Tonight I was reading over the excellent examination of conscience that is on the St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church site and my eyes were drawn and held to the section of sins against the fifth commandment: You shall not kill.

FIFTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not kill.” (Ex 20:13)

Did I kill or physically injure anyone?
Did I have an abortion, or advise someone else to have an abortion? (One who procures an abortion is automatically excommunicated, as is anyone who is involved in an abortion, Canon 1398. The excommunication will be lifted in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.)
Did I use or cause my spouse to use birth control pills (whether or not realizing that birth control pills do abort the fetus if and when conceived)?
Did I attempt suicide?
Did I take part in or approve of “mercy killing” (euthanasia)?
Did I get angry, impatient, envious, unkind, proud, revengeful, jealous, hateful toward another, lazy?
Did I give bad example by drug abuse, drinking alcohol to excess, fighting, quarreling?
Did I abuse my children? Read more.

It was easy for me to say no to the list of offenses, until I got up to the part that asks if I got angry, impatient, envious, unkind, proud….”. Well, how is that killing someone?

Anytime, we say an unkind word to someone else, are we not killing them a little bit? Maybe we’re killing their self-esteem or maybe we’re killing their love for the Church by being a bad witness.

Maybe we’re killing our own personal relationship with God. 1 Peter 5:5 says that “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble”. I have found that pride leads to to anger and being overly sensitive and pride can often affect how we treat others.

All the Saints have always stressed humility, humility, humility. Should we not follow their examples?

May God bless you tonight as you slumber and may you wake up spiritually refreshed in the Lord.