Vatican City, Jun 20, 2018 / 03:08 am
On Wednesday Pope Francis said the 10 Commandments are not heartless rules imposed on mankind by an oppressive God, but are rather words given by a father to his children in order to protect them from harm.
"Man is in front of this crossroads: does God impose things on me, or take care of me? Are his commandments only a law, or do they contain a word? Is God a master or a father? Are we slaves, or children?" the pope said June 20.
This is a "battle" which takes place both inside and outside of the person, and "is continually present: a thousand times we must choose between a slave mentality and a mentality of children," he said, adding that the Holy Spirit is a spirit "of sons, it is the Spirit of Jesus."
"A spirit of slaves can only welcome the law in an oppressive way, and it can produce two opposite results: either a life of duties and obligations, or a violent reaction of rejection."