Part Three: Life in Christ › Section Two of Part Three: The Ten Commandments ›› CHAPTER 2: You Shall Love Your Neighbour ››› Article 10: The Tenth Commandment

› IN BRIEF

Questions and Answers

2603. What is the tenth commandment? (CCC 2534) The tenth commandment is: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s goods.”
2604. What does the tenth commandment forbid? (CCC 2534) The tenth commandment forbids coveting the goods of another as the root of theft, robbery and fraud.
2605. What leads us to desire pleasant things we do not have? (CCC 2535) The sensitive appetite leads us to desire pleasant things we do not have.
E.g. the desire to eat when we are hungry or to warm ourselves when we are cold.
2606. When do the desires of the sensitive appetite become disordered? (CCC 2535) The desires of the sensitive appetite become disordered when they exceed the limits of reason and drive us to covet unjustly what is not ours.
2607. What is greed? (CCC 2536) Greed is the immoderate desire for earthly goods.
2608. What is avarice? (CCC 2536) Avarice is the immoderate desire for earthly riches.
2609. When is desiring what belongs to one’s neigbour legitimate? (CCC 2537) Desiring what belongs to one’s neigbour is legitimate if it is done by just means.
2610. What is envy? (CCC 2539) Envy is the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly.
2611. How does St Augustine call envy? (CCC 2539) St Augustine († 430) calls envy the diabolical sin.
2612. How should a baptised person combat envy? (CCC 2540) A baptised person should combat envy through
1. good-will
2. humility
3. abandonment to Providence.
2613. What instructs men in the desires of the Spirit? (CCC 2541) The economy of law and grace instructs men in the desires of the Spirit.
2614. Why did the Law entrusted to Israel not suffice to justify those subject to it? (CCC 2542) The Law entrusted to Israel did not suffice to justify those subject to it because of the gap between wanting and doing.
2615. How is the human gap between wanting and doing overcome? (CCC 2543) The human gap between wanting and doing is overcome through the righteousness of God through faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.
2616. What is poverty of heart? (CCC 2544) Poverty of heart is to prefer Christ to everything and everyone.
2617. How does St Gregory of Nyssa understand the poverty in spirit? (CCC 2546) St Gregory of Nyssa (before AD 400) understands the poverty in spirit as voluntary humility.
2618. What does the first beatitude promise to the poor in spirit? (CCC 2547) The first beatitude promises to the poor in spirit the Kingdom of heaven.
2619. What is the desire to see God? (CCC 2548) The desire to see God is the wish to possess Him.
2620. How does St Augustine explain the fulfilment of our desires in God? (CCC 2550) St Augustine († 430) explains the fulfilment of our desires in God by saying that then we shall:
1. contemplate Him without end
2. love Him without surfeit
3. praise Him without weariness.