“Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the Law”. Strong words from Saint Paul, early on a Friday morning.
I believe the statement Saint Paul is citing refers to the Old Covenant sacramental system. As he later points out, praise Jesus, most of those rubrics do not apply to us under the New Covenant. At the same time, it would be a mistake to believe there isn’t a message in the reading for our own sanctification.
In any relationship, there is a bare minimum that we must do if we are to keep the relationship in tact. Think of some of the relationships you have been in: high school classmates, college friends, perhaps even cousins you grew up with. These were important relationships at the time, but over time many of them have become distant strangers Even in the most unhealthy relationship requires things of us if we are to continue to be in that relationship. The same is true for our most important relationship, our relationship with God.
We must realize there is a bare minimum requirement for us to have a relationship with God. This primarily falls under the Ten Commandments as well as the Precepts of the Church.
Objectively speaking, if we choose to break one of the Ten Commandments or if we choose to not follow one of the Precepts, then we have committed a mortal sin. At that point, we have brought the curse mentioned by Saint Paul upon ourselves as we are no longer in a state of grace. Because we are no longer in a state of grace, we have been effectively cut off from God. We are no longer in a relationship with God, until that relationship has been repaired in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The Ten Commandments come up in our cycle of readings on a fairly regular basis, but rarely have the opportunity to hear the Precepts of the Church. We rarely take the opportunity to meditate on what the Precepts mean to us and to our relationship with God.
As the Catechism says, “the Precepts of the Church are meant to guarantee the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit and moral effort, in the growth of love of God and neighbor.”
The Precepts are:
- You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
- You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
- You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion, at least once a year, during the Easter season.
- You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.
- You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
- You shall provide for the material needs of the Church, according to your ability.
If you are not practicing the Precepts, let us begin anew today. Let’s renew our resolve to strengthen our faith by diligently practicing the Precepts of the Church. In doing so, let our strengthened faith stoke the Flame of Love within.
Thanks be to God!
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