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  IN THE FIRST PLACE, TO LOVE THE LORD GOD
  by St. Benedict of Nursia
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of loving the Lord God
with one's whole being and prioritizing this love above all else.

Topics: "Loving God", "Christian Ethics"

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DESCRIPTION
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St. Benedict of Nursia preaches on the importance of living a life of
love and righteousness according to God's commandments. He emphasizes
the need to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength, and to
love our neighbors as ourselves. St. Benedict also teaches against sins
such as murder, adultery, stealing, coveting, bearing false witness, and
encourages honoring all people. He highlights the significance of self-
denial to follow Christ, chastising the body, avoiding attachment to
worldly pleasures, and practicing acts of charity and compassion towards
others.

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CONTENT
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1. In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the
whole soul, the whole strength. 2. Then, one's neighbor as oneself. 3.
Then not to murder. 4. Not to commit adultery. 5. Not to steal. 6. Not
to covet. 7. Not to bear false witness. 8. To honor all (1 Peter 2:17).
9. And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself. 10.
To deny oneself in order to follow Christ. 11. To chastise the body. 12.
Not to become attached to pleasures. 13. To love fasting. 14. To relieve
the poor. 15. To clothe the naked. 16. To visit the sick. 17. To bury
the dead. 18. To help in trouble. 19. To console the sorrowing. 20. To
become a stranger to the world's ways. 21. To prefer nothing to the love
of Christ.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/st-benedict-of-nursia/in-the-first-place-to-love-the-lord-god/
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