How are the precepts of the Decalogue divided?
They are divided into two parts, which are called the two tables of the law.
What do the precepts of the first table comprise?
They comprise the first three precepts relating to the virtue of religion which regulates man's dealings with God.
What order is there between these three precepts?
The order among them is of such sort that the first two put aside the two principal obstacles to the worship of God, viz., superstition or the worship of false gods, and irreligion or the lack of respect towards the true God; then the third precept determines positively the worship of the true God (CXXII. 2,3).
What does the third precept of the Decalogue comprise?
It comprises two things: abstaining from servile works; and the occupying oneself with the things of God (CXXII. 4, Obj. 3).
What is meant by abstaining from servile works?
By this is meant the obligation of putting aside for one day in the week (which is now Sunday) and on days of obligation (which are for the entire Church the feast of Christmas, the Circumcision, the Epiphany, the Ascension, Corpus Christi, the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the feast of St. Joseph, of St. Peter and St. Paul, and All Saints) manual work which is not necessary for the maintenance or welfare of our material life, or which urgent necessity does not demand (CXXII. 3, Obj. 3; Code, 1247).
And what does the occupying ourselves with the things of God comprise?
It comprises in a most express way and under penalty of grave sin, the obligation to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays and on the feast days above mentioned (CXXII. 3, Obj. 4).
If one is unable to assist at Mass on the above days is one bound to perform some exercise of piety?
One is not bound to any exercise of piety that is in any way determined; but one would be certainly wanting in the positive obligation of keeping holy the above days if one let them go by without any act of religion at all.
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - XLI. OF THE PRECEPTS RELATING TO JUSTICE WHICH ARE THOSE OF THE DECALOGUE: OF THE THREE FIRST; AND OF THE LAST FOUR (C)
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