Imagine

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky ( bio - articles - email ) | May 19, 2025

Imagine heaven. St. John’s apocalyptic vision makes it easy:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people… he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more….’ (Rev. 21:1-4)

Imagine living in the Land of the Ten Commandments, where we love God and neighbor. Distant national and world events distract and discourage us from our daily duties to achieve our heavenly destiny and the peace of Christ. But on a local level, most of us feel a sense of accomplishment after Sunday Mass. Our fulfillment of rendering God His due in worship brings a sense of peace.

The Ten Commandments are nothing other than the law of God written on our hearts. The first three Commandments teach us to love God. The following seven Commandments teach us to love our neighbor. The great Catholic natural-law philosopher (a former despairing atheist), Jacques Maritain, influenced the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The natural law (read: the Ten Commandments) affirms that every just law is reasonable and is rooted in God’s commandments. The result is not a theocracy, just common sense.

Children often have more common sense than adults. Occasionally I ask 2nd-graders if they know that disobeying Mom and Dad is a bad idea. They readily agree. If so, why did God give us the Fourth Commandment? A precocious child raised his hand to explain: “To remind us!” Exactly. The Commandments bring out the best in human nature. Children get it. So should we.

Imagine a society where people attend church on Sunday, worship God, and express reverence for Him. Imagine nuclear families with moms and dads—male and female—married in exclusive and faithful unions until death. Imagine we have laws prohibiting murder, theft, and direct abortion. Imagine that most babies are conceived within marriage, and those conceived outside of marriage are cared for as circumstances dictated. You may have noticed not-so-subtle references to the precepts of the Ten Commandments in this vision—which is secular, but based on natural law.

Imagine a culture that socially stigmatizes abuses and imposes penalties for malicious lawbreaking. Obstinate and disobedient children (brats) are punished. Murderers prosecuted. Abortion is considered reprehensible. Rude phrases and epithets stigmatize illicit relations outside of marriage.

Imagine big tech executives repulsed by the pornography business. Imagine couples entering into marriage knowing that the civil laws make divorce difficult. Thieves are jailed. Liars ostracized. And those cooperating with these evils are held suspect.

Imagine tolerance and mercy as key components of our society in this Land of the Ten Commandments. A tolerant person disapproves of bad behavior and never allows evil to become the norm. But he endures injustices, if necessary, for the common good, with patience and long-suffering. Atheists are tolerated, provided they abide by the rule of law. Parents and teachers correct disobedient children and give them a second chance. We work to extinguish burning hatreds through forgiveness.

Imagine an open door of return for those who repent of failing to uphold the marriage bond, shoplifting, lying, and gossiping. But a merciful society needs the objective norms of justice—the Ten Commandments—in order for mercy to have any meaning whatsoever. Unless we hold fast to the benchmarks of justice, evil becomes the norm.

Imagine a society where people have the wisdom to recognize and warn those who are self-satisfied in their righteousness and measure others by the Ten Commandments, but fail to evaluate themselves. It is always possible for a society to impose harsh and unreasonable penalties for violating the Ten Commandments. Jesus provides the guidelines:

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. (Mt. 7:3-5)

Imagine the culture in the Land of the Ten Commandments that designates Sunday as a family day of worship, with happy families and peacemakers. Imagine viewing women with the utmost respect. Imagine our young women singing that 1960s Petula Clark tune “Downtown.” You know the lyrics, maybe. “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go downtown. When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry seem to help, I know, downtown.” Downtown in the Land of the Ten Commandments is safe, legal, and fun. But I digress. (Those flashback memories come with age. Sorry.)

Imagine a happy and free society with mutual respect where kids grow up in secure families and unlocked doors with Ward and June Cleaver, the Beaver and his brother Wally, and a few Eddie Haskells here and there. For Catholics, the confessionals are always busy.

At the Last Supper, Jesus says: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn. 13:34-35)

Imagine doing our part to bring a piece of heaven to earth with love for God and neighbor. It’s easy if you try (with God’s grace!). You may say I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us—in the Land of the Ten Commandments. And the world will live as one.