MORAL STORIES

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

We often begin our prayers with the words, "Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." In the Indian language,Malayalam, it is recited as "Pithavinum Puthranum ParisudhaRoohaykum Sthuthi." During a prayer meeting, by a slip of tongue, the leader said, "Parisudha Roopaykum" using the word 'Roopa' ( which means the Rupee, the currency of India) instead of 'Rooha' (which means the Holy Spirit).

That was just an accidental error but there are many who praise money and adore it in place of God, a blatant violation of the First Commandment of God. Many others adore prestige, position, profession, power, popularity, beauty, education, fame, health etc. instead of God. Today, man has framed a new commandment: "Thou shall not be caught" meaning that any secret sin is fine. Practical Christians often outnumber practising Christians.

"I repeat: it is much harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle" {Matthew 19:24}.

By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India.

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