Man is a free, moral being, responsible for his own acts
Human freedom is limited by the unique circumstances of each person's life
examples: poverty, war, bad household/abuse
true love is a free gift of oneself that leads to self-mastery
Conscience is the practical application of the objective moral law to concrete circumstances
Slide 2
Love
If love is taken or required it is not free
the self-giving that is love is often hard
it may require overcoming vices like laziness
selfishness, sensuality are also vices
Slide 3
The Moral Act
True freedom is not doing whatever you want but doing what you ought
Good actions make us freer
Bad moral actions make us a slave to sin
Every human being faces moral decisions and is morally responsible for his/her own acts
a moral act involves both deliberation and choice
has moral content
affects the character of the person
Slide 4
Freedom and Responsibility
the more knowledge one possesses, the more morally responsible one is for his/her own actions
there is no such thing as a freedom that is independent of responsibility
the origin of moral evil is the free decision of man to reject God's moral law
Slide 5
Effects of Grace
they enlighten us to know what is right and strengthen our will to do what is right in order to fufill God's will
they help us see the truth
they do not diminish freedom
Slide 6
How do we align our will with God's will?
listen to him
follow the moral and natural law
use freedom properly with the help of grace
Slide 7
What is conscience?
"We must continually seek God's grace, continually respond to the actual graces God is working within us, incling us to turn to him and do good."
the reality of conscience is witnessed both in Sacred Scripture and through human experience.
We have both a right and a duty to exercise our moral conscience
a good conscience applies moral truth; it does not create it.
conscience fails when the objective moral law is ignored or misunderstood
conscience is not an infallible guide and can be ignorant or blinded
Slide 8
How conscience is formed
practice frequent and honest self-examination, which leads to sincere repentance
frequent repetition of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
when the conscience is repeatedly ignored through repeated errors it eventually becomes numb to wrongdoing and ceases to function as it should
the fullness of conscience involves a clear awareness that every Christian is called by Baptism to become a saint
Slide 9
How to make a sincere repentance
contrition
the sorrow of our sins
the purpose of amendment
acknowledge your sins or we would just turn around and committ the same sin
Slide 10
Spiritual direction
seek the council of a wise person involved with the church
ideally a priest
Slide 11
What is a moral act?
an action that results from deliberate choice between good and evi, or degrees of goodness
involves both deliberation and choice
has moral content
a personal act - involve intellect and the will
never leaves us exactly the same
