His Excellency,
The Most Reverend Edward K. Braxton, Ph.D., S.T.D.
Diocese of Belleville
Sermon: Third Sunday of Lent, March 7, 2021
St. Teresa Parish, Belleville
“The Ten Commandments and the True Meaning of Lent”
(This is the text as originally written. During the actual delivery, some passages were omitted and other comments were added spontaneously. Nota bene: This text has not been thoroughly proofread. Therefore, there may be errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
When I was twelve years old, I went to downtown Chicago by myself, for the first time, to see Cecil B. DeMille’s new motion picture, “The Ten Commandments.” I had heard about it on television and I was struck by Elmer Bernstein’s powerful music score, the dramatic images of massive Egyptian architecture and Charlton Heston’s towering performance bringing the biblical story of Moses and the Law to life. I was so impressed by this nearly four-hour biblical epic that the following week I returned to see the film again with my Aunt Ella, a devout Baptist, who knew whole passages of the Bible by heart. As we watched the movie’s portrayal of the struggle between Moses and Pharaoh Ramses II (imposingly portrayed by Yul Brenner), the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the fiery scene on Mt. Sinai where Moses receives the commandments on tablets of stone, “written with the finger of God,” my Aunt Ella would whisper to me which scenes were actually from the Bible and which ones were from the vivid imagination of Mr. DeMille and his script writers.
After the three hour and thirty-nine minute long film, we were hungry. So, my aunt took me to dinner. We continued to discuss what at the time was the most expensive movie ever made. I was full of questions: “Did the Nile River really turn to blood?” “Did the children of Israel literally walk through high walls of water in the Red Sea?” “Did Moses actually hear the voice of God saying, “I am that I am” from the burning bush?” “Did God actually carve the commandments into the granite walls of Mt. Sinai with a fiery finger?” Sensing my deep curiosity about the Bible text, my aunt decided to teach me about the book of Exodus from her well-worn Baptist Biblical Commentary. I still remember some of the insight I gleaned sitting each Saturday morning with my aunt and my Bible at her kitchen table.
My aunt explained that, while some of the wondrous events in the story of The Ten Commandments might be literally true, others may be symbolic, since the writers might use bold images, metaphors and hyperbole to convey their belief that the deliverance of the children of Israel from bondage was the “mighty work” of God.
She pointed out that, in Exodus (17:3-7), the commandments are much longer and there are actually more than ten. Further, she explained, in the original language, each of The Ten Commandments is directed to each of us individually not to a group. The “you” in “You shall not” is “you” the individual, not “you” a group. This makes clear that God is declaring that it is the personal responsibility of each one of us to live by these commandments each day.
She also taught me that in the Gospels Jesus teaches that “Love God with your whole being and Love your neighbor as yourself” are the greatest commandments. Yet, they are NOT mentioned as two of The Ten Commandments. But, she explained, The Ten Commandments are actually the application of these two great commandments. She stressed that the whole point of the Exodus story is that the commandments should be carved in our heart and our consciences and not merely in stone.
Aunt Ella agreed completely with her commentary’s statement that The Ten Commandments are called commandments for a reason. They are NOT recommendations. They are not suggestions. They are not requests. They are commands! (Do this! Don’t do that!) This is clearly not a very appealing idea in our secular, pluralistic, almost post-Christian age. Many people today argue that human conduct is completely up to the individual. “If you want to live by The Ten Commandments, you are free to do so. But don’t try to impose beliefs and morality from another age on me.”
Shortly before my Aunt Ella died, fully lucid at ninety-one, she gave me her Bible, which she had had for 70 years; it had notations on almost every page. She also gave me her prized Baptist Biblical Commentary, from which she taught me so long ago. I still have her Bible and her Commentary!
Aunt Ella’s commentary compared The Ten Commandments to the maker’s handbook for a complex new car. The maker’s handbook tells you how to take care of your car properly so that you can enjoy it safely for many years. If you do not follow the new car manual, you will surely have problems with the car. The commentary argues that The Ten Commandments are God, the creator’s handbook for people. They tell us how to live good, happy lives, helping us to make the world a better place and preparing us for life beyond this world. The commentary says that in today’s world many people do not believe that the commandments are the manufacturer’s handbook for humanity. They believe the commandments are simply the product of an ancient culture and once-accepted moral precepts of a far away place.
Those who think this way argue that some of the commandments like “Thou shall not steal!” and “Thou shall not kill!” may be relevant for some people in certain circumstances. Nevertheless, many people today believe they can live happy, productive lives even if they ignore the commandments they consider obsolete. They tend to reject the commandments that tell people they should not do things simply because they want to or feel like doing so. In certain parts of American culture, it is considered acceptable to ignore or reject altogether the commandments that restrict an individual’s freedom. The commentary says these ideas can lead to sin and disorder in the world. They presume that human beings have no creator and no manufacturer’s owner’s manual that has instilled in human nature a radical awareness of the mystery of God and the difference between good and evil, and right and wrong. This leads to a breakdown in the lives of individuals, communities, and government, just as sure as ignoring your car’s manufacturer’s manual will lead to a breakdown of your car.
When individuals, communities and government believe that we are on our own, without a manufacturer’s guidebook, making us indifferent to The Ten Commandments, it is very difficult for individuals, communities and governments to know the best way to respond to the challenges of difficult, controversial issues such as war and peace, economic injustice, racial conflict, human sexuality, fidelity in marriage, the structure of family life, euthanasia, abortion, capital punishment, climate change and so many others.
Since the authors of my aunt’s treasured Biblical Commentary were devout Baptist scholars, they were quick to point out, as my aunt firmly believed, that salvation does not come from blind obedience to the law, not even the Law of The Ten Commandments. Salvation comes from the life, teachings, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While every faithful Christian must strive each day to live by the commandments, we must always remember that ultimately salvation comes by being washed in the Blood of the Lamb, who is Christ.
Though she remained a faithful Baptist all of her life, my Aunt Ella always had a great admiration for the Catholic Church. She would be pleased that on this Third Sunday of Lent, Catholics around the world are pondering the meaning of The Ten Commandments in our daily lives. She would also be pleased that we are reflecting on Jesus in the Gospel of John, casting the money changers out of the temple! (John 4:5-42) If she were sitting in the pew next to you, she would point out her favorite passages from this mornings gospel: “But Jesus would not trust Himself to the crowd because He knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He Himself understood it well!” Jesus, who understands our human nature well, understands the difficulties we sometimes have living by The Ten Commandments. It is because he understands human nature well that He invites us into the desert with Him on our Lenten journey to renew and deepen our baptismal commitments, to confess our sorrow for our sins and to pray for our catechumens who are preparing for the Easter sacraments. He is encouraging us in our fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, so we can to live lives of sincere faith, living hope, and effective works of charity.
Often, we Catholics focus on giving up things we enjoy during Lent—favorite food, sweets, meat, coffee, cigarettes, television, other forms of entertainment. Of course, Christ challenges us to do much more: “Repent of your sins and believe in the gospel.” Today we are called not so much to “give up,” but to “give in” to The Ten Commandments and Jesus Christ who invites us to give up pride, anger, jealousy, greed, prejudice, indifference to the needs of others, rash judgment, and spiritual laziness. This is far more challenging than simply giving up dessert!
Imagine what would happen in our parishes and here at St. Teresa Parish if, for the remaining days leading up to Easter, we all opened our hearts to the Holy Spirit. And pray more, give more generously to the poor, and return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
What’s that you say? You are too busy to embrace the deeper meaning of The Ten Commandments and Lent and its call to conversion? I can hear my Aunt Ella’s voice saying, “I have lived a long and happy life of ninety-one years. It passed in a flash. Do not ignore these Lenten days which have the power to change your life and deepen your relationship with God.”
In DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” after Pharoah’s chariots and charioteers are drowned in the Red Sea pursuing the Children of Israel, Pharoah Ramses II, shocked and awed by the power of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses, declares “His God is God.” The ultimate reason for meditation on the story of Moses and The Ten Commandments during Lent is to prepare us for a faithful celebration of the mystery of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On Easter morning, we should not be saying how fragrant and beautiful the Easter lilies are. No, we should be saying “Our God is God.”
“Our God IS God!”
Praise be Jesus Christ. Both Now and Forever. AMEN!