10 Commandments Crossword Puzzle

It’s quite simple. Do what makes you holy first and then you will find true happiness. Many people don’t find true happiness, because they think if they do what makes them happy at the moment, then they will find happiness, but this is never true. Do what makes you holy first, then you will find happiness, through the peace, the joy and the love that you feel from pleasing God! Live to please God, and not to please others, and you will be the happiest! We cannot please everyone all the time, but we can please God all of the time! -Ingrid Bernard

WE MUST understand that the 10 commandments are not rules to bring us down or drag us down. People, especially kids…and adults too, tend to associate “rules” with something negative. These rules my friends should in NO WAY be associated with negativity. My friends, these are the steps to eternal happiness and everlasting satisfaction. If we are seeking happiness, which we all are, these are 10 steps of happiness! EVERYTHING God has given us, is because he loves us, and He wants to show us the way to eternal happiness to heaven. 

Learn the 10 steps of happiness! Let us begin!

1.“I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any gods before Me.”

There is only one God. Keep God First.

If we put anything, ANYTHING first above God, in thinking about anything else more than God like self on Facebook, material goods, clothes, toys, people, anything we can shop for, a place, well my friend then we are breaking the first commandment. If we put God first in everything…everything else just seems so minor, because we realize and know just how big and infinite God is. 

2. “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”

Always and only say God’s name with love or when you are praying. 

Don’t say His name disrespectfully. Saying, “Oh My God” Is breaking the 2nd commandment. Why can’t we all just find a different expression, totally different, and far removed from the relative of this, “oh my Gosh”…if we must..Oh my goodness…. 

3. “Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath day.”

Keep God’s day Holy. This is a day for Church, rest and family. 

Let me elaborate. Not too long ago in recent history, things used to be closed on Sundays, stores and such, and this day was reserved for church, and family, a mini Easter every Sunday. Even God rested on the 7th day after He “worked” to create us all. He was showing us through His example. On Sunday, shut it all off, rest, detach, focus even more fervently on God, rest and family. Make God, Church and family and leisure the highlight and focus of your day! 

4. “Honor thy father and mother.”

Love and respect your mom and dad.

Honor your parents no matter what, because they are your parents. We all try our best, and do our best with our past experiences, resources, our experiences…Moms and Dads love their kids, and even if they don’t always show it the way that we would want…the only perfect parent is God, our heavenly Father and creator, and dissatisfaction in parenting that may lead to temptation to not honor our parents, is countered in knowing that God loves us more than if everyone in this world. It’s just not possible to fathom God’s love. Through learning to honor our parents, we learn how to better honor God. 

5. “Thou shalt not kill.”

Don’t kill other humans at any stage of life.

This one is pretty straight forward although the world has skewed this one. Don’t kill humans at any stage of their life, from the moment of conception to any age. 

6. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Do not commit adultery. Respect your marriage/vocation/stick with it. 

This is one of those that we tend to skip over because we don’t know how to talk to our kids about this one…and it shows in society…With the ridiculously high divorce rates, and culture of society. Let’s talk to our kids about this one. “ Jesus says “truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Things to say. We marry for life. It takes husband and wife and God at the center of that marriage. Catholic Church is also a sanctifying instrument for growth in holiness and a path to sainthood. 

7. “Thou shalt not steal.”

Do not steal. 

Don’t take something that isn’t yours. 

8. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Don’t lie.

Always tell the truth. Don’t say bad or untrue things about others. A good rule to have on ourselves is to only say things that are positive or uplifting about others, and refrain from the negative comments about others. 

9. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”

Honor your vocation.

Do not want something else when you have chosen your vocation. This is another one of those that gets skipped over because we don’t know how to talk to our kids about this one, and it shows in society based on statistics. Simply put, we need to stick with the vocation we discern and the person we discern though the good and the bad. 

10. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”

Don’t be jealous of or want what others have.

If you always want what others have, you will never be happy with what you do have, thus you will never be happy and always wanting something else or that next thing that you think will make you happy. Only God satisfies. 

Suscipe Prayer by Saint Ignatius of Loyola

"Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me."

Some great resources on the 10 commandments for kids: 

A great show for the kids to watch on the 10 commandments is Brother Francis 10 commandments. 

Here is a link: 

https://www.ignatius.com/Brother-Francis-Ten-Commandments-P3111.aspx

This is a neat way for kids to remember the 10 commandments. 

http://www.myblessedhome.net/2009/11/fun-way-to-memorize-the-ten-commandments/

Great discussion activity. 

https://www.catechist.com/teach-ten-commandments-children/