IMPORTANT TRUTHS ABOUT THE 1st COMMANDMENT OF GOD
Many persons believe that in order to lead a good life one has only to act justly and charitably toward his fellow men. Such persons do not realize that the most important of man's obligations are those toward his Creator. The chief of these obligations are those laid down in the first three commandments. The first commandment prescribes our fundamental duty as creatures the adoration of God - and forbids those things that are opposed to it.
To obey the first commandment we must especially practice those virtues which have God Himself as their immediate object, the theological virtues. We should frequently make acts of these virtues. Although every practical Catholic, without thinking expressly of these virtues, makes acts of faith, hope and charity when he performs his religious duties, such as attendance at Mass, the reception of the sacraments, prayer, etc., it is advisable for every one to make acts of the theological virtues in a more express manner at certain times. The most convenient occasion is when we say our night prayers.
Sins against the first commandment are very common nowadays. Besides the great multitude of persons who deliberately reject belief in God and Christ, there are many who will not accept the Catholic religion, even though they see the force of the arguments the Catholic Church presents to show that it is the true Church of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Many of these persons are moved by the thought of the difficulties and the sacrifices that are connected with the Catholic religion, such as the stricter observance of the moral code, confession, and the laws of fast and abstinence. These persons often try to justify themselves with the statement that one religion is as good as another; but this is ridiculous, because there can be only one true religion, and surely false relations cannot be as good as that which is true.
Unfortunately, there are even Catholics who violate the first commandment some by sins against hope and charity, some even by sins against faith. It is true, there are few Catholics who after being instructed in their religion, go so far as to doubt or deny any of the Church's teachings. Even those unfortunate persons who leave the Catholic Church are generally led to make this decision, not by difficulties concerning the faith but by desire of worldly success or the intention of marrying a divorced person, or some other unworthy material motive. But there are Catholics who are more or less seriously addicted to superstitious practices, such as avoiding thirteen at table, reading tealeaves, knocking on wood, etc. Some even engage in more serious superstitious practices, such as consulting fortune tellers or spiritistic mediums. These practices are a violation of the first commandment of God, inasmuch as they attribute to created things powers that God reserves to Himself.
The most important truths of revelation, which every one should know explicitly as a means of salvation, are these four: (1) God exists; (2) God rewards the good and punishes the wicked; (3) God is one in nature and three in Persons; (4) The second Person of the Holy Trinity became man and died for our salvation, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
Catholics should be on their guard against. the sin of sacrilege, such as the lack of proper reverence in church, jokes concerning the Bible or other sacred things, disrespectful use of holy water or blessed medals, etc. Generally such sins are only venial; but a person is guilty of the mortal sin of sacrilege when, there is a question of the unworthy reception of a sacrament. By far the worst example of this kind is the unworthy reception of the Holy Eucharist.