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 The Ten  Commandments  and  the  other  laws  of  the  Old  Testament were a preparation  for  Jesus  Christ  (Gal.  3,  24). The Jews  could  not perfectly observe  those  laws  which  forbade  even  evil  desires;  and, feeling this,  they  came  to  know  their  own  weakness  and  sinfulness. They saw  that  they  required  divine  help  to  do  that  which  they  ought to do,  and  to  be  just  in  the  eyes  of  God. They longed,  therefore, for the  promised  Saviour. But we  Christians  can,  by  God’s  grace, keep all  the  Commandments,  if  only  we  desire  to  do  so,  and  use  the means of  grace.

Pentecost. God gave  the  Ten  Commandments  fifty  days  after  the departure from  Egypt. In commemoration  of  this,  the  Jews  always kept the  feast  of  Pentecost  fifty  days  after  the  Pasch  (Old  Test.  XXXIX). The Christian  Pentecost  is  also  kept  fifty  days  after  Easter,  because,  on that  day,  God  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  from  heaven,  and  inscribed the law  of  love  on  the  hearts  of  the  faithful.

The first  day  of  Pentecost in  the  Old  Testament  is  a type  of  the first day  of  Pentecost  in  the  New  Testament. On the  former,  the mountain shook;  on  the  latter,  the  house  in  which  the  apostles  were. There the  thunder  and  storm; here, the  rushing  as  of  a mighty wind. There, flames  appeared;  here,  tongues  of  fire. There, God came down  to  give  the  Commandments;  here,  God  the  Holy  Ghost came down  to  fill  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  with  love  of  the  Commandments.

No more  barriers.  The  boundaries,  set  round  the  mountain,  were meant to  say  to  the  Israelites: “You  are  not  worthy  on  account  of  your sins to  approach  the  Lord.”  Now,  the  barriers  which  separate  man from God  are  removed  by  Jesus  Christ. We dare  now  approach  God. We dare  receive  Him  into  our  very  hearts,  and  unite  ourselves  to  Him in the  closest  manner.

Thank God  that,  by  the  Ten  Commandments, He has  shown  you  the  road  to  heaven. Take the  trouble  to  learn the meaning  of  the  Commandments  thoroughly. Ask yourself, which Commandment  you  have  most  sinned  against,  and  pray to the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  gift  of  holy  fear. “If thou  will enter into  life,  keep  the  Commandments”,  says  our  Lord  (see Deut.  5,  29).

The Israelites  had  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  hearing  of God’s  voice,  by  the  sanctification  of  their  hearts. How much  more ought we  to  prepare  ourselves  for  receiving  God  into  our  hearts in Holy  Communion.