Chapter 1_ The Basis For Morality PDF

CHAPTER 1- WHAT IS MORALITY? Morality defined Principles concerning the distinctions between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Standards by which a person judges an action to...

CHAPTER 1- WHAT IS MORALITY? Morality defined Principles concerning the distinctions between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. Standards by which a person judges an action to be good or evil.  *If we can foster a relationship HOW with Jesus, we will grow in an CAN WE ever-deepening awareness of who we are, and how we should LIVE A live. LIFE *God calls us to live a good THAT IS life, a life of holiness! MORAL ? *Christian morality gives direction to our response to God’s call. * How do we know what God is calling us to do? LIVING A CHRISTIAN LIFE The purpose of human life is to live the present in such a way as to enjoy eternal life with God – Like an athlete who works out and plays by the rules, the Christian is called to regular practice of the faith and to following God’s laws Christ became man, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead so that we might enjoy eternal life with God THE END RESULT!!! God’s Promise is… Eternal Happiness to all who follow “His Call”.His Call requires you to remain on the road to holiness God’s Call He calls us to be fully alive--and in that living… to grow in faith to follow Him to love one another BUT WHY BOTHER? YOU HAVE YOUR OPINION AND I HAVE MINE! RIGHT? OBJECTIVE VS. SUBJECTIVE MORALITY Those who form their consciences according to Christ’s teachings believe in objective morality rooted in the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of human life Those who do not have the same formation hold to a subjective morality, one that can vary from situation to situation and from one personal opinion to another. This line of thinking is known as Moral Relativism  Matthew Kelly 1.0 Navigation CHRIST’S INVITATION Christ invites each of us to to share in his life, both in this world and the next To accept his invitation requires not only faith, but that we live according to that faith by using our free will and our well informed conscience to make good moral decisions AT THE MOMENT A HUMAN LIFE IS CONCEIVED, HUMANS ARE “ORDERED TO GOD” MAKING US PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT. THIS IS KNOWN AS OUR HUMAN DIGNITY BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH SPECIAL CREATURES, WE HUMANS ARE ALL ENDOWED WITH THREE GIFTS: INTELLECT FREE WILL SPIRITUAL SOUL  Morality is not just for Catholics or Christians EVERYONE IS CALLED TO A LIFE OF HOLINESS Not even meant only for those that believe in God Because God gave us free will, it is completely up to us whether to accept or reject this call YOUR YES TO CHRIST’S INVITATION PROMISES HAPPINESS! Your happiness lies in recognizing and embracing our poverty, our need of God. When our eyes are opened, we see the futility of clinging to the lie of self-sufficiency and are freed to accept the help which comes only from God. r REFLECTION #1 ARE YOU WILLING TO ACCEPT CHRIST’S INVITATION? THE BEATITUDES PROMISE US JOY The inner happiness spoken of in the Beatitudes is God's gift of blessing granted to those who choose to be disciples. Disciple- A follower of God  THE BEATITUDES From a Christian perspective, the Beatitudes teach that people are blessed even in hard times because they will receive eternity in heaven. Also, we are blessed for having honorable qualities such as being meek, righteous, merciful, pure, and peacemakers. The Beatitudes, if lived out, promise us JOY!!!  Explaining The Sermon on The Mount The Beatitudes  THE BEATITUDES AS TAUGHT BY JESUS SERMON ON THE MOUNT Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. WORKSHEET #2 Beatitudes  A BEATITUDE SAINT IN YOUR LIFE SOM The First Qtr. Project Beatitude Saints live in a way will be focusing on that is truly pleasing to God! Write about a person that you A Beatitude Saint KNOW that exemplifies a ***************** Beatitude Saint? DUE: October 30th So How Can You Reflect Your Love For God And Others In Thought, Word and Deed? Simply by following the Example of Jesus Christ! All Things Are Possible With God MORAL THEOLOGY IS MORE THAN RULES – Christian Morality is more about the message of salvation and holiness than a set of moral teachings – The Commandments are of utmost importance in order for us to reach holiness – YES, It includes rules in order that we may understand the difference b/w good and evil so that we can always follow the ways of Christ so that we achieve True Happiness  Other Than A Path To True Happiness WHAT IS MORAL LAW? Moral Law is based on the Divine Wisdom of God Because the Moral Law is rooted in love, living by its ideals prepares us for an ever-deeper relationship with God Loving God and others allows a person to reach a joy that the world cannot offer Living by the Commandments empowers a Christian to give more completely of self to the service of God and neighbor Moral law is a demand of our Faith – Living according to the moral law is the first step in living the Christian life – The Great Commandment of love does not weaken the force of the Ten Commandments – A full commitment to the moral law is very important if we are to live out our vocation to holiness and abide by Christ’s New Commandment of LOVE CONTROVERSIAL MORAL STANDARDS EXIST IN OUR SOCIETY... For example, over the abortion issue, those who support a “woman’s right to abortion” clash with those who believe the unborn child has a “right to life” These types of controversies reveal that, even though the two sides completely disagree, each believes that some kind of moral standard exists WHAT THE MORAL LAW IS NOT Moral law is not just about human sexuality – Many people assume Catholic moral teaching is all about issues of sexuality and marriage and conclude that moral law represents a severe restriction on human freedom – While Catholic moral teaching does govern such issues, it also has much to say about war, health care, economics, poverty, discrimination, calumny/slander and criminal justice  MANY OF THE CHURCH’S TEACHINGS ABOUT MORALS ARE LINKED TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS BUT IT’S MORE THAN THAT 1. I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me 2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain 3. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath 4. Honor your mother and father 5. You shall not kill 6. You shall not commit adultery 7. You shall not steal 8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor 9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife 0. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods LOVE OF GOD AND LOVE OF NEIGHBOR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND THE MOST BASIC PRINCIPLE HOW CAN I BE EXPECTED TO FORM MY CONSCIENCE IN ACCORDANCE TO GOD’S WILL? NN GROUP WORK 1. Group Discussions: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have them discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. 2. Group Discussions: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have GCertainly! Here are some ideas for "busy work" activities that can reinforce the teachings of The Ten Commandments for your Junior Theology classes: 3. 4. 1. **Commandment Matching Game**: Create a set of cards with the Ten Commandments on one set and their explanations or modern applications on another. Students can work in pairs to match commandments to their meanings. 5. 6. 2. **Creative Art Project**: Ask students to create a poster or visual representation of one or more of the commandments. They can use images, symbols, or even quotes that embody the spirit of the commandment. 7. 10 Small groups of 3-4 Each group picks one commandment, and discusses its meaning and relevance today. The group will then present their thoughts to the class. 8. 9. 10. 3. **Scenario Role-Playing**: Provide students with different scenarios that challenge them to apply the commandments in real-life situations. Have them act out the scenarios and discuss how they would respond according to the commandments. 11. 12. 4. **Reflection Journals**: Have students keep a journal where they reflect on how they see the commandments in their everyday lives. Each week, they can choose a commandment to focus on and write about its relevance to their actions or decisions. 13. 14. 5. **Commandment Quiz Creation**: Students can work in small groups to create a quiz about the commandments. They can exchange quizzes with another group to answer and review the commandments together. 15. 16. 6. **Comparative Study**: Have students research how the Ten Commandments are interpreted in different religions or cultures. They can present their findings in a report or presentation. 17. 18. 7. **Modern Day Applications**: Ask students to write a short essay or create a presentation on how they can apply a specific commandment in today’s world, especially in the context of current societal issues. 19. 20. 8. **Group Discussions**: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have them discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. 21. 22. 9. **Creative Writing**: Have students write a short story or a dialogue between characters discussing one of the commandments and its relevance in their lives. 23. 24. 10. **Commandment Charades**: Make a fun game of charades where students act out scenarios (without speaking) that illustrate the essence of each commandment, and others have to guess the commandment being represented. 25. 26. By incorporating these activities, your students can engage with the material in various ways, reinforcing their understanding of The Ten Commandments. 27. roup Discussions: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have them Group Discussions: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have them discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. 28. Group Discussions: Break students into small groups, give each group one commandment, and have them discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. 29. discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. 30. them discuss its meaning and relevance today. They can present their thoughts to the class afterward. Decision Point 1.2 THE BEST WAY TO LIVE Moral Law/ God’s Law Human Law  CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MORAL LAW LIVING THE MORAL LAW IS A DEMAND OF OUR FAITH THE MORAL LAW PUTS US ON THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS MORAL LAW AND DIVINE WISDOM Moral law is based on the Divine Wisdom of God – Just as the physical laws governing physics, chemistry, and biology were discovered rather than invented by man, the moral law is also not man’s own creation but reflects the influence of an all-knowing Supreme Being – The natural law is the universal moral law God has written on every human heart, explicitly revealed in the Ten Commandments and fulfilled in Christ MORAL LAW REFLECTS NATURAL LAW The third section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church gives the official presentation of Catholic beliefs and teachings Moral law and Church teachings are a reflection the natural law, which is at the very heart of our human nature and it is established by reason (common sense) – Natural law is the participation of man in God’s plan. It is the order that God established, that determines the requirements for people to thrive and reach fulfillment Natural Law MORAL LAW IS GUIDED BY THE CARDINAL VIRTUES At Baptism, we receive from God’s grace the four cardinal virtues: Latin “Cardo” = Hinge These virtues are the hinges of our moral lives! – Prudence enables us to choose the right course of action inspired by the moral law – Justice enables us to render what is due to God and neighbor – Fortitude enables us to perform good actions amid obstacles and difficulties – Temperance enables us to control our passions in order to maintain a clear mind and a strong will  Morality does not mean being “moralistic” AVOIDING BEING “MORALISTIC” – People who reduce their Faith to a checklist of behaviors become cold and judgmental moralizers, poor ambassadors for the Faith – Jesus criticized the Pharisees of his day for reducing the Old Testament to a narrow, legalistic, and sometimes hypocritical model of morality – We are called to live the teachings of the Church with love.  * VIRTUES * VIRTUES * VIRTUE * VIRTUES The infused virtues received at Baptism are not fully developed but must be strengthened through human effort expressed in repetition of virtuous actions A Virtue is a “Good Habit of the Heart” A Virtue enables us to live a Good Life because Virtues strengthen us and make it possible for us to live in a way that is pleasing to God The Theological Virtues are rooted in God The Cardinal Virtues enable us to live the Christian life and counteract the effects of Original Sin THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES Theological Virtues are rooted in God and reflect God’s presence in our lives. They call for a response by us, to God. By living faithfully, hopefully, and lovingly, we are reflecting and cooperating with God’s gifts of… – Faith enables us to believe the truths revealed by Christ and transmitted by his Church – Hope assists us in trusting that God will give us the means to salvation and holiness – Charity/Love enables us to love God and others with the very love of Christ  FAITH Belief in God; the theological virtue of seeking to know and to do God’s will. Believing in the existence of God Faith requires being open to God, trusting in God and allowing God’s Spirit to operate throughout our lives  HOPE A virtue of RESPONSIBILITY Hope is AN ACTIVE VIRTUE, often mistaken as a passive quality.( “I hope I don’t get caught” “I hope I get that new car”) These are actually WISHES HOPE as a VIRTUE is TRUSTING in God- in everything that Christ has promised to us, and in the Divine help/assistance of the Holy Spirit Hope sustains us in difficult times of suffering and times of abandonment Real Hopes are the things we are willing to dedicate ourselves to. Implies activity in cooperation with God’s grace.  LOVE THE CORNERSTONE OF THE VIRTUES The Theological Virtue representing the core of the Christian Moral Life. The Virtue that places concern for God, manifested by the concern for others, ABOVE ALL THINGS because WE ARE CREATED IN HIS LIKENESS!!! St Thomas Aquinas “To Will The Good Of Another, That Is Love” 1 Corinthians 13: Love is Patient… Love is also NOT PASSIVE but requires a participation and sacrifice on our part!!!  TYPES OF LOVE Agape - The highest of the 4 types of love because it describes the immeasurable love of God Storge - Greek word that describes the natural love of family members. An affectionate bond that develops naturally b/w parents, children and siblings Philia - General type of love that describes the love of humans, care, respect and compassion Eros - Is a sensual or romantic love Group Work WHAT EXACTLY IS LOVE? MORAL LAW PROVIDES THE WAY TO A TRUE HAPPINESS Because Moral law is rooted in LOVE, following God’s Moral Law helps us to have a good and meaningful relationship with GOD and that leads to a TRUE HAPPINESS MORAL LAW IS BASED ON THE DIVINE WISDOM OF GOD In the OT the prophet Micah tells us: “You have been told…what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: ONLY to do what is right and love goodness, and walk humbly with your God” Moral Standards are inscribed on ALL OF OUR HEARTS by God Himself at the moment we are conceived…NATURAL LAW MORAL LAW AND THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION The Moral Law is not just for Catholics or even just for theists, those who believe in God Every human person is called by God to a life of holiness, requiring a degree of self-control to overcome our inherent tendency to sin Man is by nature a religious being, leading him to grasp the moral law at least in part LIVING OUR VOCATION REQUIRES FREE WILL AND SELF-CONTROL The Gospel tells us of two aspects of freedom in being a Christian: 1. an individual must want to follow Christ and live by his teachings, and 2. he or she must have sufficient self-mastery to live Christ’s standards of love and sacrifice St. Augustine is an example, as he desired to live holiness for many years but lacked the self-control to do so, finally finding the strength to amend his life through prayer and grace St. John Paul II 1978-2005 Veritatis Splendor Canonized April 27, 2014 explains in his encyclical The Splendor of Truth, that we choose to live a moral life because we are responding to God’s love for us. VOCATION AND DISCIPLESHIP Jesus calls us to discipleship with him as the “Divine Teacher” – Disciple or “follower” indicates an individual who has adopted another person’s way of life and taken on that person’s particular type of discipline To be a disciple of Christ means to imitate Christ, applying his instructions to our own particular circumstances  TO BE A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS TO IMITATE CHRIST Pope John Paul tells us in his encyclical, Veritatis Splendor: “ Following Christ is not an outward imitation, since it touches man at the very depth of his being. Being a follower of Christ means becoming conformed to him who became a servant even to giving himself on the Cross…” St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Galatians: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” We humans all live in the sight of God. Through Jesus Christ we share in God’s life. The gift of GRACE allows us to share in His life IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US  IMITATING CHRIST Jesus’ life and Death exemplify the virtues to which he calls us – “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” As disciples, we can be incorporated into the life of Christ – The Holy Spirit can gradually transform our hearts and minds so that we love, think, and act like Christ – St. Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” THIS IS CALLED GRACE  GRACE Grace, the divine life of God in the soul, is a supernatural gift bestowed on us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation – It is a free gift that we can never deserve or earn – It enables us to share the life of Christ and assists us in conforming our lives to his teachings – It is the help God gives us, allowing us to respond to his call to holiness and become his adopted sons and daughters THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF GRACE: Cheap grace represents a relationship with God that we take for granted. It is a one way love relationship Costly grace on the other hand is a challenge. It represents a relationship with God that requires a response on our part. It is a two way relationship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor in the 1930’s who believed that although many of his Christian followers found Jesus’ message to be comforting, they did not find it much of a challenge.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer 4:12 NOW PLAYING WATCH LATER ADD TO QUEUE  REMEMBER Every human being is called to holiness and therefore to living the moral life We need both freedom and self-mastery to respond to our vocation to holiness (YOU WANT TO and YOU TRY EACH DAY) To be a disciple is to imitate Christ, especially in his life and death We are called to become inwardly transformed in Christ Ask Yourself…What kind of person do I want to become?  GRACE PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR ABILITY TO A LIVE A MORAL LIFE Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist are where we can call upon God’s gift of Grace Grace strengthens our determination and our ability to discern (decide) what is right and what is wrong. Grace does not operate in a vacuum, we must actively participate in positive ways in order to make use of the grace received from God. OUR RESPONSE TO THE GIFT OF GRACE Grace does not operate in a vacuum, but assists those who sincerely commit to keeping the moral law and make every effort to do so We must respond to the gifts of faith and grace with our own free will God makes the first move in helping us pursue holiness, but our freedom is indispensable in responding to him  REMEMBER Original Sin weakens our free will and inclines us toward sin Grace is the help God gives us so that we can distinguish good from evil choices and actually do good and avoid evil What are the consequences of Original Sin for us? Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a living example of the grace perfected and explained the difference between participating in Christ’s life and just being along for the ride. Some Baptized people live poor moral lives because they refuse to cooperate with the graces  CHRISTIAN MORALITY IN ACTION Attract What You Expect Reflect What You Desire Become What You Respect Mirror What You Admire Sometimes people claim that they value a particular thing, but their actions do not confirm what they say. Stated Values: are qualities and concerns that we claim are important to us. Lived Values: are the values that we demonstrate LIVED VALUES Stated Values  CHRISTIAN MORALITY IN ACTION Our actions express our interior dispositions (Character, Values) Morality - Free Will - Our Actions - Our Character - Our Values are all closely related. “Goodness is about Integrity, Character, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity and Moral Courage. More than anything else, it is about we treat other people” OUR GOD-GIVEN DIGNITY Because of our limitations, we need God’s help to distinguish good from evil choices Adam and Eve were made in God’s image, and through the merits of Christ received in Baptism, we too are restored in his image God bestowed on ALL humans at the moment of conception, not ONLY Natural Law but also the gifts of...INTELLECT, FREE WILL and A SPIRITUAL SOUL God, in his love for us, draws us into Christ’s light and life through the moral law, an important step for deeper friendship with Christ CHRISTIAN The moral law is based on the love MORALITY expressed in the Great SERVES Commandment, a love that respects the dignity of every person AND SAFEGUARDS A person demonstrates the love of the Father by doing as Jesus asks HUMAN DIGNITY St. Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes that Christ will judge us based on what we did or did not do on earth – We will be asked to account for the good and evil we have done  EFFECTS OF THE MORAL LIFE IN CHRIST But…Jesus’ moral WALK teachings truly express how we should do good and avoid evil. Jesus THE lived his life teaching “how to live” He taught by example. He didn’t make WALK a list of positive and negatives, He “walked the walk” in order that we could see how to live in order to live justly, be happy, and find fulfillment. CHRISTIAN MORALITY IS AT THE SERVICE OF FREEDOM God’s gifts to humans of an intellect and will sets us apart from the rest of creation and gives us freedom – God took a risk in giving us free will since we are able to say no to him and abuse our freedom A moral life in Christ gives us freedom from sin Good actions make us freer, while bad actions diminish our freedom and enslave us to sin – Practicing Christ’s message gives us the highest degree of freedom CHRISTIAN MORALITY IS AT THE SERVICE OF LOVE For the Christian, every aspect of morality begins and ends in love – The Christian moral message begins with God offering us his love and ends with the New Commandment to love one another as Christ loved us Christ and the Apostles urged Christians to love God and their neighbor – Love for God authenticates love for neighbor, and love for neighbor is indispensable evidence of love for God CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY FEED THE HUNGRY GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY CLOTHE THE NAKED COMFORT THE SICK VISIT THE IMPRISONED SHELTER THE HOMELESS BURY THE DEAD SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY To instruct the ignorant To counsel the doubtful To admonish sinners To bear wrongs patiently To forgive offences willingly To comfort the afflicted To pray for the living and the dead PERSONAL FRUITS OF THE MORAL LIFE IN CHRIST Keeping the moral law leads to holiness – Every baptized person is called to seek holiness through following the moral law – Jesus places his teaching in the Beatitudes side-by-side with the “Old Law” of the Old Testament, which was a preparation for the New Law He fulfills the Commandments, enriches their moral content, and urges that they be put into practice with the help of the Holy Spirit FRUITS OF THE MORAL LAW Keeping the moral law leads to happiness – God created us to know, love, and serve him, and the first step is keeping his moral law – The Catechism reminds us that Jesus teaches that there is an intimate link between happiness and good moral behavior, as conforming to God’s will on earth gives us a foretaste of the perfect happiness that awaits us in Heaven