receive the Sacrament of
Reconciliation. Keep in mind that once you’ve done this, you are set free
from guilt and never need to confess these sins again—unless you recommit
the same sins. So forgive yourself, and depend on the supernatural power of
the Sacrament to help you grow stronger in living a holy and loving life.
This Examination of Conscience is based on the Ten Commandments because, "Since
they express man’s fundamental duties toward God and towards his neighbor,
the Ten Commandments reveal, in their primordial content, grave obligations.
They are fundamentally immutable, and they oblige always and everywhere. No
one can dispense from them"
(CCC, 2072).
Remember, it’s impossible to convert from every sinful tendency all at once,
no matter how much you desire it. Let God transform you, but be patient with
yourself. Purifying yourself is a process—sometimes a very long process. God
loves you right now, and so should you!
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Left Click on the specific Commandment below to access
the page within this Web Site.
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Commandments for
Loving God |
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The first three commandments teach us how to love God with all our:
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Commandments for
Loving Others |
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