Let me make this perfectly clear . . . life is hard. That is a truth at whatever age we are.
So what do we do to help us through this hard life? I need a few volunteers to help demonstrate.
[Invite a few kids up.]
There are certain things that we can put on to protect us from the daily hard things of life:
Sunglasses – to protect us from the sun’s glare
Oven Mitts – to protect us from the hot pans when cooking
Bike helmet – to protect our heads during a fall or collision while biking
Knee pads – to protect our knees when doing work on the floor
Cane – to protect us from falling
Apron – to protect us from splashes and spills while cooking
Safety googles – to protect our eyes during chores
Umbrella – to protect us from the rain
Winter clothes (scarf) – to protect us from the cold
We have other things also:
cell phone covers - to protect our phones
locks - to protect us from break-ins
passwords - on our computers to protect our information
ear plugs – to protect our ears
seat belts – to protect us in our cars
shots – to protect us from the flu
The list is endless, but all of these seem like a real “pain in the behind.” But these are actually good things. If any of you have fallen, or touched a hot pan or been soaked in the rain . . . we realize how good some of these things are. They might seem like burdens, but they are really there to help us and protect us from harm.
Well, in religion we also have some things to protect us. We have rules. The most famous of the rules, we heard about in the first reading . . . the 10 Commandments. God didn’t make up those commandments to burden us or to make our lives difficult. . . . but there are there to help us, to protect us.
It is the same with most families, they have rules. And to you kids, even though it seems that your parents are giving you rules just because they can . . . you are wrong. I don’t know of any parent who wakes up in the morning and says, “Now what new rule can I make up today to make my kid’s life miserable?” No, it may seem like that, but it doesn’t work like that. Parents establish rules or boundaries because they want to protect you and make your life easier I the long run.
It is the same with God. The commandments are meant to help us and protect us from life . . even though they seem to be there MERELY to make our lives miserable. That was not God’s intention.
So the 10 Commandments are important, even though Jesus explains that there is one commandment that “supersedes” any other commandment. That is first and greatest . . to love God with our whole heart, soul and mind . . . with a second commandment just as valuable . . . to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Still we have the 10 Commandments which we heard in the first reading. But just in case you did not fully understand those commandments, I have version of them for us Minnesotans:
Ten Commandments, Minnesota style:
1. Der's only one God, ya know. Don't make that stuffed fish on your wall an idol.
2. Cussin’ ain't Minnesota nice.
3. Go to church, even when you're up nort.
4. Honor your folks, ya know.
5. Don't kill. Catch and release.
6. There's only one Lena for every Ole. No cheatin.
7. If it ain't your lutefisk, don't take it.
8. Don't be braggin bout how much snow ya shoveled.
9. Don’t be wishin’ you had that young thing as your wife
. . . or don’t be wishin’ you didn’t have Sven for your husband.
10. Keep your mind off your neighbor's hotdish