An old cartoon shows God handing the Ten Commandments to Moses, saying, "I really have 48 of them, but, try these 10 and see how they work out.

There are many false arguments about public placement of the Commandments, but very little talk about their meaning as basic moral requirements for right living.

The first three commands indicate that God is the center of everything, and so you will respect the name of God and recognize God's sovereignty. When your with relationship with God is in order, your relationship others will be in order.

With God as the center, respect mother and father — family is the basis, the foundation for the six commands, which demand respect for the gift of life and respect for the name and property of others.

The Scriptures are adamant that Jesus is without sin, and yet he expressed anger. So anger, in itself, is not a sin. The sin is getting angry over the wrong things.

Jesus got angry when he saw people exploiting religion for their own profit; the religious leaders were using religion not to help people but to take advantage of them. Jesus used a dramatic gesture to get his point across.

The point is not that he is angry. By removing the merchants from the temple, Jesus makes the claim that the temple was no longer necessary.

Jesus' own body is now the temple. That's the point.

For this to happen Jesus had to sweep out the old to make room for something new.

Lent is your time to look within your soul and ask yourself, "what does not belong?"

Where have you gone astray in your practice of the faith?

Looking at the things that should not be part of your personal life is not pleasant, but it can bring holiness. The Commandments are a guide to personal cleansing.

Some people think, "if I follow the Commandments," God will love me. As right as this sounds, it is wrong. God already loves you.

Following the Commandments is not a prerequisite for God's love. Following the Commandments is a response to God's love.

Cleansing of the soul takes place through the sacrament of reconciliation. You go to confession not because you have to. You go to confession because you love God.

You are to examine your consciousness of Godconscience:

Look within yourself and if you find any inappropriate things within the temple of your soul, they must be cast out with God's grace. The Ten Commandments serve to tell you what you should see. You cannot clean what you do not see or don't want to see.

You cannot ask for forgiveness for what you do not admit.

Lent is a good time for you to ask God to cleanse your soul of what does not belong.

Looking at your soul, what would Jesus remove?