Pop-Up Catechesis: The Tenth Commandment and Avoiding Comparisons

From the time we are toddlers right up to the present day, it is common for us to compare ourselves to others. I know that this past Christmas, my wife and I were happy to have our grandchildren open their Christmas presents on separate days so that they wouldn’t compare their gifts to their cousins’. We may think that this is only a problem that children have; however, there is a reason we have the cliche, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” We adults find it hard to stop comparing ourselves with others. The Tenth Commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods,” teaches us that coveting, or desiring, our neighbor’s material possessions is unhealthy for ourselves and for our relationships with others. In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the Tenth Commandment and how it calls for us to stop comparing ourselves with others and to live with a spirit of simplicity.

For more information about the Tenth Commandment, comparing ourselves to others, and living with a spirit of simplicity, take a look at the following links:

• Pope Francis’s Message of Simplicity
• Blessed by Less
• 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness
• The Tenth Commandment Gives Fair Warning About Envy
• The Tenth Commandment: Coveting Goods

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