Catholic Christian Morals - Chapter 1 PDF

TH113: Catholic Christian Morals CHAPTER 1: BASIC TENETS 1 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC  Table of Contents of the Whole Course: 2 Chapter One: Basic Tenets Commandment 1. Introduction to Catholic Morals...

TH113: Catholic Christian Morals CHAPTER 1: BASIC TENETS 1 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC  Table of Contents of the Whole Course: 2 Chapter One: Basic Tenets Commandment 1. Introduction to Catholic Morals Chapter Six: Chastity, Purity, 2. Christian Identity (Who Am I?) Affection & Marital Love – The Sixth Chapter Two: The Basic Tenets 2 & The Ninth Commandments Chapter Three: Loving God 3. The First Commandment Chapter Seven: Stealing & Coveting 4. The Second Commandment – The Seventh & The Tenth 5. The Third Commandment Commandments Chapter Four: Loving Your Family - Chapter Eight: The Truth Will Set The Fourth Commandment You Free! – The Eighth Commandment Chapter Five: Murder, Anger & Human Dignity – The Fifth  Chapter 1 Table of Contents: The Basic Tenets 3 A. An Introduction to Choices (The Catholic Morals Object Chosen, The B. Christian Identity Intention and (Who Am I?) Circumstances) 1) I Am an Image of God 6) Good vs. good 2) The Beatitudes 7) Passions, Feelings & Emotions 3) The Moral Law 8) Moral Conscience 4) The Effects of Freedom 9) Formation of an (Erroneous) 5) Making Moral Conscience  4 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals  By now, it is hopefully clear with you that after studying through one or two religion subjects of the Catholic Faith, the message is clear: ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE ALL CALLED TO BE SAINTS!  This is why God made us, and this path of holiness is the path to happiness.  Life in Jesus Christ, which is what Catholic Morals is all about, a life lived according to the will of God. A. Introduction to Catholic Morals 5  From the Catholic viewpoint, this is the ONLY WAY to live out our dignity and to experience the true freedom every heart desires.  This course sheds light on the glorious calling we have received to become saints --- and the means to do it.  Whereas a life of sin leads to death and despair, a life of grace and moral uprightness leads to happiness.  This is a simple truth that we must all discover and live.  6 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals: Context  In the first volume of this series, the Creed, we looked at what we believe.  The second volume of this series, the Sacraments, presented our life of prayer and worship, in which the Sacraments are explained as real, personal and saving actions through which we encounter the Living God, who enters and transforms our lives through them. A. Introduction to Catholic Morals: Context 7  This third volume, Catholic Christian Morals, completes our reflections on our Catholic life by examining how we are called to live, focusing on how coming to believe in the Creed leads us to surrender to God through a life of prayer, worship in and through the Sacraments.  True faith and worship lead to a life lived in Jesus Christ.  8 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals So, a life lived in Jesus Christ leads to a life of Christian morality.  Admittedly, Catholic morality is often seen in a negative way, i.e., as “what I can’t do.”  Yes, Jesus Christ’s teachings on the moral life limit us from engaging in actions contrary to His will and contrary to our dignity.  But Christian Morality is so much more than just a list of restrictions.  9 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals Morality is actually about positive choices, and not negative ones!  It’s about living in the freedom that our Triune God has in store for us!  Conversely, sin is slavery, such that when we succumb to sin, especially serious and habitual sin (mortal sin), we lose our dignity and the freedom in which God wants us to live our lives.  10 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals Catholic Morality is also about living a life of virtue.  Virtues are spiritual habits that strengthen us to live good and morally upright lives.  Just as sin is a bad habit [vice], virtue is a good habit.  It’s not just good actions that make us saints --- it’s good habits.  Therefore, this course will delve into some of the most important virtues that can help us become saints.  11 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals Lastly and importantly, morality is also about living even beyond virtue ---- tt’s a calling to live in beatitude.  “Beatitude” is a supernatural way of living that only makes sense in Jesus Christ.  We need His wisdom and His grace to live holy lives embracing the Beatitudes He taught.  12 A. Introduction to Catholic Morals  This course has two main parts: the first part will focus on what we call the Moral Principles (Modules 1 & 2).  Learning about these moral principles will provide us with a foundation to understand the particulars of a life lived in Christ.  We’ll learn about moral decision making, the moral law of God, grace, the conscience, sin, mercy, our connection to others and much more. A. Introduction to Catholic Morals 13  The second part will carefully go through each of the Ten Commandments or the Decalogue (Modules 3-8).  Though some of these are “Thou shall not…(s), we will approach each of the Commandments from a positive perspective.  This means that each Commandment will be examined in light of the ways we are called to happiness and fulfillment through the moral law of God. A. Introduction to Catholic Morals 14  Hopefully, this course will give you a deeper understanding of the way God calls us to live as well as an understanding of why He calls us to live that way.  May the Holy Spirit accompany you as you dive into this course on Catholic Morals!  1 1. I Am an Imago Dei (Image of God) 5  Let us consider these questions: Do you know who you are? Who are you? Who are you in your deepest core? What is it that makes you who you are?  Why ask these rather aggressively odd questions?  1 1. I Am an Imago Dei (Image of God) 6  We often form our identity from diverse and ultimately senseless things: on what we have accomplished, how we look, who our friends are, how we are perceived by others, etc.  Truth be told, such things matter very little in God’s eyes.  So, what matters in God’s eyes?  From the Catholic viewpoint – what matters is what God thinks; what matters is who He sees when He looks at us.  1 1. I Am an Imago Dei (Image of God) 7  What does God see in us then?  When God looks at us, He sees two things.  FIRST, GOD SEES OUR SINS – ALL OF THEM – OUR DEFECTS, OUR SHORTCOMINGS.  He is fully aware of every weakness and every dysfunction in our life.  Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God!  But fear not --- He also sees something else.  1 1. I Am an Imago Dei 8  SECOND, HE SEES WHO WE ARE AT OUR CORE AND WHO HE WANTS (EACH OF) US TO BE.  HE looks at US and sees an image of Himself.  He sees a reflection of His own beauty and splendor.  He sees an imago Dei, an image of God: His Own Image in each of us, in each of you.  1 1. I Am an Imago Dei 9  But not only God sees us --- He allows us to also see ourselves. Why?  So that we may, within our soul, see an image of God.  He hopes that we see that He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to come and dwell with us.  2 1. I Am an Imago Dei 0  He not only dwells with us, but He also dwells within us.  When we discover Jesus Christ living within us, we will begin to discover our true dignity and, in that discovery, begin to live as we ought. 1. I Am an Imago Dei 21  Hence, the start of the moral life is about discovering who we are, the discovery of Jesus Christ (“the Image of God”) living within us.  When we allow Jesus Christ to live within us, we begin to live the life He wants us to live.  We begin to live a morally upright and holy life.  In this living, we become who we already are.  Jesus Christ reveals who we are, and we welcome and embrace that life more fully.  22 2. The Beatitudes  If we want to discover who we are and who we are called to become, we must understand the Beatitudes.  The Beatitudes are the pinnacle of the Christian moral life, its ever-rising ceiling --- to live the Beatitudes is to live as and in Jesus Christ.  But that is easier said than done.  What are the Beatitudes? 2. The Beatitudes 23  “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted… Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land… Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied… Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy… Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God… Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God… 2 The Beatitudes 24 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me... Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven... Thus, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3–12)  25 2. The Beatitudes  The Beatitudes present us with a challenge of love followed with a glorious reward for our faithful living of that challenge.  To be poor in spirit, mourn (over sin), to be meek, to long for righteousness, etc., is a high calling.  And to accept persecution joyfully is not an easy thing to do.  But the end result is that we obtain Heaven, become fully children of God, and see Him and live in His presence forever!  The Beatitudes thus imply struggle, but such struggle is worth the reward. 2. The Beatitudes 26  The Beatitudes are blessings too.  It’s the blessing of living fully in God’s grace rather than just living by our own ideas.  It’s seeking a higher calling and embracing it in faith rather than full sight.  In other words, embracing the Beatitudes requires that God speaks to us in our hearts, reveals His mysterious and profound will to us found in the wisdom of the Beatitudes, and gives us the grace we need to live them. 2. The Beatitudes 27  This requires a generous surrender to God and trust in His wisdom.  But when a person believes in the wisdom of the Beatitudes and lives in accord with their high calling, there is an outpouring of grace and joy that fills that person.  There is a tremendous “blessing” that fills the one who lives in accord with this grace. 2.The Beatitudes 28  We discussed in The Creed the desire we all have for happiness and the Beatitudes are the ultimate fulfillment of this desire.  By living the Beatitudes, we discover that God, and God alone, satisfies, and that living in communion with Him is well worth any hardship or struggle we must endure in life.  But believing this demands abundant grace!  It takes the gift of faith and knowledge.  It takes a special action of God in our lives. 2.The Beatitudes 29  Much could be said about the Beatitudes, but for now just try to spend some time pondering them and trying to understand that they are the pinnacle of the Christian moral life.  Put that truth in the back of your mind and try not to forget it.  Let us now proceed to consider what is judged to be the second most vital gift God gave us (after the Faith): Freedom. 3. The Effects of Freedom 30 What is the Key Relationship between the Beatitudes and Freedom?  A LIFE LIVED IN TRUE FREEDOM IS REQUIRED TO LIVE A LIFE IMMERSED IN THE BEATITUDES, WHILE,  CONVERSELY, A CONTINUOUS EFFORT TO LIVE THE BEATITUDES IS WHAT MAKES US TRULY FREE. 3. The Effects of Freedom 31  It’s a sort of cyclical action in our lives.  After all, what does it mean to be free?  Too often we associate “freedom” with “free will.”  And this is often the problem. 3. The Effects of Freedom 32 What is The Problem? We think that we are free when we do whatever we want, whenever we want, because we want to --- but this is not true.  Many cultures today have a strong focus on human liberty and human rights.  But this focus so very easily leads to a false sense of what freedom truly is. 3. The Effects of Freedom 33  So, what is the correct understanding of freedom?  The Correct Understanding: True freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want; rather, it’s the ability to do what we ought, which is to do the will of God.  True freedom is found in the conscious choice to do the will of God and, in embracing that will, to live in accord with our dignity. 3. The Effects of Freedom 34  It’s true that God gave us free will.  We have a mind to know the truth and a will to love the good.  We are, then, endowed with the ability to know and to make our own moral choices, unlike even the highest animals.  These abilities are sacred gifts that go to the heart of who we are.  The mind and will set us apart from all of creation.  35 3. The Effects of Freedom  But this point must be made very clear—it is only in the proper exercise of our intellect and free will that we attain authentic human freedom.  And the tragic opposite is also true: when by our free will we embrace sin, we become slaves of sin, and our dignity is greatly compromised.  36 3. The Effects of Freedom: The 5 Key Factors  Therefore, to make moral decisions, many factors have to be considered to determine the morality (good or bad) of our choice.  The Catechism (CCC) identifies five factors that can either increase, or decrease, the culpability we have for what we do: 1) Ignorance; 2) Duress; 3) Fear; 4) Psychological factors; 5) Social factors.  37 3. The Effects of Freedom: Examples  Each one of these factors can potentially confuse us, thus hindering our ability to act properly.  Example 1 of Fear: Imagine a situation when someone acts out immorally due to some influence upon them beyond their control.  Perhaps they are filled with such fear that they react out of that fear and act contrary to the moral law.  Fear can easily confuse and mislead a person, leading to poor moral choices. 3. The Effects of Freedom 38  Example 2 of Ignorance: A person who has never had the benefit of having the will of God clearly explained to them.  Instead, their whole life they have been raised in an environment that “preached” some contrary moral value.  They were truly ignorant of the moral truth and, therefore, are ignorant of the fact that some of their actions are contrary to the moral law. 3. The Effects of Freedom: Examples 39  In both of these situations, a person may act in a way contrary to the will of God.  But, at the same time, because of factors outside of their control, they may not be fully responsible for their poor choices --- they are not morally fully culpable.  In the end, God is the only one who knows all the details, and He will sort it out. 3 The Effects of Freedom: Examples 40  In the end, God is the only one who knows all the details, and He will sort it out.  Key Objective: If we want to be truly free, and if we want to make good choices in life, we must strive to be free of the pressures and temptations that these factors impose upon us.  41 3. The Effects of Freedom: Examples  In other words, we must strive to be fully aware of the moral decisions before us, to be free of ignorance, fear and duress, and to understand and overcome any psychological or social influences that could cloud our decision making.  More will be said on these matters in the coming chapters/topics.  For now, it’s just important to understand that we are sometimes not fully responsible for the poor decisions we make, even though the poor decision itself retains its moral character of good or bad – partial moral culpability. 3. The Effects of Freedom: Examples 42  In Summary: 1. We should be fully aware of the factors involved in our moral decision making and then choose the good over the bad. 2. Through our good choices, we experience and increase the true freedom we are called to possess, and we also grow in the dignity we have been given as God’s beloved children.  Where do we exactly practice living our freedom?  In following this great plan of God that is called His Law. 4. The Moral Law 43 The concept of law is analogous (partly the same, partly different). The Eternal Law, the Natural law, the New Law or Law of Christ (Revelation), Ecclesiastical or Church laws and Civil Laws are moral laws in a very different sense, although they all have something in common. Eternal law is the plan of divine Wisdom to lead all creation to its end or aim [cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas, S.Th, I-II, q. 93, a. 1, c.; Second Vatican Council, Dignitatis humanae, 3] 4. The Moral Law 44  The “Moral Law” is also to be understood as the “Divine/Eternal Law.”  The divine law is everything that comes from the mind and heart of God as right and good.  It is the moral order that God has established to guide us into a life of fulfillment.  By analogy, we understand that there are laws of nature.  Gravity, for example, cannot be ignored --- we may be able to pretend it doesn’t exist, but that does not mean it does not exist.  So this moral law of God has key characteristics: it is SPIRITUAL and thus REAL, UNCHANGING, UNIVERSAL --- denying it does not make it disappear. 4. The Moral Law 45  This law should be first understood as RATIONAL, i.e., it makes sense; it is logical and even common-sensical.  This is the case because God made us with an innate ability to comprehend right from wrong.  We may not be able to discern every moral law from God through our human reason alone, but we will be able to understand the most basic laws of morality through our reason and common sense.  Why? Because the moral law is also WRITTEN UPON OUR CONSCIENCE.  That said, it’s important to understand that even those laws of the highest order (such as “love your enemies”) do make (better) sense to us when we let God reveal them to us in the ways He chooses.  But the bottom line is that the moral law makes sense (if we let it guide us)!  46 4. The Moral Law  When speaking of the moral law (divine law), we define four manifestations of it: (1) Natural Law, (2) Revealed (Divine- Positive) or New Law, (3) Ecclesiastical or Church Laws and (4) Civil (Human) Laws.  We will look at each one so as to understand how God has chosen to guide us toward the goal: Beatitude on earth then in heaven. (1) THE NATURAL LAW:  What is it? The natural law is a law of morality written upon the conscience of every person.  It’s a law of morality that we simply know by nature as it is the rational creature’s participation in the Eternal Law [cf. Ibid.; Saint Thomas Aquinas, S.Th, I-II, q. 91, a. 2].  47 4. The Moral Law (1) THE NATURAL LAW: This law, acting in accord with human reason, calls us to do good and forbids us to sin. There are two key aspects of the natural law we see in this definition. First, the natural law is “engraved in the soul of each and every man,” and, second, this law calls man “to do good and forbidding him to sin” (CCC #1954).  How can we better understand it? Think about our knowledge of right and wrong.  Where did it come from? Is it purely the result of what you’ve been taught by parents and others throughout your life? Or is there a source that goes beyond that which you were taught?  The truth is that there are many things we simply know to be good and other things we know to be wrong.  This is because God has written His law upon our human reason.  48 4. The Moral Law  But the problem is that our human nature is “messed up,” so to speak: we have been greatly affected by Original Sin and what we call “concupiscence”.  This means that our very nature can be distorted and disordered – the second key aspect. As a result, that law of God written upon our conscience can be blurred and confused.  Though we should have a perfect human nature, but due to original sin, we don’t --- therefore, grasping the natural law can be confused at times.  But with that said, if we try to seek the truth within our human reason, we will at very least arrive at the most basic of moral principles and will be able to be guided by them.  And, as explained above, ignoring the natural moral law does not make it go away. 4. The Moral Law 49 (2) REVEALED/DIVINE-POSITIVE/THE NEW LAW:  We spoke in The Creed of this series about Revelation: we primarily dealt with matters of faith.  Here, we follow the same understanding but look at Revelation regarding matters of morality.  As explained above, the Natural Law given to us by God and inscribed on our very conscience is somewhat confused as a result of Original Sin and our personal sins. 4. The Moral Law 50 (2) REVEALED/DIVINE-POSITIVE/THE NEW LAW:  Please note that it’s not that the law itself is confused; rather, it’s that our ability to comprehend the law of God is made difficult because of our fallen state.  But God did not leave us in our confusion: instead, He began from the beginning of time to reveal to us the full moral law so as to clarify that with which we struggle. 4. The Moral Law 51  In the Old Testament, we see that God began to reveal His law as early as Adam and Eve and continued to reveal His law to those who came after.  This was done with Noah, Abraham and especially through Moses when God gave him the Ten Commandments.  We see the continuing revelation of God regarding morality in the teaching of the prophets, the development of the Old Testament Law and in the many ways in which God interacted with His people. 4. The Moral Law 52  Ultimately, (God) the Father revealed the fullness of the moral law to us in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus, in His teaching and in His very person and actions, reveals the fullness of what it means to be human and to embrace the perfect law of love.  All of these form “parts” of the law that has been revealed to us.  53 4. The Moral Law  Without this Revelation of God, we would remain in darkness and confusion.  But with this Revelation of God, we are given the ability to see clearly all that God has established as good, holy and morally upright.  This is seen most clearly when we read Sacred Scriptures, especially the Gospels: when we read the words of Jesus, in particular, we may sit back and be convicted in one way or another on how we have been acting poorly or ways in which we need to improve.  This is a good thing!  54 4. The Moral Law  When this happens, we are letting the deep revelation of God penetrate our consciences and teach us how to act.  We may feel “convicted” in the sense that we suddenly realize we have been less than perfect in some area of our life.  And we may find, in the Scriptures, a deep calling to work toward more perfect virtue and love.  What’s interesting is that the law of love may, at first, feel like a burden or challenge to us.  Or it may be hard to accept and embrace.  But, in the end, if we are open and sincerely seek the truth, we will come to realize that all Jesus says and does makes sense.  55 4. The Moral Law  It’s like a key opening a locked door to a world we had heard about but could not discover on our own.  The revelations Jesus gives us are purifying and freeing to us because they reveal to us what is already hidden within our conscience.  They reveal the moral law inscribed within us, and it becomes a joyful discovery.  The law that the Gospels reveal is the Law of Charity.  This law is especially found in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount.  56 4. The Moral Law  But we also see this law of charity in the ultimate sacrificial act of love that Jesus Christ offered on the Cross.  We read His words and see His free embrace of this sacrifice for us.  In the witness of His Cross, we discover our own calling of sacrificial love and, hopefully, embrace it wholeheartedly.  57 4. The Moral Law (3) ECCLESIASTICAL LAW (LAWS OF THE CHURCH):  When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He promised He would be with us always --- the primary way this happens is through the Church: His Catholic Church.  The Church, in the persons of the Apostles and their successors, is entrusted with the “Keys to the Kingdom.”  This means that Jesus Christ promises to lead us into all truth throughout time through, with and in His Church.  It’s the sacred role of the Church, especially the pope and bishops, to teach on matters of faith and morals throughout time.  This is especially important as new moral questions arise in each day and age.  58 4. The Moral Law (3) Ecclesiastical Law (Laws of the Church):  It may be good to refer to the section on the Magisterium in The Creed of this series for a clearer explanation.  All that is said there refers, especially, to the way that God guides the Church in the ways of faith.  However, the teaching authority of the Magisterium also equally applies to all matters of the moral life.  It is the role of the Magisterium to teach and clarify the moral law for us in every day and age.  For example, Jesus never taught us about the morality of cloning or embryonic stem cell research.  Therefore, it’s the Church’s responsibility to take the moral clarity given through the teaching of Jesus and apply it to all modern questions.  59 4. The Moral Law  We can then be certain that Jesus brings clarity to His revelation as new questions arise.  The Church is also given the authority and, therefore, the responsibility, to offer laws to guide our worship and life of faith.  For example, the teaching on attending Mass on holy days of obligation is a divine law that is taught through the Church.  It is a particular way in which we honor and keep the Third Commandment.  Jesus Christ wants us to be obedient to these laws.  Ecclesiastical laws govern the celebration of the Sacraments, the organization of parishes and dioceses; guide the responsibility of bishops and pastors; help those called to religious life, etc. 4. The Moral Law 60  The Church is also given the authority and, therefore, the responsibility, to offer laws to guide our worship and life of faith.  For example, the teaching on attending Mass on holy days of obligation is a divine law that is taught through the Church.  The Church gives us what we call Canon Law to guide most parts of our activities, but there are also many other ways in which Church laws guide us. 4. The Moral Law 61  There are particular laws set up in each local church, diocese and country.  There are laws that apply to each religious community and organization.  There are more universal liturgical laws.  And there are other moral laws taught by the Church.  One specific ecclesiastical law given to us is called the Precepts of the Church --- the bare minimum (bottomline) to live the Catholic Faith.  62 4. The Moral Law  These Precepts of the Church are as follows: 1. Attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation (i.e., 55x in the Philippines). 2. Confess your sins at least once a year (once within 12 months). 3. Receive Holy Communion [worthily] at least during the Easter season (once within 12 months within Easter season). 4. Fast and abstain on the prescribed days (twice a year on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday --- both days are NOT holy days of obligation). 5. The faithful have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his/her abilities ( depends on one’s generosity).  63 4. The Moral Law  Additionally, the faithful have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.  These Precepts of the Church are ecclesiastical laws that provide us with what we may call the “minimum requirements” for each person to grow in holiness and the moral life.  These ecclesiastical laws are in perfect conformity with the divine law of God, and, are particular ways in which God manifests His law to us through the Church. 4. The Moral Law 64 (4) CIVIL LAW:  Civil laws are to be followed when they are in union with the mind and will of God.  When a civil law is enacted by a legitimate authority for the common good of the people, it is a participation in the Divine Law of God and must be followed.  However, if a civil law is in clear contradiction to the Divine Law and, therefore, contrary to our human reason, we are obliged not to follow it.  As a way of understanding how the moral law should work hand-in-hand with civil law and the common good of society, the next section looks more clearly at the way God’s law affects us as a human family.  65 5. Making Moral Choices  So, what is a moral choice?  The Catechism teaches that there are three basic sources of the morality of human acts.  We’ll look at these three sources carefully because it’s important to understand what the Church is teaching here.  The morality of human acts consists of: 1. THE OBJECT CHOSEN; 2. THE END IN VIEW OR THE INTENTION; 3. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACT.  66 5. Making Moral Choices  THE OBJECT, THE INTENTION, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES thus make up the “sources,” or constitutive elements, of the morality of human acts. (CCC #1750)  We identify each of the elements of a moral act so that we can more clearly understand our own actions and the morality involved.  This will be especially helpful later when we turn to specific moral questions.  Let us study each of these sources of the moral act.  67 5. Making Moral Choices 1. OBJECT CHOSEN:  The “object chosen” refers to the specific “thing” we choose to do.  Some objects we choose are always wrong --- they are called intrinsically evil acts.  For example, murder (the intentional taking of an innocent life) is always wrong, as well as blasphemy and adultery.  68 5. Making Moral Choices 1. OBJECT CHOSEN:  There is no moral justification for an act with an intrinsically evil object.  Likewise, some actions could be considered always morally good by their very nature.  For example, an act whose object is mercy or forgiveness would always be good. 5. Making Moral Choices 69 1. OBJECT CHOSEN:  Not all human actions are moral actions if only the object is considered.  For example, throwing a ball is morally neutral unless the circumstances are such that you’re throwing the ball at the neighbor’s window with the intention of breaking the window.  But the act itself of throwing a ball is neither good nor bad, which is why we also need to consider the intention and circumstance. 5. Making Moral Choices 70 1. OBJECT CHOSEN: IN SUMMARY a) The most important things to consider is that some objects in and of themselves are intrinsically evil and should never be done. b) Some are intrinsically good, such as acts of faith, hope and charity. c) And some actions, most actions in fact, are morally neutral. 5. Making Moral Choices 71 2. THE INTENTION:  The intention motivating an action plays a significant role in determining the action’s moral goodness or badness.  A bad intention can alter what appears to be a good act into an evil one.  For example, imagine someone donating money to a children’s home --- this would seem to be a good action.  But if that donation were given by a politician merely to garner public support and praise, then the apparently good act would, upon moral examination, be altered into a selfish, disordered, and sinful act.  72 5. Making Moral Choices 2. THE INTENTION:  However, an intrinsically evil object can never be transformed into a good based on a good intention of the one acting.  For example, to directly lie is to choose an evil object.  One never accomplishes a good end by choosing an evil object.  Lying, even if it’s done with an apparently good intention, is still sinful.  It is said: “The ends do not justify the means.”  In summary, the intention must be good for the act to be good. 5. Making Moral Choices 73 3. CIRCUMSTANCES:  The circumstances surrounding a moral act are also important, but in a different way.  By themselves, they cannot make an act good or evil, but only affect the moral responsibility of the act, i.e., a good act becomes better or a bad act worse.  For example, if someone lies, this is a wrong.  However, if they are under extreme fear and lie to save their life, they most likely will not be nearly as morally responsible for the lie as someone who lied for no reason.  Nonetheless, extreme fear and similar circumstances do not make lying good or even neutral.  74 5. Making Moral Choices 3. CIRCUMSTANCES:  Furthermore, circumstances never change the object of the act.  Circumstances can only affect how responsible one is for an action.  Circumstances not only lessen guilt, though.  They also can contribute to the moral goodness of an action.  For example, take telling the truth.  Say that someone is extremely fearful yet, despite their fear, they tell the truth anyway in a virtuous and courageous way.  That act of truthfulness becomes more virtuous precisely due to the difficult circumstances.  75 5. Making Moral Choices In summary:  Hopefully, this brief reflection upon the three sources of morality helps give insight into moral decision making.  If it seems a bit confusing still, do not worry.  For now, just try to grasp the basic principles.  It should become much clearer as we go through specific and concrete examples later in this course.  76 6. Good vs. good  It may be helpful here to distinguish between what we might call “Good” and “good.”  That may seem like a strange distinction at first, so let me explain.  First, we can define Good (with a capital “G”) as anything and everything that makes up part of God’s plan for our lives.  Good, in this sense, is also what is truly beneficial for us in the mind and will of God.  77 6. Good vs. good  Second, we can speak in more philosophical language of “good” (with a small “g”): we refer to anything that our mind, will, desires, feelings or passions are drawn to.  Sometimes, these goods are not part of God’s plan and, therefore, are not truly Good.  Sound confusing?  Note that it’s just a philosophical distinction that we need in order to understand ourselves and God’s plan for our lives. 6. Good vs. good 78  Consider an example of a “good” that is not “Good”:  Take the person who deeply desires to get drunk.  Why do they desire and choose this? Because they erroneously see it as something that is “good” for them in the moment.  We all know it’s not truly “Good” and is not part of God’s plan for them, but, in this case, they choose it anyway because their passions, desires or emotions overwhelm their mind and lead them to choose that which is unhealthy.  This is then a “good” that is not “Good”. 6. Good vs. good 79  Another less clear example may be exercise.  Say a person regularly exercises but, over time, becomes obsessed with it.  They start to use what normally could be “Good” excessively.  In this case, exercise is truly a “good,” but not “Good.”  Read on and it will hopefully make more sense.  80 7. Passions, Feelings and Emotions  In creating us, God gave us passions, feelings and emotions: for our purposes, we will treat these three words as synonymous terms.  These are parts of our soul that are normal and are good in so far as they are part of who we are.  But these appetites can lead to either evil or good actions based on what they become attached to.  81 7. Passions, Feelings and Emotions  These spiritual appetites are designed to be drawn to the good and repulsed by evil --- however, they are easily deceived.  It is very possible for a passion to be drawn to something it perceives as good, but which is in fact evil.  Example 1: Someone longs to be rich.  In their mind, they have deceptively come to believe that wealth is the answer to their problems.  82 7. Passions, Feelings and Emotions  They then come across an opportunity to make a quick fortune, but it involves deception and malice.  It’s entirely possible that their passion for wealth will push them to act in a deceptive and malicious way because their natural desire to earn money in exchange for hard work has become distorted into acquiring money no matter the means they use.  Example 2: Perhaps a clearer example is the passion of love.  Very often the reason a married person has an affair is because they have allowed the natural passion of love to overwhelm their human reason and choose the affair even though it’s sinful.  83 7. Passions, Feelings and Emotions  Passions are powerful forces: but they can ultimately be used for good when we make God and His will the good we seek.  If we do this, the person then “falls in love” with God and His holy will.  They then “passionately” choose God, and they desire to please Him and express their love for Him in a passionately holy way.  Feelings and emotions are closely related to the passions and obey similar basic principles.  84 7. Passions, Feelings and Emotions  The key to understanding these aspects of our personality is to realize that whatever is first chosen in our minds will then be followed by our passions, desires, feelings and emotions.  They may not follow right away, but in time they will.  And the perfection of the human person is achieved when one’s entire being (mind, soul, heart and strength) moves in unity toward the true, the good, the one, and the beautiful ---- namely, toward God. 8. Moral Conscience 85  The human conscience is a glorious gift of God!  The conscience is our secret core within us, a sacred sanctuary where our innermost being meets God --- thus we are obliged to follow it.  One of the most quoted passages from the Vatican Council II is from a document called Gaudium et Spes, the pastoral constitution of the Church in the modern world.  It offers a very beautiful description of what a conscience is.  86 8. Moral Conscience  Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey...  Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment…  For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God…  His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary…  There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths. (Gaudium et Spes, 16)  87 8. Moral Conscience The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1778, thus defines conscience as follows:  Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed…  “Conscience is a law of the mind; yet [Christians] would not grant that it is nothing more… Conscience is a message of Him, who both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil and teaches us and rules us by his representatives. Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ” [St. John Henry Cardinal Newman in “letter to the Due of Norfolk] 8. Moral Conscience 88  Our conscience is (therefore) that mysterious inner place within where we make moral decisions.  It’s a place that can become deeply confused and distorted but is ideally a place of great peace, clarity and joy.  It’s ideally the place where we analyze our moral decisions, clearly understand them clearly, allow God and our human reason to prevail, and then freely choose that which is good and right.  When this occurs, the reward is great peace and affirmation of one’s dignity.  The conscience is what ultimately takes responsibility for both good and evil actions. 8. Moral Conscience 89 Conscience is “the proximate norm of personal morality,” [Ibid., 60] so, when we act against it, we commit a moral wrong. This role of proximate norm belongs to conscience not because it is the supreme norm [cf. Ibid.], but because it has for the individual an unavoidable ultimate character: “the 8. Moral Conscience judgment of conscience states ‘in an ultimate way’ whether a certain particular kind of behaviour is in conformity with the law” [Ibid., 59]. When a person judges with certainty, after having examined the problem with all the means at one’s disposal, there is no further appeal to a “conscience of conscience,” or a “judgement of judgement,” because otherwise one would proceed infinitely (ad infinitum). 8. Moral Conscience: Types of Consciences 90 A RIGHT or TRUE conscience is one which judges the moral quality of an act with truth, and an ERRONEOUS conscience is one which does not attain the truth and regards as good an action which in reality is evil, or vice versa. The cause of an ERROR of conscience is IGNORANCE, which can be INVINCIBLE (and INCULPABLE), if it dominates the person to such an extent that there is no possibility of recognising and overcoming it; but this ignorance is CULPABLE or GUILTY if it could be recognised and overcome, but the person does not want to use the means needed to overcome it [cf. Ibid., 62; Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes, 16]. A guilty erroneous conscience does not excuse from sin and can even aggravate it. 8. Moral Conscience: Types of Consciences 91 1. Conscience is CERTAIN when it makes a judgement with the moral certainty that it is not mistaken. 2. It is said to be PROBABLE when it judges with the conviction that there is a certain probability of error, but that this is less than the probability of being right. 3. It is said to be DOUBTFUL when the probability of being wrong is assumed to be equal to or greater than the probability of being right. 4. Finally, it is called PERPLEXED when it does not dare to judge, because it thinks that it is a sin both to perform an act and to omit it. 8. Moral Conscience: Summary 92 1. In practice, one should follow only a conscience that is certain and true, or a conscience that is certain and invincibly wrong. a) A certain, invincibly erroneous conscience is a moral rule, but not in an absolute way: it is binding only for as long as the error remains. b) And it does so not because of what it is in itself: the binding power of conscience derives from truth, so that an erroneous conscience can bind only to the extent that it is subjectively and invincibly considered to be true. c) In very important matters (deliberate homicide, etc.), it is very difficult to have an inculpable error of conscience. 2. One should not act with a doubtful conscience, but should try to get out of doubt by praying, studying, asking questions, etc.  93 8. Moral Conscience  The conscience is also the place within where the law of God makes contact with our practical decision making.  It’s the place within where we are able to analyze the actions we are considering as well as the actions we have done in light of the moral law of God.  Regarding those decisions we are considering making, the conscience is the place where the truth hopefully prevails and thus directs our actions toward the good.  When it comes to past actions, if the conscience judges our actions to have been sinful, it challenges us to repent and seek God’s mercy and forgiveness.  It’s not so much a place where we are filled with guilt and remorse; rather, it’s a place where we clearly see our sins and offer them to the mercy of God with the hope of forgiveness and healing. 8. Moral Conscience 94  As we read in the passage above from Vatican II, the conscience is a sanctuary within.  By analogy to a church, we should see it as something similar to the holy sanctuary within the larger body of the church building.  In the old days, there was an altar railing marking off the sanctuary.  The altar rail indicated that the sanctuary was an especially sacred space where the presence of God dwelled in a uniquely intense way.  The sanctuary, with or without an altar rail marking its limits, is still normally the place of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and where the sacred altar is located. 8. Moral Conscience 95  In a similar way, we should understand our conscience as a sacred sanctuary within the larger space of our being or personality.  There, in that sacred sanctuary, we meet God in a more intense way than we do in other areas of our self.  We hear Him, love Him and freely obey Him.  Our conscience is our deepest core, our moral engine room, where we are most “we” or where you are most “you”. 8. Moral Conscience 96  The conscience must be respected: oneself and others.  Consider the Sacrament of Confession, where the person invites the priest into the sanctuary of their conscience to see their sin and, in the Person of Christ, to absolve it.  The Church imposes upon the priest the grave obligation of the sacred “seal of Confession.”  This “seal” means he is forbidden, under any and all circumstances, from revealing the sins he has heard.  97 8. Moral Conscience  What does this mean?  It means that the conscience of another human being, which the priest has been invited to visit through Confession, is so personal, private and sacred a space that no one else can enter that space through the priest’s divulging of what he saw and heard there during his visit.  No one has a right to see another’s conscience through force or manipulation.  Instead, we as Christians must recognize the sacredness of that inner sanctuary of each person and treat it with the utmost respect. 8. Moral Conscience 98  This sacredness of conscience must especially be respected as a person grows in faith.  Growth in faith and conversion must be handled with the greatest of care.  For example, when Christians are preaching the Gospel, it’s essential that we make sure we are respecting others’ consciences.  One danger that must be avoided is what we call “proselytism.”  Proselytism has a good meaning but now has acquired a sort of using force or manipulate another to convert. 8. Moral Conscience 99  It may be done through fear, harshness, intimidation, and the like.  For that reason, the preacher of the Gospel must be careful that “conversion” does not happen through some form of force.  A classic example would be the extreme “fire and brimstone” homily that causes the weak-minded person to “convert” out of fear of Hell.  Sure, we should be afraid of Hell, but grace and salvation must be offered to people, in their conscience, as an invitation of love first and foremost.  Only in this way is a conversion truly a conversion of the heart. 8. Moral Conscience 100  As Christians and as humans, we have a moral duty to form our conscience in accord with what is true.  The formation of our conscience occurs when we are open to human reason and all that God reveals to us in the depths of our hearts.  First, human reason discerns what is true and what is false on the most basic of levels.  The natural law is a law that God wrote upon our conscience.  It is simply there, ready for us to understand and embrace.  We know, for example, that stealing, lying, murder and the like are wrong.  But how do we know such things? 8. Moral Conscience 101  We know because there are some things that you cannot not know --- such moral laws are engraved in our conscience.  God has made us this way.  The NATURAL MORAL LAW is as real as the law of gravity: whether you acknowledge its presence or not, it still affects your behavior.  It is omnipresent; it makes sense.  In addition to the natural law implanted in all human beings, there is also the divine law of revelation.  This REVELATION refers to the will of God that can be known by hearing His voice within us, through the reading of Scripture or learning the teachings of the Church, or via the wisdom of the saints. 8. Moral Conscience 102  But ultimately, when one of these external sources of God’s Word is presented to us, we must then internalize it by allowing that Word to also speak to our heart.  This experience may be a “light-bulb moment” similar to the discovery of the natural law within us.  Only this time, the “light bulb” will shine only for those who have the special gift of faith.  The problem is that all too often we can allow various influences to confuse us and mislead our conscience.  The most common causes of a confused conscience are disordered passions, fear, irrational arguments, habitual sin and ignorance of the truth.  Sometimes we can even be confused by a false understanding of love. 8. Moral Conscience: Sources of an Erroneous Conscience 103  The Catechism identifies the following as common sources of an erroneous conscience: 1. Ignorance of Christ and His Gospel, 2. Bad example given by others, 3. Enslavement to one’s passions, 4. Assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, 5. Rejection of the Church’s authority and her teaching, 6. Lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct. (CCC #1792) 8. Moral Conscience 104  Nonetheless, when a person strives to have a well-formed conscience, he/she is obliged to follow that conscience and act accordingly.  With that said, it’s also important to point out two ways in which a conscience can be in error.  ONE IS AN ERRONEOUS CONSCIENCE THAT IS CULPABLE (SINFUL) AND THE OTHER IS ONE WHICH IS NOT CULPABLE (NOT PERSONALLY SINFUL EVEN THOUGH IT’S STILL MISINFORMED).  Sometimes, as explained above, people make wrong choices and believe they are making right choices.  So, are they guilty of sin if they make a wrong choice believing it is the right choice?  For example, we know that abortion is intrinsically evil, meaning, it is always wrong to take the innocent life of a child within the womb.  105 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty?  But what about a person who honestly believes that abortion is legitimate in some circumstances?  Let’s say a woman becomes pregnant out of wedlock and her pregnancy would interfere with a college education.  Would it be legitimate, in that situation, to have an abortion?  The answer is clearly “no.”  Abortion is never good, and the action in and of itself is always wrong.  It’s important to look at the wrong action of abortion by itself, but it’s also important to consider the moral guilt or personal sinfulness (or not) of those committing this act.  Read this carefully so that it’s not misunderstood.  We can easily fall into what we call “moral relativism” if we are not careful. 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty? 106  Moral relativism is a way of saying, for example, that abortion may be wrong for me, but it may not be wrong for you --- so good or bad is relative either due to expedience or mistaken notion.  This relativism is thus tainted by ignorance be it culpable or not.  Some people are more morally guilty of that sin whereas others, out of honest ignorance, may commit an objectively bad action but not be personally responsible for it.  That is, they commit an evil, but not a sin (morally inculpable).  Again, try to carefully understand this with the ff example:  First, consider a young woman who was raised in a household that practiced no faith whatsoever.  Through no fault of her own, she never heard people say that abortion was wrong. 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty? 107  Consider that both her parents were physicians who regularly performed abortions, and they spoke freely about their conviction that they were doing good and helping women.  This young girl hears this throughout her life and is never exposed to the contrary argument.  Again, through no fault of her own she never learns that abortion is wrong.  In this context, let’s say she gets pregnant out of wedlock just before going off to college.  Her parents find out, and they smile and tell her all will be well, and they will bring her to the clinic on Monday to help her with this problem.  She agrees and has the abortion thinking she is doing the right thing. 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty? 108  Now, it’s important to point out clearly here that only God knows her heart and only God knows if she went forward with an abortion truly believing it was good.  It must be said that, objectively speaking, she made an erroneous decision.  The act of abortion is intrinsically evil and is wrong in every way.  But the question here is whether or not she personally sinned in her choice or if she made the wrong choice through no fault of her own.  It’s hard to believe, in our day and age, that someone would never be exposed to the truth about the evil of abortion.  109 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty?  But, nonetheless, in this example, for the sake of argument, let’s say that she truly did not know it was wrong and that she truly was never exposed to the truth of the baby’s humanity.  Furthermore, let’s say, for the sake of this example, that she sincerely believed abortion in this case was good and right.  Given these circumstances did she personally sin?  She may not have.  Did she do a wrong action?  Yes, she did.  Abortion is the wrong action, but she may not be held accountable for it before God in this case for her ignorance is inculpable (INCULPABLE ERRONEOUS CONSCIENCE).  110 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty?  What this shows us is that it is possible to do the wrong action and not have personal responsibility for that action.  Again, this only applies to the case where someone has a misinformed and, therefore, erroneous conscience through no fault of their own (inculpable).  With that said, if there were negligence on her part in seeking the truth, if she had been presented with the truth and refused to acknowledge it, or if there were other factors that led to her erroneous decision which were her own fault, then she would bear some responsibility for the abortion.  111 9. Formation of (Erroneous) Conscience: Am I Guilty?  Perhaps her guilt would be minimal, or perhaps her guilt would be great.  Only God knows the heart.  But our purpose here is to try to understand the difference between a wrongful action and personal guilt for that action.  One important point to add to this explanation is that we all have a personal duty to seek the truth and to properly form, and inform, our conscience.  Negligence in seeking the truth makes us responsible for a misinformed conscience.  But, nonetheless, God knows our particular circumstances and will judge accordingly. Chapter 2 Table of Contents: The Basic Tenets 2 112 A. A Brief Review I. Sin B. The Moral Law J. The Gravity of Sin C. Who are We? Human K. Merit Society L. Holiness D. The Trinity as the Basis M. From the Speculative to of Society the Practical E. The Common Good https://mycatholic.life/the-my- F. Justification catholic-life-series/my-catholi G. Grace c-morals/chapter-2-the-law-so ciety-grace-and-salvation/ H. Action of the Holy Spirit: The Virtues, His Gifts & His Fruits Chapter 3 Part 1 Table of Contents: The 113 First Commandment A. Overview B. Our High Calling of Love C. The Bottom Line of this Commandment D. Graven Images E. The Upper, Upper Limit! F. Practical Applications Chapter 3 Part 2 Table of Contents: The 114 Second Commandment A. The Bottom Line: No Swearing Allowed B. The Upper Limit: God’s Name is Holy… and Yours Likewise C. Practical Applications Chapter 3 Part 3 Table of Contents : 115 The Third Commandment A. The Sabbath Day after the First Creation B. Worship in the New Covenant: The Eighth Day of Creation C. Rest in the New Covenant: The Eighth Day of Creation D. Duties of Society E. Practical Considerations Chapter 4 Table of Contents: Loving Your 116 Family – The Fourth Commandment A. God’s Plan for Parents F. A Summary of the B. Being a Holy Child Bottom Line and Upper Limit of the Fourth C. Family Life Commandment D. The Fourth G. Practical Considerations Commandment and Society E. The Role of Civil Authorities Chapter 5 Table of Contents: Murder, Anger & 117 Human Dignity: The Fifth Commandment A. Overview B. Bottom Line: Do Not Murder C. Human Dignity Must Be Respected D. When Killing is not Murder E. Other “Medical Ethics” Considerations F. Other “End of Life” Decisions G. The Upper Limit H. Practical Considerations Chapter 6 Table of Contents: Chastity, Purity, 118 Affection and Marital Love – The Sixth and the Ninth Commandments A. Overview of the Sixth Considerations Commandment F. Overview of the Ninth B. We Are Sexual Beings Commandment C. The Upper Limit: God’s G. Purity Plan for Sexuality H. Other Considerations D. The Bottom Line: I. The Bottom Line & The Abuses of Sexual Love Upper Limit E. Practical Chapter 7 Table of Contents: Stealing & Coveting – The 119 Seventh & the Tenth Commandments A. Overview of the Poor Seventh F. International Commandment Considerations B. Is It Mine Or Is It G. Overview of the Yours? Tenth Commandment C. The Bottom Line H. The Root of the D. The Dignity of the Problem: He Who Human Person and Has Money Never the Economy Has Money Enough E. Reaching Out to the I. Getting In Order! Chapter 8 Table of Contents: The Truth Will 120 Set Your Free! – The Eighth Commandment A. Overview of the Eighth Commandment B. The Bottom Line: Offenses Against the Truth C. Do I Have the Right to Know? D. The Upper Limit: Art, Beauty and the Pursuit of Truth E. Practical Considerations F. Conclusion