to turn back, and you lack the resolution to
correspond to the grace that he grants you,
since he has called you to be another Christ —
ipse Christus! — Christ himself. You have
forgotten the Lord’s admonition to the Apostle:
“My grace is enough for you,” which is
confirmation that, if you want to, you can.— St.
Josemaria Escriva,
REVIEWER IN CLE
OUR MORAL LIFE IN CHRIST
Pointers Chapter 1: Basis of
Moralitys
1. Level of Laws
2. 2 kinds of Morality
2. ON THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH’S
TEACHING AUTHORITY:
The Basis for Morality
The Church’s Magisterium intervenes not only
in the sphere of faith, but also, and inseparably
so, in the sphere of morals. It has the task of
“discerning, by means of judgments normative
for the consciences of believers, those acts
which in themselves conform to the demands of
faith and foster their expression in life and
those which, on the contrary, because
intrinsically evil, are incompatible with such
demands.”
1. ON BUILDING STRENGTH OF WILL TO
DO GOOD:
In your life, there are two things that do
not fit together: your head and your
heart.
Your intelligence — enlightened by faith —
shows you the way clearly. It can also point out
the difference between following that way
heroically or stupidly. Above all, it places before
you the divine greatness and beauty of the
undertakings the Trinity leaves in our hands.
In proclaiming the commandments of God and
the charity of Christ, the Church’s Magisterium
also teaches the faithful specific particular
precepts and requires that they consider them
in conscience as morally binding. In addition,
the Magisterium carries out an important work
of vigilance, warning the faithful of the
presence of possible errors, even merely
implicit ones, when their consciences fail to
acknowledge the correct-ness and the truth of
the moral norms, which the Magisterium
teaches.— St. John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor,
110
Your feelings, on the other hand, become
attached to everything you despise, even while
you consider it despicable. It seems as if a
thousand trifles were awaiting the least
opportunity, and as soon as your poor will is
weakened, through physical tiredness or lack of
supernatural outlook, those little things flock
together and pile up in your imagination, until
they form a mountain that oppresses and
discourages you. Things such as the rough
edges of your work; your resistance to
obedience; the lack of proper means; the false
attractions of an easy life; greater or smaller but
repugnant temptations; bouts of sensuality;
tiredness; the bitter taste of spiritual
mediocrity. . . . And sometimes also fear; fear
because you know God wants you to be a saint,
and you are not a saint. Allow me to talk to you
bluntly. You have more than enough “reasons”
3. ON OBEDIENCE TO THE TRUTH:
Called to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ,
“the true light that enlightens every-one,”
people become “light in the Lord” and
“children of light,” and are made holy by
“obedience to the truth.” This obedience is not
1
always easy. As a result of that mysterious
original sin, committed at the prompting of
Satan, the one who is “a liar and the father of
lies,” man is constantly tempted to turn his gaze
away from the living and true God in order to
direct it towards idols, exchanging “the truth
about God for a lie.” Man’s capacity to know
the truth is also darkened, and his will to submit
to it is weakened. Thus, giving himself over to"
of faith, to the differentiation between good
and evil. Only thus does reason become truly
human. It becomes human only if it is capable
of directing the will along the right path, and it
is capable of this only if it looks beyond itself.
Otherwise, man’s situation, in view of the
imbalance between his material capacity and
the lack of judgement in his heart, becomes a
threat for him and for creation.— Pope
Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, 23"
"from their encounter with the Eucharistic Lord,
and conversely this encounter acquired its
realism and depth in their service to others.
Love of God and love of neighbor are thus
inseparable, they form a single commandment.
But both live from the love of God who has
loved us first. No longer is it a question, then, of
a “commandment” imposed from without and
calling for the impossible, but rather of a freelybestowed experience of love from within, a love
which by its very nature must then be shared
with others. Love grows through love. Love is
“divine” because it comes from God and unites
us to God; through this unifying process it
makes us a “we” which transcends our divisions
and makes us one, until in the end God is “all in
all.”— Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est., 18
6. ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF REASON WITH THE
MORAL LAW:
As far as the two great themes of “reason” and
“freedom” are concerned, here we can only
touch upon the issues connected with them.
Yes indeed, reason is God’s great gift to man,
and the victory of reason over unreason is also a
goal of the Christian life. But when does reason
truly triumph? When it is detached from God?
When it has become blind to God? Is the reason
behind action and capacity for action the whole
of reason? If progress, in order to be progress,
needs moral growth on the part of humanity,
then the reason behind action and capacity for
action is likewise urgently in need of integration
through reason’s openness to the saving forces
2
FREE WILL
Vocabulary
ACTUAL GRACE
-
This supernatural, free, and undeserved
help from God that is given for specific
circumstances to do good and avoid
evil.
FREEDOM
-
CHRISTIAN MORALITY
-
This gift from God includes the power
of directing one’s own actions without
constraint. This makes possible the
choice to love God.
Moral norms to be followed because a
Christian is incorporated into Christ
through Baptism.
The power rooted in reason and the
will, to act or not to act, and so to
perform deliberate actions on one’s
own responsibility in pursuit of the
truth and goodness that is ultimately
found in God.
HOLINESS
CHRISTIAN VOCATION
-
God’s call to each person by which he is
incorporated into Christ through grace
and becomes a member of the Mystical
Body of Christ. As one of God’s people,
he partakes in the life of the Church.
CHRISTIANITY
-
LAW OF CHRIST
A name derived from Christ, the
Anointed One. The set of beliefs,
practices, and morals in imitation of
and commanded by Jesus Christ.
-
DISCIPLE
-
Spiritual perfection or purity because of
likeness unto God who is perfectly holy.
The free dedication of a Christian to the
will of God and the participation in the
life of grace. Holiness is the perfection
of charity. It is also referred to as
sanctity, saintliness, and sacredness.
An interior law that stems from grace —
in connection with life in Jesus — and
becomes a norm or impulse for
imitating Christ and acting like him.
LOVE (CHARITY)
From the Latin verb discere, “to learn.”
One who accepted Jesus’ message to
follow him, especially one of the
Twelve; this term can also refer to a
Christian of any age because he is a
follower of Christ.
-
The theological virtue by which a
Christian loves God above all things for
His own sake, and loves his neighbor as
himself for the love of God.
LUMEN GENTIUM
ENCYCLICAL
-
A letter written by the pope to all the
world’s bishops and occasionally to all
the faithful. It usually expounds on
some aspect of Church teaching.
3
Latin name for the “Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church,” a key
document from the Second Vatican
Council.
MORAL LAW
-
ORIGINAL SIN
The ethical norms, authored and
revealed by God and safeguarded by
the Church, imposing obligations on the
conscience of each person.
-
MORALITY
-
The doctrine or system by which actions
are judged to be good or evil. Morality
looks to those human acts that impact
the totality of “personness” and affect
one’s final end.
MORAL RELATIVISM
-
The view that there is no absolute or
universal moral law or truth, resulting in
a morality determined by cultural
factors or personal preference"
POSITIVE MORALITY
NATURAL LAW
-
-
The participation of man in the plan of
God in relation to human life and
action, insofar as the mind can
understand it. The objective order
established by God that determines the
requirements for people to thrive and
reach fulfillment. Natural law “enables
man to discern by reason the good and
the evil, the truth and the lie” (CCC 19 5
4).
-
The intellectual power or faculty which
is ordinarily employed by man in
adapting thought or action to some
end; the guiding principle of the human
mind in the process of thinking.
SANCTIFYING GRACE
-
The supernatural condition of the
baptized, by which one participates in
the life of Jesus.
OBJECTIVE MORALITY
-
A moral code that prescribes what
ought to be done.
REASON
NEW BEING IN CHRIST
-
Adam and Eve’s abuse of their human
freedom in disobeying God’s command.
As a consequence they lost the grace of
original holiness and justice and
became subject to the law of death; sin
became universally present in the
world; and every person is born into
this condition. This sin separated
mankind from God, darkened the
human intellect, weakened the human
will, and introduced into human nature
an inclination toward sin. With Original
Sin, man lost the inner harmony
between his mind, his will, and his
passions. Also, after this “First Sin,”
every person would be destined to die.
The free and unmerited favor of God
given
through
the
sacraments.
Sanctifying grace heals and sanctifies
human nature wounded by sin by giving
man a share in the divine life infused
into the soul by the Holy Spirit.
VIRTUE
Standards of conduct that are universal
rather than conditioned by culture or
personal preference.
-
A habitual and firm disposition to do
good
LOVE OF GOD AND NIEGHBORS: is the basis of
Morality
4
HUMAN VIRTUE: are the stable disposition of
the intellect and the will that governs our acts,
order our passion and guide our conduct in
accordance with reason and faith
15. Explain each of the four cardinal virtues.
How are these virtues necessary to live a truly
human life?16. What are the origins and goals
of Christian morality?
Study Question:
17. What does the word concupiscence mean?
Use a dictionary if necessary. What does it
mean for the Christian life?
"1. What is the purpose of life?
2. What is morality?
18. How was the “Divine Law” revealed to
mankind?
3. Why is it important to be a “moral person” ?
19. Why can human reason never be the last
word in regards to morality?
4. Explain the difference between an objective
morality and moral relativism.
20. Explain the difference between sanctifying
grace and actual grace.
5. Why do so many people associate morality
with sexual and marriage issues?
7. What is Christian morality?
21. How might the failures or scandals of some
Catholics harm the spread of the Gospel? What
is the proper response to those who use this as
an excuse to reject the Christian message?
8. Why is the view that Christianity is “a mere
set of rules” incorrect?
22. What is the “vocation” shared by all the
baptized?
9. Explain how the Ten Commandments can be
summed up in the Great Commandments of
love of God and love of neighbor.
23. God calls everyone, but each individual
must respond. What is the proper response to
God’s call?24. Explain discipleship.
10. Why do moral laws and precepts exist?
25. Sanctifying grace enables a person to share
in the actual life of Christ. Explain what this
means in the life of a Christian.
6.
Name several social and political issues
today that pertain to the moral law.
11. Name three ways in which Jesus fulfilled
the requirements of civil law.
26.
Explain the following terms: “Put on
Christ,” “born again,” and “formed in Christ.”
12.
Name one moral action. What are its
positive consequences? Name one immoral
action. What are its negative consequences?
Explain how immoral actions indicate a lack of
love.
13. How do Christian ethics differ from sec u l a
r et h ics?
27. Someone might say that as long as you
love God, your actions are not relevant. Using
the image of the tree and its fruit, explain why
this idea is not correct. Using the same image,
explain what must come before good moral
actions.28. What is the purpose of “the will"
14. Read the story of the rich young man (Mt
19:16-24). According to the story, why is the
“moral life” necessary?
"29. The Sacraments of Reconciliation and the
Holy Eucharist fortify a person in living a
virtuous life. Explain.
5
30. Explain what the parable of the talents has
to do with moral actions.
2. The text states that “ The grace of God
makes possible what is humanly impossible.”
Think of one thing in the moral life that seems
impossible to you. Pray for the actual grace to
accomplish this.
31. Read the Parable of the Sheep and the
Goats (Mt 25:31-46). How does one show love
of God? What happens to those who fail to
show love of neighbor?
3. The un-Christian lifestyle of some Christians
harms the spread of the Gospel message. What
great responsibility does each Christian have in
this regard? What changes might you make in
your life to better reflect the message of Christ
to others?
32. List those things that set human beings
apart from the rest of creation. If we are
created in the image and likeness of God, what
can we learn about the nature of God?
33. If human beings have caused so much
harm throughout history why would God have
created humans with free will?
4. What does discipleship mean in your own
life? Write down several ideas.
5. The next time that you go to Confession ask
Christ for the actual grace to make positive
changes in your moral life. Ask Christ for the
same strengthening grace when you receive the
Holy Eucharist. If you do not have a spiritual
director with whom you can share these
experiences, it would be a good idea to consider
the possibility. All of us can benefit from having
a spiritual guide, since God has a unique plan
for each of our lives.
34. Explain how sin diminishes freedom, and
how moral actions increase freedom.
35. “Love for God guarantees the authenticity
of the love for neighbor, and the love for
neighbor is an indispensable evidence of a
genuine love for God.” Explain.
36. Explain the role of the sacraments and
prayer in achieving greater union with Christ.
37. What does it mean to be a saint?
6. What “talents” has God given you? Make a
list. What are ways in which you might multiply
these talents for God?
38. In what ways might a Christian share in the
kingly, priestly, and prophetic mission of Jesu
s?
7. Reflect on the Parable of the Sheep and the
Goats. Think of concrete ways in which you
could show love of God by serving those in
need.
39. What is the link between happiness and
moral behavior? How can moral behavior result
in a foretaste of Heaven in the here a nd now"
8. Vatican II states that “a man is more precious
for what he is than for what he has” (Gaudium
et Spes, 35). Explain how this sentence defines
the Christian vocation and moral life in Christ.
Practical exercises:
"THE BASIS FOR MORALITY Chapter
1: The Basis for Morality291. Apply the story of
the rich young man to your own life. Are there
things in your life that take precedence to God?
Make a list of things that you might change in
your life so that God takes center stage.
9.Gaudium et Spes also states, “only in the
mystery of the Incarnate Word does the
mystery of man take on light.” How does the
Person of Christ make clear the truths of human
existence (for example, the meaning of the
6
human existence, the nature of good a nd ev i l
)?
imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves
receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has
loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my
love.” And again: “ This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved
you.”62
10. Read and comment on Chapter 25 of St.
Matthew’s Gospel. What importance do sins of
omission have in relation to the understanding
that Christian moral life is a “following of
Christ”?
1833 Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition
to do good. 1840
The theological virtues
dispose Christians to live in a relationship with
the Holy Trinity. They have God for their origin,
their motive, and their object — God known by
faith, God hoped in and loved for his own
sake.1975 According to Scripture the Law is a
fatherly instruction by God which prescribes for
man the ways that lead to the promised
beatitude, and proscribes the ways of evil"
11. Explain the ramifications of Christ’s words
in Matthew 15:10 -20.
12. Read Chapter 5 of Lumen Gentium about
the “universal call to holiness.” What are the
practical consequences that might arise from
the principles laid out in this document?
13. According to the Catechism of the Catholic
Church (1033-1037), what does the existence of
Hell reveal about humanity’s destiny and proper
end?
14. Is it possible to accept the challenge to be
holy in your life today? Explain your answer in
two paragraphs."
From the Catechism of the Church:
"418 As a result of original sin, human nature
is weakened in its powers; subject to ignorance,
suffering, and the domination of death; and
inclined to sin ( This inclination is called
“concupiscence.” ).
520 In all of his life Jesus presents himself as
our model. He is “the perfect man,”58 who
invites us to become his disciples and follow
him. In humbling himself, he has given us an
example to imitate, through his prayer he draws
us to pray, and by his poverty he calls us to
accept freely the privation and persecutions
that may come our way.
1823
Jesus makes charity the new
commandment.60 By loving his own “to the end
,”61 he makes manifest the Father’s love which
he receives. By loving one another, the disciples
7