Saints LightWhat Are the Ten Commandments?
The Ten Commandments show us how to love God and love other people, and we keep them because we love God.
Long ago, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (CCC 2056). They are not rules to spoil our fun. They are like the lines on a soccer field or the guard rails on a mountain road: they keep us safe and show us how to love.
Jesus summed them up in two great commandments: love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. The first three commandments are about loving God, and the other seven are about loving people (CCC 2055, 2067).
Loving God: 1. Put God first, before anything else. 2. Say God's name only with love and respect. 3. Keep Sunday holy, especially by going to Mass (CCC 2083).
Loving others: 4. Honor and obey your father and mother (CCC 2197). 5. Do not hurt anyone, and take care of every life, including your own. 6. Be faithful in love, the way a husband and wife promise to be, and treat bodies with respect. 7. Do not steal. 8. Tell the truth. 9. Keep your heart and thoughts pure. 10. Be thankful for what you have and do not be jealous of what others have.
Jesus said: If you love me, keep my commandments. When we keep them, we are not earning God's love, because we already have it. We are loving Him back. And when we break one, we can always say sorry and start again in Confession.
Key points
- God gave Moses the Ten Commandments.
- The first three are about loving God; the other seven are about loving others.
- We keep them because we love God.
The Word of God
If you love me, keep my commandments.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.
Catechism paragraphs for this lesson
- CCC 2055
- CCC 2056
- CCC 2067
- CCC 2083
- CCC 2197
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Live it this week
Pick one commandment to work on this week, like telling the truth or obeying the first time. Make a little chart and give yourself a sticker each day you live it, and thank God at night.
Check yourself: three questions
1. Who received the Ten Commandments from God?
- Noah
- Peter
- Moses
- David
Show the answer
Moses. God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. What are the first three commandments about?
- Loving God
- Loving animals
- Cleaning your room
- Doing homework
Show the answer
Loving God. The first three are about loving God; the other seven are about loving people.
3. Why do we keep the commandments?
- So God will start loving us
- Because we love God, who already loves us
- Because we are scared
- So we can win prizes
Show the answer
Because we love God, who already loves us. Jesus said: If you love me, keep my commandments. We love Him back.
For catechists: a one hour class plan
Goal. The children will know the Ten Commandments in simple words, will see them as a gift that shows how to love, and will choose one to practice.
Opener. Ask: "What would happen if we played a soccer game with no rules and no lines?" Let them imagine the chaos. Then: "God gave us rules that help us love and be happy."
Discussion questions
- Why do you think God gave us commandments? [Because He loves us and wants us safe and happy.]
- Which commandments are about loving God, and which are about loving people? [First three God; last seven people.]
- Which commandment do you think is hardest for kids? [Let them be honest. Often obeying, telling the truth or not being jealous.]
- What happens if we break a commandment? [We say sorry, make it right, and go to Confession. God helps us start again.]
Activity. Two tablets: each child folds a sheet of paper in half to make two stone tablets. On the left they write commandments 1 to 3 in their own words; on the right, 4 to 10. Then play "Which commandment?": the leader reads short situations (sharing a toy, telling a fib, skipping Mass, talking back to Mom, taking a friend's eraser) and the children hold up fingers for the commandment it touches.
Closing prayer. Loving God, thank You for showing us how to live. Help us put You first, love our families and tell the truth. When we fail, help us come back to You. Amen.
Timing. Welcome and Sign of the Cross 5 min, no-rules soccer opener 5 min, read the lesson aloud 10 min, discussion 10 min, tablets and situation game 15 min, memory verse 5 min, quiz together 5 min, closing prayer 5 min.
Related lessons
- Why Commandments at All? (The Commandments)
- Living as a Christian: Love, Commandments and Virtue (Start Here, free)
- The Fourth Commandment: Honor Your Father and Mother (The Commandments)
- The Great Commandment and the Beatitudes (The Commandments)
Keep your place in the app
Jesus Loves Me: A Catechism for Children is free in the Saints Light app too, where you can mark each lesson done, take it as a guided class and keep notes.
Every course is open free for your first 14 days. After that, one payment of $14.99 unlocks every course. There is no subscription.