FRIDAY
January 26, 2001
volume 12, no. 26
Acute Awareness in Examining Our Consciences
part five

    Several articles in recent weeks have been presenting an examination of conscience. They can be found in the archives of this website. I encourage you to print these articles out and refer to them for helping you make a good confession. My reference is a booklet entitled: A Contemporary Adult Guide to Conscience for the Sacrament of Confession by Fr. Richard J. Rego.

    I continue with the explanation of the Sixth Commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery." I continue with the explanation of the Sixth Commandment and then proceed to the Seventh Commandment “Thou shalt not steal”.

6th Commandment:

  • Do I avoid laziness, gluttony, idleness, and the occasions of impurity?
  • Have I given scandal regarding matters of purity?

        Scandal can be defined as any word or deed that is the occasion for another’s spiritual ruin by sin. A person is guilty of the sin of scandal by deliberately placing someone else in the occasion of sin. Examples of scandal may include people who openly violate Catholic principles of chastity or who allow pornographic or suggestive television programs to be viewed in the home; a merchant who sells pornographic materials or contraceptive devices is guilty of scandal. This is a serious moral evil.

        Teachers or catechist who impart sex information which is dissociated from Catholic moral principles is also guilty of grave scandal. Priests who teach things contrary to Catholic faith and morality give grave scandal. Scandal can be given in other moral matters.

        For instance, a parent that deliberately misses Mass on Sunday gives scandal to his/her child. A parent that makes illicit use of drugs or alcoholic beverages gives scandal.

        Scandal can be a mortal sin. Jesus said: “Scandals will inevitably arise, but woe to him through whom they come. He would be better off thrown into the sea with a millstone around his neck than giving scandal to one of these little ones” (Luke 17:1-2).

7th Commandment:

  • Have I taken anything that was not my own?

  • Did I return it or make equal restitution?

  • Did I waste time at work, in school, at home?

  • Am I stingy?

  • Have I cheated anyone out of something that is justly theirs, for example, insurance companies, creditors, etc.

  • Have I damaged private or public property or defaced it by vandalism?

  • Have I failed to give my employer an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay?

  • Have I failed to pay my employees a living wage?

  • Have I been guilty of shop-lifting?

  • Have I supported my Church regularly?

  • Have I gambled with funds necessary to pay my lawful obligations, and/or the reasonable maintenance of myself and my family, according to my state in life?

        Though gambling is not sinful in itself, it can become sinful when probable losses would prevent a person from fulfilling his or her duties in life or when carried to excess. Also, if one bets excessive amounts in the pursuance of pleasure or greed, even if these bets are within the person’s means.

        Those funds could be used to assist the poor and needy. We are obligated to come to the relief of our neighbor and not only when we have a surplus.

  • Have I gambled to excess in illegal or even legal games such as lotteries, gambling casinos, etc.

  • Have I gambled in excessive amounts, in the pursuit of pleasure or greed, with money that I could have used, in some way, to alleviate the sufferings of others?

    God bless you, dear reader! Next week, we’ll study the Eighth Commandment.

Sister Mary Lucy Astuto

For past columns by Sister Lucy, see GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER Archives


January 26, 2001
volume 12, no. 26
Sister Mary Lucy Astuto's GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER column


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