We are ten days into lent and we are hit with a biggie, “Thou shall not kill.” The short version of the fifth commandment can have us breathing a sigh of relief. “If I haven’t physically murdered anyone, I am clear of having to confess this one…” WRONG! The beauty of our Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us of the fullness of Christ’s message on this command. The fifth commandment is as much about how we use our words to attack someone else or even react in a way that wounds the Spirit of another person.
There is also a repercussion for our own soul when we allow hatred or anger to consume us. It replaces love in our hearts. Charity which Christ tells us is the greatest of all our virtues. True love and hate cannot coexist if we haven’t found a way to desire reconciliation.