This Commandment is expressed in positive terms of duties to be fulfilled. It introduces the subsequent commandments which are concerned with particular Respect for life, marriage, earthly Goods, and speech. It constitutes one of the foundations of the social doctrine of the Church.

The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin. Public authorities should see to it that the natural right is Respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

The Church, because of her commission and competence, is not to be confused in any way with the political community. She is both the sign and the safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person. "The Church Respects and encourages the political Freedom and responsibility of the citizen." 52

Love Toward oneself remains a Fundamental principle of morality. Therefore it is legitimate to insist on Respect for one's own right to life. Someone who defends his life is not guilty of murder even if he is forced to deal his aggressor a lethal blow:

Human life must be Respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.

"One must hold as licit procedures carried out on the human embryo which Respect the life and integrity of the embryo and do not involve disproportionate risks for it, but are directed Toward its healing the improvement of its condition of health, or its individual survival." 82 "It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material." 83 "Certain attempts to influence chromosomic or genetic inheritance are not therapeutic but are aimed at producing human beings selected according to sex or other predetermined qualities. Such manipulations are Contrary to the personal Dignity of the human being and his integrity and identity" 84 which are unique and unrepeatable.

Those whose lives are diminished or weakened deserve special Respect. Sick or handicapped persons should be helped to lead lives as normal as possible.

Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of "over-zealous" treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one's inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be Respected.

If morality Requires Respect for the life of the body, it does not make it an absolute value. It rejects a neo-pagan notion that tends to promote the cult of the body, to sacrifice everything for it's sake, to idolize physical perfection and success at sports. By its selective preference of the strong over the weak, such a conception can lead to the perversion of human relationships.

It is an illusion to claim moral neutrality in scientific research and its applications. On the other hand, guiding principles cannot be inferred from simple technical efficiency, or from the usefulness accruing to some at the expense of Others or, even worse, from prevailing ideologies. Science and technology by their very nature require unconditional Respect for Fundamental moral criteria. They must be at the service of the human person, of his inalienable Rights, of his true and integral good, in conformity with the plan and the will of God.

Kidnapping and hostage taking bring on a reign of terror; by means of threats they subject their victims to intolerable pressures. They are morally wrong. Terrorism threatens, wounds, and kills indiscriminately; it is gravely against justice and Charity. Torture which uses physical or moral violence to extract confessions, punish the guilty, frighten opponents, or satisfy hatred is Contrary to Respect for the person and for human Dignity. Except when performed for strictly therapeutic medical reasons, directly intended amputations, mutilations, and sterilizations performed on innocent persons are against the moral law. 90

Political authorities are obliged to Respect the Fundamental Rights of the human person. They will dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone, especially of families and the disadvantaged. The political rights attached to citizenship can and should be granted according to the requirements of the common good. They cannot be suspended by public authorities without legitimate and proportionate reasons. Political rights are meant to be exercised for the common good of the nation and the human community.

Becoming a disciple of Jesus means accepting the invitation to belong to God's Family, to live in conformity with His way of life: "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." 40 Parents should welcome and Respect with joy and thanksgiving the Lord's call to one of their children to follow him in virginity for the sake of the Kingdom in the consecrated life or in priestly ministry.

Observing the fourth Commandment brings its reward: "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you." 8 Respecting this commandment provides, along with spiritual fruits, temporal fruits of peace and prosperity. Conversely, failure to observe it brings great harm to communities and to individuals.

The relationships within the Family bring an affinity of feelings, affections and interests, arising above all from the members' Respect for one another. the family is a privileged community called to achieve a "sharing of thought and common deliberation by the spouses as well as their eager cooperation as Parents in the children's upbringing." 11

The political community has a Duty to honor the Family, to assist it, and to ensure especially: - the Freedom to establish a family, have children, and bring them up in keeping with the family's own moral and religious convictions; - the protection of the stability of the marriage bond and the institution of the family; - the freedom to profess one's Faith, to hand it on, and raise one's children in it, with the necessary means and institutions; - the right to private property, to free enterprise, to obtain work and housing, and the right to emigrate; - in keeping with the country's institutions, the right to medical care, assistance for the aged, and family benefits; - the protection of security and health, especially with Respect to dangers like drugs, pornography, alcoholism, etc.; - the freedom to form associations with other families and so to have representation before civil Authority. 15

The fourth Commandment illuminates other relationships in Society. In our brOthers and sisters we see the children of our Parents; in our cousins, the descendants of our ancestors; in our fellow citizens, the children of our country; in the baptized, the children of our mother the Church; in every human person, a son or daughter of the One who wants to be called "our Father." In this way our relationships with our Neighbors are recognized as personal in character. the neighbor is not a "unit" in the human collective; he is "someone" who by his known origins deserves particular attention and Respect.

The divine fatherhood is the source of human fatherhood; 16 this is the foundation of the honor owed to Parents. the Respect of children, whether minors or adults, for their father and mother 17 is nourished by the natural affection born of the bond uniting them. It is required by God's Commandment. 18

Respect for Parents (filial piety) derives from gratitude Toward those who, by the gift of life, their Love and their work, have brought their children into the world and enabled them to grow in stature, wisdom, and grace. "With all your heart honor your father, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother. Remember that through your parents you were born; what can you give back to them that equals their gift to you?" 19

Filial Respect is shown by true docility and Obedience. "My son, keep your father's Commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.... When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you." 20 "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." 21

As long as a child lives at home with his Parents, the child should obey his parents in all that they ask of him when it is for his good or that of the Family. "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." 22 Children should also obey the reasonable directions of their teachers and all to whom their parents have entrusted them. But if a child is convinced in conscience that it would be morally wrong to obey a particular order, he must not do so. As they grow up, children should continue to Respect their parents. They should anticipate their wishes, willingly seek their advice, and accept their just admonitions. Obedience Toward parents ceases with the emancipation of the children; not so respect, which is always owed to them. This respect has its roots in the fear of God, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Filial Respect promotes harmony in all of Family life; it also concerns relationships between brOthers and sisters. Respect Toward Parents fills the home with light and warmth. "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged." 26 "With all humility and meekness, with patience, [support] one another in Charity." 27

Parents must regard their children as children of God and Respect them as human persons. Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their children to fulfill God's law.

Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, Respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. the home is well suited for education in the virtues. This Requires an apprenticeship in self-denial, sound judgment, and self-mastery - the preconditions of all true Freedom. Parents should teach their children to subordinate the "material and instinctual dimensions to interior and spiritual ones." 31 Parents have a grave responsibility to give good example to their children. By knowing how to acknowledge their own failings to their children, parents will be better able to guide and correct them:

Parents' Respect and affection are expressed by the care and attention they devote to bringing up their young children and providing for their physical and spiritual needs. As the children grow up, the same respect and devotion lead parents to educate them in the right use of their reason and Freedom.

Family ties are important but not absolute. Just as the child grows to maturity and human and spiritual autonomy, so his unique vocation which comes from God asserts itself more clearly and forcefully. Parents should Respect this call and encourage their children to follow it. They must be convinced that the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Jesus: "He who Loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." 39

The bodies of the dead must be treated with Respect and Charity, in Faith and hope of the Resurrection. the burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy; 91 it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without safeguarding the Goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for the Dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of fraternity. Peace is "the tranquillity of order." 97 Peace is the work of justice and the effect of Charity. 98

Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be Respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately Contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such actions. Blind Obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide.

Economic life brings into play different interests, often opposed to one another. This explains why the conflicts that characterize it arise. 215 Efforts should be made to reduce these conflicts by negotiation that Respects the Rights and duties of each social partner: those responsible for business enterprises, representatives of wage - earners (for example, trade unions), and public authorities when appropriate.

An increased sense of God and increased self-awareness are Fundamental to any full development of human Society. This development multiplies material Goods and puts them at the service of the person and his Freedom. It reduces dire poverty and economic exploitation. It makes for growth in Respect for cultural identities and openness to the transcendent. 229

Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. 277 He becomes guilty: - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a Neighbor; - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them; 278 - of calumny who, by remarks Contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of Others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's Neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human Dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to Respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and Charity.

Charity and Respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. the good and safety of Others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet language. the Duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it. 282

Everyone should observe an appropriate reserve concerning persons' private lives. Those in charge of communications should maintain a fair balance between the requirements of the common good and Respect for individual Rights. Interference by the media in the private lives of persons engaged in political or public activity is to be condemned to the extent that it infringes upon their privacy and Freedom.

"It is necessary that all members of Society meet the demands of justice and Charity in this domain. They should help, through the means of social communication, in the formation and diffusion of sound public opinion." 286 Solidarity is a consequence of genuine and right communication and the free circulation of ideas that further knowledge and Respect for Others.

By the very nature of their profession, journalists have an obligation to serve the truth and not offend against Charity in disseminating information. They should strive to Respect, with equal care, the nature of the facts and the limits of critical judgment concerning individuals. They should not stoop to defamation.

The forms taken by modesty vary from one culture to another. Everywhere, however, modesty exists as an intuition of the spiritual Dignity proper to man. It is born with the awakening consciousness of being a subject. Teaching modesty to children and adolescents means awakening in them Respect for the human person.

Christian purity Requires a purification of the social climate. It requires of the communications media that their presentations show concern for Respect and restraint. Purity of heart brings Freedom from widespread eroticism and avoids entertainment inclined to voyeurism and illusion.

So called moral permissiveness rests on an erroneous conception of human Freedom; the necessary precondition for the development of true freedom is to let oneself be educated in the moral law. Those in charge of education can reasonably be expected to give young people instruction Respectful of the truth, the qualities of the heart, and the moral and spiritual Dignity of man.

The Church makes a moral judgment about economic and social matters, "when the Fundamental Rights of the person or the salvation of souls Requires it." 199 In the moral order she bears a mission distinct from that of political authorities: the Church is concerned with the temporal aspects of the common good because they are ordered to the sovereign Good, our ultimate end. She strives to inspire right attitudes with Respect to earthly Goods and in socio-economic relationships.

The seventh Commandment enjoins Respect for the integrity of Creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. 194 Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man's dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his Neighbor, including generations to come; it Requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation. 195

Chastity represents an eminently personal task; it also involves a cultural effort, for there is "an interdependence between personal betterment and the improvement of Society." 130 Chastity presupposes Respect for the Rights of the person, in particular the right to receive information and an education that respect the moral and spiritual dimensions of human life.

Those who are engaged to marry are called to live chastity in continence. They should see in this time of testing a discovery of mutual Respect, an apprenticeship in fidelity, and the hope of receiving one another from God. They should reserve for marriage the expressions of affection that belong to married Love. They will help each other grow in chastity.

Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and Charity. Rape deeply wounds the Respect, Freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right. It causes grave damage that can mark the victim for life. It is always an intrinsically evil act. Graver still is the rape of children committed by Parents (incest) or those responsible for the education of the children entrusted to them.

The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with Respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. 157 These methods Respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic Freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render proCreation impossible" is intrinsically evil: 158

The state has a responsibility for its citizens' well-being. In this capacity it is legitimate for it to intervene to orient the demography of the population. This can be done by means of objective and Respectful information, but certainly not by authoritarian, coercive measures. the state may not legitimately usurp the initiative of spouses, who have the primary responsibility for the proCreation and education of their children. 161 It is not authorized to intervene in this area with means Contrary to the moral law.

Techniques involving only the married couple (homologous artificial insemination and fertilization) are perhaps less reprehensible, yet remain morally unacceptable. They dissociate the sexual act from the procreative act. the act which brings the child into existence is no longer an act by which two persons give themselves to one another, but one that "entrusts the life and identity of the embryo into the power of doctors and biologists and establishes the domination of technology over the origin and destiny of the human person. Such a relationship of domination is in itself Contrary to the Dignity and equality that must be common to Parents and children." 167 "Under the moral aspect proCreation is deprived of its proper perfection when it is not willed as the fruit of the conjugal act, that is to say, of the specific act of the spouses' union .... Only Respect for the link between the meanings of the conjugal act and respect for the unity of the human being make possible procreation in conformity with the dignity of the person." 168

A child is not something owed to one, but is a gift. the "supreme gift of marriage" is a human person. A child may not be considered a piece of property, an idea to which an alleged "right to a child" would lead. In this area, only the child possesses genuine Rights: the right "to be the fruit of the specific act of the conjugal Love of his Parents," and "the right to be Respected as a person from the moment of his conception." 169

The seventh Commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the Goods of one's Neighbor and wronging him in any way with Respect to his goods. It commands justice and Charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of men's labor. For the sake of the common good, it Requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right to private property. Christian life strives to order this world's goods to God and to fraternal charity.

The right to private property, acquired by work or received from Others by inheritance or gift, does not do away with the original gift of the earth to the whole of mankind. the universal destination of Goods remains primordial, even if the promotion of the common good Requires Respect for the right to private property and its exercise.

In economic matters, Respect for human Dignity Requires the practice of the virtue of temperance, so as to moderate attachment to this world's Goods; the practice of the virtue of justice, to preserve our Neighbor's Rights and render him what is his due; and the practice of solidarity, in accordance with the golden rule and in keeping with the generosity of the Lord, who "though he was rich, yet for your sake . . . became poor so that by his poverty, you might become rich." 189

Contracts are subject to commutative justice which regulates exchanges between persons in accordance with a strict Respect for their Rights. Commutative justice obliges strictly; it Requires safeguarding property rights, paying debts, and fulfilling obligations freely contracted. Without commutative justice, no other form of justice is possible.

Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us 99 and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the "King of Glory," 100 Respectful silence in the presence of the "ever greater" God. 101 Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of Love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications.

The fourth Commandment opens the second table of the Decalogue. It shows us the order of Charity. God has willed that, after him, we should honor our Parents to whom we owe life and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God. We are obliged to honor and Respect all those whom God, for our good, has vested with his Authority.

Out of Respect for the holiness of God, the people of Israel do not pronounce his name. In the reading of Sacred Scripture, the revealed name (YHWH) is replaced by the divine title "Lord" (in Hebrew Adonai, in Greek Kyrios). It is under this title that the divinity of Jesus will be acclaimed: "Jesus is LORD."

Communion with the dead. "In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great Respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' she offers her suffrages for them." 498 Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.

In expectation of that day, the believer's body and soul already participate in the Dignity of belonging to Christ. This dignity entails the demand that he should treat with Respect his own body, but also the body of every other person, especially the suffering:

Jewish liturgy and Christian liturgy. A better knowledge of the Jewish people's Faith and religious life as professed and lived even now can help our better understanding of certain aspects of Christian liturgy. For both Jews and Christians Sacred Scripture is an essential part of their Respective liturgies: in the proclamation of the Word of God, the response to this word, prayer of praise and intercession for the living and the dead, invocation of God's mercy. In its characteristic structure the Liturgy of the Word originates in Jewish prayer. the Liturgy of the Hours and other liturgical texts and formularies, as well as those of our most venerable prayers, including the Lord's Prayer, have parallels in Jewish prayer. the Eucharistic Prayers also draw their inspiration from the Jewish tradition. the relationship between Jewish liturgy and Christian liturgy, but also their differences in content, are particularly evident in the great feasts of the liturgical year, such as Passover. Christians and Jews both celebrate the Passover. For Jews, it is the Passover of history, tending Toward the future; for Christians, it is the Passover fulfilled in the death and Resurrection of Christ, though always in expectation of its definitive consummation.

For this reason no sacramental rite may be modified or manipulated at the will of the minister or the community. Even the supreme Authority in the Church may not change the liturgy arbitrarily, but only in the Obedience of Faith and with religious Respect for the mystery of the liturgy.

The mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted by its expression in any single liturgical tradition. the history of the blossoming and development of these rites witnesses to a remarkable complementarity. When the Churches lived their Respective liturgical traditions in the communion of the Faith and the sacraments of the faith, they enriched one another and grew in fidelity to Tradition and to the common mission of the whole Church. 66

Having become a member of the Church, the person baptized belongs no longer to himself, but to him who died and rose for us. 75 From now on, he is called to be subject to Others, to serve them in the communion of the Church, and to "obey and submit" to the Church's leaders, 76 holding them in Respect and affection. 77 Just as Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, the baptized person also enjoys Rights within the Church: to receive the sacraments, to be nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church. 78

To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the Faithful should observe the fast required in their Church. 218 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the Respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.

The confessor is not the master of God's forgiveness, but its servant. the minister of this sacrament should unite himself to the intention and Charity of Christ. 71 He should have a proven knowledge of Christian behavior, experience of human affairs, Respect and sensitivity Toward the one who has fallen; he must Love the truth, be Faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, and lead the penitent with patience toward healing and full maturity. He must pray and do penance for his penitent, entrusting him to the Lord's mercy.

Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the Respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives. 72 This secret, which admits of no exceptions, is called the "sacramental seal," because what the penitent has made known to the priest remains "sealed" by the sacrament.

Difference of confession between the spouses does not constitute an insurmountable obstacle for marriage, when they succeed in placing in common what they have received from their Respective communities, and learn from each other the way in which each lives in fidelity to Christ. But the difficulties of mixed marriages must not be underestimated. They arise from the fact that the separation of Christians has not yet been overcome. the spouses risk experiencing the tragedy of Christian disunity even in the heart of their own home. Disparity of cult can further aggravate these difficulties. Differences about Faith and the very notion of marriage, but also different religious mentalities, can become sources of tension in marriage, especially as regards the education of children. the temptation to religious indifference can then arise.

Through ecumenical dialogue Christian communities in many regions have been able to put into effect a common pastoral practice for mixed marriages. Its task is to help such couples live out their particular situation in the light of Faith, overcome the tensions between the couple's obligations to each other and Towards their ecclesial communities, and encourage the flowering of what is common to them in faith and Respect for what separates them.

Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this Duty of Respect. the right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the Dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil Authority within the limits of the common good and public order. 32

The missionary task implies a Respectful dialogue with those who do not yet accept the Gospel. 359 Believers can profit from this dialogue by learning to appreciate better "those elements of truth and grace which are found among peoples, and which are, as it were, a secret presence of God." 360 They proclaim the Good News to those who do not know it, in order to consolidate, complete, and raise up the truth and the goodness that God has distributed among men and nations, and to purify them from error and evil "for the glory of God, the confusion of the demon, and the happiness of man." 361

"However, one cannot charge with the sin of the separation those who at present are born into these communities [that resulted from such separation] and in them are brought up in the Faith of Christ, and the Catholic Church accepts them with Respect and affection as brOthers .... All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are incorporated into Christ; they therefore have a right to be called Christians, and with good reason are accepted as brothers in the Lord by the children of the Catholic Church." 272

Because God creates through wisdom, his Creation is ordered: "You have arranged all things by measure and number and weight." 151 The universe, created in and by the eternal Word, the "image of the invisible God", is destined for and addressed to man, himself created in the "image of God" and called to a personal relationship with God. 152 Our human understanding, which shares in the light of the divine intellect, can understand what God tells us by means of his creation, though not without great effort and only in a spirit of humility and Respect before the Creator and his work. 153 Because creation comes forth from God's goodness, it shares in that goodness - "and God saw that it was good. . . very good" 154 - for God willed creation as a gift addressed to man, an inheritance destined for and entrusted to him. On many occasions the Church has had to defend the goodness of creation, including that of the physical world. 155

With Creation, God does not abandon his creatures to themselves. He not only gives them being and existence, but also, and at every moment, upholds and sustains them in being, enables them to act and brings them to their final end. Recognizing this utter dependence with Respect to the Creator is a source of wisdom and Freedom, of joy and confidence:

Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey Toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential Love. They can therefore go astray. Indeed, they have sinned. Thus has moral evil, incommensurably more harmful than physical evil, entered the world. God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil. 176 He permits it, however, because he Respects the Freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it:

Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the "six days" it is said: "and God saw that it was good." "By the very nature of Creation, material being is endowed with its own stability, truth and excellence, its own order and laws." 208 Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God's infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore Respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment.

The beauty of the universe: the order and harmony of the created world results from the diversity of beings and from the relationships which exist among them. Man discovers them progressively as the laws of nature. They call forth the admiration of scholars. the beauty of Creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator and ought to inspire the Respect and submission of man's intellect and will.

In Creation God laid a foundation and established laws that remain firm, on which the believer can rely with confidence, for they are the sign and pledge of the unshakeable Faithfulness of God's covenant. 214 For his part man must remain Faithful to this foundation, and Respect the laws which the Creator has written into it.

Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God: on the one hand, in perfect equality as human persons; on the other, in their Respective beings as man and woman. "Being man" or "being woman" is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable Dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. 240 Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity "in the image of God". In their "being-man" and "being-woman", they reflect the Creator's wisdom and goodness.

In no way is God in man's image. He is neither man nor woman. God is pure spirit in which there is no place for the difference between the sexes. But the Respective "perfections" of man and woman reflect something of the infinite perfection of God: those of a mother and those of a father and husband. 241

God created man in his image and established him in his friendship. A spiritual creature, man can live this friendship only in free submission to God. the prohibition against eating "of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" spells this out: "for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die." 276 The "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" 277 symbolically evokes the insurmountable limits that man, being a creature, must freely recognize and Respect with trust. Man is dependent on his Creator, and subject to the laws of Creation and to the moral norms that govern the use of Freedom.

Very often in the Gospels people address Jesus as "Lord". This title testifies to the Respect and trust of those who approach him for help and healing. 62 At the prompting of the Holy Spirit, "Lord" expresses the recognition of the divine mystery of Jesus. 63 In the encounter with the risen Jesus, this title becomes adoration: "My Lord and my God!" It thus takes on a connotation of Love and affection that remains proper to the Christian tradition: "It is the Lord!" 64

Jesus' temptation reveals the way in which the Son of God is Messiah, Contrary to the way Satan proposes to him and the way men wish to attribute to him. 244 This is why Christ vanquished the Tempter for us: "For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every Respect has been tested as we are, yet without sinning." 245 By the solemn forty days of Lent the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus in the desert.

Like the prophets before him Jesus expressed the deepest Respect for the Temple in Jerusalem. It was in the Temple that Joseph and Mary presented him forty days after his birth. 349 At the age of twelve he decided to remain in the Temple to remind his Parents that he must be about his Father's business. 350 He went there each year during his hidden life at least for Passover. 351 His public ministry itself was patterned by his pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the great Jewish feasts. 352

Some rules apply in every case: - One may never do evil so that good may result from it; - the Golden Rule: "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them." 56 - Charity always proceeds by way of Respect for one's Neighbor and his conscience: "Thus sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience . . . you sin against Christ." 57 Therefore "it is right not to . . . do anything that makes your brother stumble." 58

Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and Neighbor. Justice Toward God is called the "virtue of religion." Justice toward men disposes one to Respect the Rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. the just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. "You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor." 68 "Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven." 69

A Society is a group of persons bound together organically by a principle of unity that goes beyond each one of them. As an assembly that is at once visible and spiritual, a society endures through time: it gathers up the past and prepares for the future. By means of society, each man is established as an "heir" and receives certain "talents" that enrich his identity and whose fruits he must develop. 3 He rightly owes loyalty to the communities of which he is part and Respect to those in Authority who have charge of the common good.

Tempting God consists in putting his goodness and almighty power to the test by word or deed. Thus Satan tried to induce Jesus to throw himself down from the Temple and, by this gesture, force God to act. 49 Jesus opposed Satan with the word of God: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." 50 The challenge contained in such tempting of God wounds the Respect and trust we owe our Creator and Lord. It always harbors doubt about his Love, his providence, and his power. 51

The Christian veneration of images is not Contrary to the first Commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, "the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype," and "whoever venerates an image venerates the person portrayed in it." 70 The honor paid to sacred images is a "Respectful veneration," not the adoration due to God alone:

The second Commandment prescribes Respect for the Lord's name. Like the first commandment, it belongs to the virtue of religion and more particularly it governs our use of speech in sacred matters.

Respect for his name is an expression of the respect owed to the mystery of God himself and to the whole sacred reality it evokes. the sense of the sacred is part of the virtue of religion:

The Faithful should bear witness to the Lord's name by confessing the Faith without giving way to fear. 76 Preaching and catechizing should be permeated with adoration and Respect for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Promises made to Others in God's name engage the divine honor, fidelity, truthfulness, and Authority. They must be Respected in justice. To be unFaithful to them is to misuse God's name and in some way to make God out to be a liar. 77

Blasphemy is directly opposed to the second Commandment. It consists in uttering against God - inwardly or outwardly - words of hatred, reproach, or defiance; in speaking ill of God; in failing in Respect Toward him in one's speech; in misusing God's name. St. James condemns those "who blaspheme that honorable name [of Jesus] by which you are called." 78 The prohibition of blasphemy extends to language against Christ's Church, the saints, and sacred things. It is also blasphemous to make use of God's name to cover up criminal practices, to reduce peoples to servitude, to torture persons or put them to death. the misuse of God's name to commit a crime can provoke Others to repudiate religion. Blasphemy is Contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. It is in itself a grave sin. 79

Oaths which misuse God's name, though without the intention of blasphemy, show lack of Respect for the Lord. the second Commandment also forbids magical use of the divine name.

A person commits perjury when he makes a promise under oath with no intention of keeping it, or when after promising on oath he does not keep it. Perjury is a grave lack of Respect for the Lord of all speech. Pledging oneself by oath to commit an evil deed is Contrary to the holiness of the divine name.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained the second Commandment: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not swear at all.... Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one." 82 Jesus teaches that every oath involves a reference to God and that God's presence and his truth must be honored in all speech. Discretion in calling upon God is allied with a Respectful awareness of his presence, which all our assertions either witness to or mock.

God calls each one by name. 87 Everyone's name is sacred. the name is the icon of the person. It demands Respect as a sign of the Dignity of the one who bears it.

The Gospel reports many incidents when Jesus was accused of violating the sabbath law. But Jesus never fails to Respect the holiness of this day. 98 He gives this law its authentic and authoritative interpretation: "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath." 99 With compassion, Christ declares the sabbath for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing. 100 The sabbath is the day of the Lord of mercies and a day to honor God. 101 "The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath." 102

All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future. 48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, Respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

"If because of the circumstances of a particular people special civil recognition is given to one religious community in the constitutional organization of a state, the right of all citizens and religious communities to religious Freedom must be recognized and Respected as well." 36

Society is essential to the fulfillment of the human vocation. To attain this aim, Respect must be accorded to the just hierarchy of values, which "subordinates physical and instinctual dimensions to interior and spiritual ones:" 8

Without the help of grace, men would not know how "to discern the often narrow path between the cowardice which gives in to evil, and the violence which under the illusion of fighting evil only makes it worse." 13 This is the path of Charity, that is, of the Love of God and of Neighbor. Charity is the greatest social Commandment. It Respects Others and their Rights. It Requires the practice of justice, and it alone makes us capable of it. Charity inspires a life of self-giving: "Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it." 14

The Duty of Obedience Requires all to give due honor to Authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with Respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will.

First, the common good presupposes Respect for the person as such. In the name of the common good, public authorities are bound to respect the Fundamental and inalienable Rights of the human person. Society should permit each of its members to fulfill his vocation. In particular, the common good resides in the conditions for the exercise of the natural Freedoms indispensable for the development of the human vocation, such as "the right to act according to a sound norm of conscience and to safeguard . . . privacy, and rightful freedom also in matters of religion." 27

Social justice can be obtained only in Respecting the transcendent Dignity of man. the person represents the ultimate end of Society, which is ordered to him:

Respect for the human person entails respect for the Rights that flow from his Dignity as a creature. These rights are prior to Society and must be recognized by it. They are the basis of the moral legitimacy of every Authority: by flouting them, or refusing to recognize them in its positive legislation, a society undermines its own moral legitimacy. 36 If it does not respect them, authority can rely only on force or violence to obtain Obedience from its subjects. It is the Church's role to remind men of good will of these rights and to distinguish them from unwarranted or false claims.

Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that "everyone should look upon his Neighbor (without any exception) as 'another self,' above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with Dignity." 37 No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the Charity that finds in every man a "neighbor," a brother.

To adore God is to acknowledge, in Respect and absolute submission, the "nothingness of the creature" who would not exist but for God. To adore God is to praise and exalt him and to humble oneself, as Mary did in the Magnificat, confessing with gratitude that he has done great things and holy is his name. 14 The worship of the one God sets man free from turning in on himself, from the slavery of sin and the idolatry of the world.

In many circumstances, the Christian is called to make promises to God. Baptism and Confirmation, Matrimony and Holy Orders always entail promises. Out of personal devotion, the Christian may also promise to God this action, that prayer, this alms-giving, that pilgrimage, and so forth. Fidelity to promises made to God is a sign of the Respect owed to the divine majesty and of Love for a Faithful God.

"All men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and his Church, and to embrace it and hold on to it as they come to know it." 26 This Duty derives from "the very Dignity of the human person." 27 It does not contradict a "sincere Respect" for different religions which frequently "reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men," 28 nor the requirement of Charity, which urges Christians "to treat with Love, prudence and patience those who are in error or ignorance with regard to the Faith." 29

The Duty of offering God genuine worship concerns man both individually and socially. This is "the traditional Catholic teaching on the moral duty of individuals and societies Toward the true religion and the one Church of Christ." 30 By constantly evangelizing men, the Church works toward enabling them "to infuse the Christian spirit into the mentality and mores, laws and structures of the communities in which [they] live." 31 The social duty of Christians is to Respect and awaken in each man the Love of the true and the good. It Requires them to make known the worship of the one true religion which subsists in the Catholic and apostolic Church. 32 Christians are called to be the light of the world. Thus, the Church shows forth the kingship of Christ over all Creation and in particular over human societies. 33

In Respecting religious liberty and the common good of all, Christians should seek recognition of Sundays and the Church's holy days as legal holidays. They have to give everyone a public example of prayer, respect, and joy and defend their traditions as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of Society. If a country's legislation or other reasons require work on Sunday, the day should nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance which lets us share in this "festal gathering," this "assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven." 125