Father John Gerard Hillier

Justice and solidarity among nations” and “love for the poor” are themes close to my heart. How are these topics related to the Seventh Commandment, “You shall not steal”? When unjust relations exist between nations or when circumstances create a situation causing people to live on the brink of destitution, we need to consider how we might lend a helping hand.

This article examines the Seventh Commandment: “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19), which forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one’s neighbors and wronging them in any way with respect to their goods” (ccc 2401). Does this include seemingly unimportant things like firewood or paper clips or copy paper or crabapples?

For better, for worse, or richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health… until death.” This vow has been declared tens of millions of times over the centuries as a pledge of love between a man and a woman embarking upon their new life as “two becoming one flesh (see Gensis 2:24 and Matthew 19: 5-6). Saint Paul explains further that Christan couples have “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27 ) who is the model of all chastity. As such, whether married or unmarried, “all th baptized are called to chastity” (cc 2348 ). In fact, “at the moment of his baptism the Christian is pledged to lead an affective life in chastity” (cc 2348 ).

The word “chastity” suggests the notion of someone being “as pure as the driven snow.” What exactly does this mean? The Catechism makes it crystal clear: “Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of a person in his or her bodily and spiritual being…The virtue of chastity therefore involves the integrity of the person and the integrality of the gift” (ccc 2337).