God revealed Himself to the Jewish People as we see in the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments are basically the natural law which God put on the hearts of all people in Creation and which men and women after the Fall, after the darkness of the intellect and concupiscence, had to revisit through Moses.
Sadly, there are two generations which seem to think one can fudge on the Ten Commandments. Not so. The Ten Commandments are the basics, basic training not Ranger School.
The Beatitudes come after obedience to the Ten Commandments. One must absolutely fulfill the basics and keep working at the basics.
One must be absolutely orthodox concerning the Ten Commandments, the Laws of the Church and prayer. One must fast. One must seek out mortifications.
The Church Militant never rests. Never. And, one cannot skip steps to holiness, one cannot slack off.
In fact, Christ says that one has to find the narrow gate. Find it!
13 Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat.
14 How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!
