"You shall do homage to the Lord your God: him alone shall you adore" (Matt. 4:10).
The Worship of God our Father:
"...the hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeks such to worship him. God is spirit, and they who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24).
The first commandment deals with our fundamental duty towards God, our Creator and Father-the duty of rendering Him supreme worship. This worship demands that our first principle and last end, as our Lord and Creator and the Supreme Goodness towards which we tend. Because He has become our Father, our worship takes on a new characteristic; it is no less submissive, no less whole-hearted and entire, but it is steeped in filial love which casts out servile fear: "Now you have not received a spirit of bondage so as to be again in fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons, by virtue of which we cry. 'Abba! Father!" (Rom. 8:15).
How do we worship God? By faith, hope, charity and religion. The theological virtues cannot be otherwise than fundamental springs of worship. Before we can adore, love and serve our Lord and Father, we must know Him, and faith uncovers Him to us, leading us to as perfect a knowledge of Him as it is possile on this earth. It is also our homage paid to God as Eternal Truth, for by it we accept revealed truths for no other motive than that He has revealed them. Hope, which follows hard on the heels of faith moves us to seek God with unshakable confidence, God Whom by faith we have perceived as our ultimate goal, and for whom we are willing to surrender all and dare all that we might be with Him. Hope also gives honor to God because it rests upon a firm confidence in His infinite goodness, power and fidelity. By charity we love God above all things, surrendering our entire being to His will, living only for Him Who is all-lovable and worthy of all we have to give. It is by charity that we truly perfect our filial worship of God.
What does God command us by the first commandment?
By the first commandment God commands us to adore Him alone, and to love and serve Him above all. How would we sin against the worship due to God? We would sin against faith, hope and charity; by idolatry and superstitious practices; sacrilege and impiety and by irreverence and neglect of religious duties.
