OBJECTIVE

SOURCES OF
CHRISTIAN
MORALITY

Lesson 8
OUTLINE
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Listening/Activity
 Introduction to the Ten Commandments
 Consequences of not following the Commandments of God
 The Ten Commandments
 Impact of the Ten Commandments
 Summary of the importance and relevance of the Ten Commandments
 The Commandment of Love in the New Testament: Source of our Christian Morality
 The Greatest Commandments of Love
 The symbolism of the cross of Jesus represents: love, life, and relationship
 Love according to St. Augustine
 St. Augustine's hierarchy of love
 Conclusion
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. DEMONSTRATE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF
THE OBJECTIVE SOURCES OF MORALITY IN THE
CHRISTIAN FAITH AS FOUND IN THE OLD AND
NEW TESTAMENT
2. IDENTIFY MOMENTS IN THEIR LIVES WHEREIN
THAT FAILED TO FOLLOW THE LAW,
3. WRITE A PRAYER THAT RESOLVES TO LIVE
FAITHFULLY TO GOD’S COMMANDMENTS BY
ABIDING IN CHRIST
Listening
1. Are you aware that there are objective
sources of morality?
2. Can you list from your memory some
of the Ten Commandments?
3. Do you wish to be faithful to God’s
commands?
4. What do you think are the most
difficult commandments to observe
from the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments
God
COVENANT of both

People Israel/
People of God
Exodus 6:7 “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you
shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under
the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live
and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath
to your ancestors. Deuteronomy 8:1
On the Ten Commandments
Pope John Paul II beautifully
described the Ten
Commandments as “
written in stone; but before that,
they were written on the
human heart as the
universal moral law, valid
in every time and place.”
On the Ten Commandments

Pope Benedict XVI

Describing the Commandments as signs
from God that help us understand good
from evil, Pope Benedict XVI said,
“when man ignores the Commandments
in his life, not only does he alienate
himself from God and abandon the
alliance with him but he also distances
himself from life and lasting happiness.”
Consequences:
1. Divine punishment
2. Lost of Divine favor
3. Social disorder
4. Exile
5. Broken Relationship with God
BIBLICAL TEXT

EXUDOS 20:1-17

Significance: Core ethical and moral

guidelines in Judeo-Christian traditions.

Purpose: Provide a foundation for a

righteous and just life.
The Ten commandments
1. I am the LORD your God, You shall no other gods before me
2. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not
hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
3. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
4. Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the
LORD your God is giving you.
5. You shall not murder.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox
or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
1. "Youshall have no other gods
before me."
Emphasizes the
importance of
worshipping only one
God and rejecting
idolatry.
2. "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD
your God."

Encourages respect
for the name of God
and prohibits
blasphemy.
3. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy."

Calls for a day of

rest and spiritual
reflection each
week.
4. "Honor your father and your mother."

Highlights the
importance of
respecting and valuing
one’s parents.
5. "You shall not murder."

Prohibits the
unlawful taking
of another’s
life.
6. "You shall not commit adultery."

Stresses the importance of

faithfulness in marriage.
7. "You shall not steal.“

Prohibits taking what

does not belong to
you without
permission.
8. "You shall not give false testimony
against your neighbor."

Calls for honesty and

integrity in speech,
particularly in legal
matters.
9. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s
wife.

Emphasizing
the fidelity and
sanctity of
marriage
10. "You shall not covet your neighbor’s
house, or possessions."

Warns against
envy and desiring
what belongs to
others.
Impact of the Ten Commandments

1. Influence on legal systems and moral codes.

2. Role in shaping ethical behavior in various

cultures.

3. Reflection in modern laws and societal

norms.
Summary of the importance and
relevance of the Ten Commandments.

1. Their role in guiding personal and

communal conduct.
2. Encouragement to reflect on these
principles in daily life.
Augustine’ s teaching on Ten commandments
1. The Commandments and Love:
Augustine emphasized that the
Ten Commandments can be
summarized by the principle of
love.
Augustine’ s teaching on Ten commandments
2. The Role of the Commandments
in Christian Life: Augustine viewed
the Commandments as guiding
principles that reveal God's moral
order.
Augustine’ s teaching on Ten commandments
Internalizing the Law: Augustine
believed that the true observance of
the Commandments involves
internal transformation rather than
mere external adherence.
Augustine’ s teaching on Ten commandments
Theological Interpretation:
Augustine often interpreted the
Commandments in a broader,
theological context.
Augustine’ s teaching on Ten commandments
Grace and the Law: In Augustine’s
view, while the Commandments are
a guide, human beings need divine
grace to fully live out their moral
implications.
Conclusion:
Augustine’s teachings reflect a deep
integration of the Ten Commandments
with Christian doctrine, emphasizing that
their true meaning is found in the love of
God and neighbor and in the
transformative power of divine grace.
 The Commandment of Love in the New
Testament: Source of our Christian Morality
The commandment to love God and love of neighbor is central to
Christian ethics and is found in multiple passages in the New
Testament.
This commandment emphasizes the importance of relationships and
community, reflecting God's love in our interactions.
 Love is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:10). By loving
others, we embody God's commands.
 Jn. 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are disciples,
if you love one another.
“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” Jn 8:31
Biblical text on the
commandments of love
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in
the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on
these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (INV)
Biblical text on the
commandments of love
33 My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You
will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot
come,’ so now I say it to you.
34 I give you a new commandment:* love one another. As I
have loved you, you should also love one another. 35 This is
how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love
for one another.” John 13: 33-35
The Greatest Commandments of
Love
 The love of God
 The love of the neighbor

 Loving God with all your soul … is the Greatest Commandment

 God is the source of love for he is love
 1 John 4:8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for
God is love.
 Love is at the heart of Christian life, Augustine Through the
Ages, pg. 510). Love is the true test of Christianity. We receive God's
love in our relationship with Him. We experience God's love in our
relationships with others.
Jesus taught us how to love
 Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his
own love for us in this: While we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.
 John 15:13 There is no greater love than
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
 John 3:16 For this is how God loved the
world: He gave his one and only Son, so
that everyone who believes in him will
not perish but have eternal life.
 The symbolism of the cross of
Jesus represents: love, life, and
relationship
The horizontal beam represents
your relationship with others
Jn. 13:35 By
this everyone How do we strengthen our
relationship with one another?
will know that
you are
disciples, if Mathew 25:35-40
you love one
another.
The vertical beam symbolizes our
relationship with God
https://corpuschristiphx.org/blog.php?month=202003&id=1461457306&cat=&pg=6&title=The+Vertical++and+Horizontal+Beamsretrieve from Corpus Christi October 3, 2024
Love according to St. Augustine
 “My weight is my love.
Wherever I am carried my
love is carrying me.” Confs.
13.9.10
 The picture of St. Augustine
depicts that man is attracted
to what he/she loves; much
as the earth’s gravity pulls
toward it.
Love is the fulfillment of the
law
 Thus, in whatever we
place our love, to that
we are drawn. If we
place our love in Godly
things, we will be
drawn toward Godly
things. If we place our
love in earthly things,
we are drawn toward
earthly things.
St. Augustine's hierarchy of love

1. Love of God: This is the

highest form of love.
Augustine emphasizes that
true happiness and
fulfillment come from loving
God above all else. This love
is selfless and directed “You have made us for yourself, and
towards the divine. our heart is restless until it rests in
you” (Confessions, 1, 1, 1).
 2. Love of Neighbor:
St. Augustine's  This love stems from the love of
God and involves genuine care and
hierarchy of love concern for others. Augustine
emphasizes that loving others is a
manifestation of one’s love for God.
 It is characterized by compassion,
kindness, and service, etc.
 "The City of God" (Book 14)
Mt. 22:39 “Love your explores the nature of love for
neighbor as yourself.” others in light of divine love.
St. Augustine's hierarchy of love
3. Love of Self: Augustine
teaches that a proper love
of self is necessary, but it
must be ordered towards
God. It should involve
recognizing one's dignity as Ephesians 5:29 - "For no one
ever hated his own flesh, but
created in God's image, nourishes and cherishes it,
rather than being self- just as the Lord does the
centered. church."
St. Augustine's hierarchy of love
4. Love of Created Things 1 John 2:15-16 - "Do not
love the world or the things
This type of love refers to in the world. If anyone
attachments to material loves the world, the love of
the Father is not in him."
and earthly things.
Augustine warns against
prioritizing these loves
over the love of God, as
they can lead to disordered
desires and sin. https://
shadowraeshares.weebly.com/blog/enjoying-gods-beau
tiful-creation
Living Out the Commandments
of Love
A. Cultivating a Relationship with God to know the Truth

Prayer and Worship: Make prayer a daily practice. Attend

Mass regularly, participate in the sacraments, and engage
in personal prayer to deepen your connection with God.
Study Scripture: Regularly read and reflect on the Bible to
understand God’s love and teachings. Consider joining a
Bible study group to discuss insights and applications with
others.
Living Out the Commandments
of Love
B. Practicing Love for Neighbor, (the act of charity)
Acts of Kindness: Look for opportunities to perform small acts of
kindness, whether it’s helping a neighbor, volunteering at a local
charity, or simply offering a listening ear to someone in need.
Compassion and Empathy: Make an effort to understand others’
experiences and struggles. Approach every interaction with empathy,
recognizing that everyone has their battles.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Love of neighbor also includes
forgiving those who have wronged us. Jesus emphasizes this in the
Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12), teaching that our own forgiveness is
linked to our willingness to forgive others.
Conclusion
The commandment of love is central to our Catholic faith, emphasizing that love is
an actionable commitment to God and our neighbors. Loving God fully deepens our
relationship with Him, while loving our neighbors calls us to show compassion and
recognize the dignity of all individuals.
St. Augustine profoundly articulated that love for God must come first, and from
that love flows our love for others. He taught that true love is ordered and selfless,
reflecting God’s divine love for humanity. For Augustine, to love one’s neighbor is to
see them through the lens of God’s love, which compels us to act with kindness and
generosity.
Embodying these commandments requires intentionality, encouraging us to serve
others, practice forgiveness, and foster inclusive communities. By living out these
principles daily, we not only fulfill Jesus' teachings but also reflect His love,
contributing to a more compassionate and just world as true disciples of love,
guided by the wisdom of St. Augustine in our journey of faith.
Activity
1. How can we better love God and our neighbors
in our daily interactions?
2. What are some practical ways we can live out
these commandments in our community?
3. Compose a prayer that expresses your love for
God and reaches out to your neighbor.
3. Lectio Divina on the Gospel of John 15:1-17