virtues: gratitude

Re: Virtues: Gratitude
Fr: Excerpted from Bishop Charles Chaput (2007 Nov 22). “Thanksgiving: Acknowledging our dependence on God.” The Bishop Speaks. http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/67533

"The Roman statesman Cicero once said that, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." Gratitude expresses our dependence on others. By its nature, it leads to humility and wisdom, because a grateful heart understands than none of us is really independent. We have obligations to each other. We also have needs from each other. We're designed to depend on each other as a family; and to depend as a family on God.

"… Thanksgiving is a call to Christians to recover who we really are: children of God with family duties to each other. Gratitude leads to humility; to seeing our true place in creation. And humility is the beginning of sanity - the clarity of mind to see what's right, what's wrong, what needs to be done, and the willingness to do it.

"… The Protestant Christians who began this tradition nearly 400 years ago practiced their gratitude in the midst of scarcity, disease, high mortality and a harsh new land. Precisely because of their suffering, they understood their own limitations; their radical dependence on God."

This article is courtesy of the Denver Catholic Register.

virtues: patience: ss

re: "bear one another's burdens" (eph 6:1-10)
v9 "so let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up."

hope for sinful humanity

fr: excerpted from bsp. thomas wenski (2007 dec 25). "celebrating god's gift of love." [section: bishops speak]. http://www.catholicexchange.com/node/68390

"A world without God, Pope Benedict tells us in "Spe Salvi," is a world without hope. Such a world is a world grown cold - and dark. And such is the world of those who would live without God; or, worse, against God.

"Yet, because of that child wrapped in swaddling clothes, surrounded by animals and ignorant shepherds, we dare to hope. "Christ does not save us from our humanity, but through it; he does not save us from the world, but he came into the world, so that through him the world might be saved" (Pope Benedict XVI, "Urbi et Orbi," 2006).

"In the birth of Christ, the hope of mankind is restored. For this reason, at Christmas - more than any other time of the year - we can look toward the future with renewed confidence. Despite our sinfulness, despite our greed, our pride, our lust, our envy - these things that are at the root of human misery, poverty and war -we are not lost. God refuses to give up on his creation: It was through love he created us; and in love we are redeemed."

conscience: ss

re: "raphael's exhortation" (tob 12:6-10)
vv9b-10 "those who give alms will enjoy a full life, [10] but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies."

cardinal virtue: fortitude: examples: david's warriors

re: "David's mighty men" (2 sam 2:8-39) (cf. also 1 chr 11:10-47)
(1) eleazar
vv9-10 "... the israelites withdrew, [10] but he STOOD HIS GROUND. he struck down the philistines until his arm grew weary, through his hand clung to the sword. the LORD brought a great victory that day...."

(2) shammah
vv11-12 "... the army fled from the philistines. [12] but hhe TOOK HIS STAND in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory."

(3) benaiah
vv20-21,23 "benaiah son of jehoiaka was a valiant warrior form kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of ariel of moab. he also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. [21] and he killed an egyptian, a handsome man. the egyptian had a spear in his hand; but beniah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. [22] .... and david put him in charge of his bodyguard."

theological virtue: hope

re: acronym of hope
fr: fr. romuald p. zantua, ds (founder of disciples of hope), as quoted by fr. ronnie "joshua" alvero, ds, 2007 dec 8
h.o.p.e. = happiness out of patient endurance

cardinal virtue: fortitude: example of daniel

re: "daniel in the lion's den" (dan 6:10-18)
v10-11 "although daniel knew that the document [prohibiting worshipping any god other than king darius, the mede, for 30 days, cf. v7] had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward jerusalem, and to get down on his knees 3 times a day to PRAY to his god and praise him, just as he had done previously. [11] the conspirators came and found daniel praying and seeking mercy before his god."

cardinal virtue: fortitude: ss

re: "the golden image" (dan 3:1-18)
vv1618 "shadrach, meshach, and abednego answered the king, 'o nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter/ [17] if our god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of our hand, o king, let him deliver us. [18] but if not, be it known to you, o king, that we will not werve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.'"

cardinal virtue: prudence: example of daniel

Re: Virtues, Prudence; Example: Daniel
Fr: Daniel 1 (“Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court”)

v. 8, 11-12 “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. [11] Then Daniel asked the guard …: [12] ‘Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.’”

Commentary:
“Daniel resists the king’s command, his food, his lifestyle, and his dominion. He offers a test so that he and his companions can prove that they will not only survive but will thrive on their obedience to their God who is God alone. They become known for their knowledge and wisdom and prudence (knowing when to be public and when to lie low in the face of evil and persecution). We have much to learn from these young men who know how to be faithful to their covenant with God and the people, yet know how to survive in a climate of slavery, oppression, and being conquered.”
- McKeena, M. (2007). Bible diary. QC: Claretian, Monday, 34th Week in Ordinary Time.

my personal reflection:
we have this saying, "choose the battles you fight."

justice: human and divine: ss

re: "the last days of antiochus epiphanes" (1 mac 6:1-17)

v8,11-13 "when the king [antiochus epiphanes] heard this news [his armies destroyed in judah, and previous to that also in persia], he was astounded and badly shaken. he took to his bed and became sick from disappointment, because things had not turned out for him as he had planned. [11] i said to myslef, 'to waht distress i have come! and into what a great flood i now am plunged! for i was kind and beloved in my power.' [12] but now i remember the the wrong i did in jerusalem. i seized all its vessels of silver and gold, and i sent to destroy the inhabitants of judah without good reason. [13] i know this is because of this that these MISFORTUNES have come upon me; here i am, perishing of bitter disappointment in a strange land.'"

7 capital sins: gluttony: ss

re: "concerning moderation" (sir 37:27-31)
vv29-31 "do not be greedy for every delicacy, and do not eat without restraint; [30] for overating brings sickness, and GLUTTONY leads to nausea. [31] many have died of GLUTTONY, but the one who guards against it prolongs his life."

cardinal virtue: temperance: ss

re: "concerning moderation" (sir 37:27-31)
"my child, test yourserlf while you life; see what is bad for you and do not give in to it. [28] for not everything is good for everyone, and no one enjoys everything. [29] do not be greedy for every delicacy, and do not eat without restraint; [30] for overeating brings sickness, and gluttony leads to nausea. [31] many have died of gluttony, but the one who guards against it prolongs his life."

sins: enumeration: ss

re: "good stewards of god's grace" (1 pt 4:1-11)
v3 "you have already spent enough time in doing what the gentiles like to do, living in
- licentiousness,
- passions,
- drunkenness,
- revels,
- carousing, and
- lawless idolatry."

human cardinal virtues: questionnaire: ccc

Re: Virtues, Human; Cardinal: Questionnaire
Fr: Extracted and expanded from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) # 1805-1811.

I. Questionnaire

Rate each of the statements below using the following scale:
1 = strongly disagree
2 = disagree
3 = somewhat disagree & somewhat agree
4 = agree
5 = strongly agree

A. Prudence (# 1806)

___ 1. I use practical reason to discern my true good and to guide the judgment
of my conscience in every circumstance.
___ 2. I choose the right means of achieving what I discern to be good.
___ 3. I pause and look where I’m heading to before I act. (Prov 14:15)
___ 4. I am serious and disciplined in my actions. (1 Pt 4:7)
___ 5. I am careful in discerning things, so as not to be deceived or tricked. (St.
Agustine, De moribus eccl.)
___ 6. I apply moral principles to particular cases to ensure that I achieve
what is good and avoid what is evil.

B. Justice (# 1807)

___ 1. I constantly and firmly give what is due to God.
2. I constantly and firmly give what is due to others, i.e.,
___ a. … my spouse.
___ b. … my child/ren.
___ c. … my relatives.
___ d. … my neighbors.
___ e. … my friends.
___ f. … my officemates.
___ g. … my community.
___ h. … my country.
___ i. … the environment.
___ 3. I respect the rights of each person, regardless of race, gender, or
Religion.
___ 4. I establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes fairness
with regard to persons and to the common good.
___ 5. I judge my neighbor in righteousness and am not partial to the poor or
defer to the great. (Lev 19:15)
___ 6. I treat my subordinates (househelps, fellow employees) justly and
fairly, knowing that I also have a Master in heaven. (Col 4:1)

C. Fortitude (# 1808)

___ 1. I am firm and constant in the pursuit of the good even in the midst of
Difficulties.
___ 2. I am resolved to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the
moral life.
___ 3. I am not unduly disturbed by misfortune. (St. Agustine, De moribus eccl.)
___ 4. I am ready to face trials and persecutions for the sake of righteousness.
___ 5. I am able to face my fears in life with the knowledge that God is always
on my side.
___ 6. I am disposed even to renounce and sacrifice my life in defense of a just
cause.

D. Temperance (“moderation” or ”sobriety” in the New Testament) (# 1809)

___ 1. I moderate the attraction of pleasures and balance the use of created
goods.
___ 2. I am reasonably in control of my instincts and keep my desires within the
limits of what is honorable (ex: avoid gluttony, Sir 37:31).
___ 3. I direct my sensitive appetites toward what is good.
___ 4. I maintain a healthy discretion by not blindly following my inclination and
strength in pursuing the desires of my heart. (Sir 5:2; cf. 37:27-31)
___ 5. As much as possible, I see to it that I do not give in to what is bad for
me. (Sir 37:27)
___ 6. I keep my love for God and neighbor whole and uncorrupted. (St.
Agustine, De moribus eccl.)

II. Reflection

1. What human virtue is my strength? Why?


2. How can I share this strength in the service of my family and community?


3. What human virtue is my weakness? Why?


4. What do I need to do to develop this human virtue?


5. Reflect on this passage:

“It is not easy for man, wounded by sin, to maintain moral balance. Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues. Everyone should always
-- ask for this grace of light and strength,
-- frequent the sacraments,
-- cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and
-- follow his calls to love what is good and shun evil.” (# 1811)

theological virtues: implications: ccc

A. FAITH

1. total self-commitment
2. seeking and doing god's will
3. life of charity (# 1814)

B. HOPE

1. keeps us from discouragement
2. sustains us in times of abandonment (# 1818)
3. affords us joy even under trial (# 1820)
4. helps us persevere to the end (# 1821)

C. CHARITY

1. love of god above all things for his own sake [# 1822] (not out of fear {= slaves} or for wages {= mercenaries}, but out of love for him who commands {= children}, st. basil) [#1828]
2. love of neighbor as ourselves for the love of god [# 1822]
a. tender love (beneficence) [# 1829]
b. tough love (fraternal correction) [# 1829]

virtues: perseverance: ss

re: "signs and persecutions" (lk 21:7-19)
v19 "'by your endurance ["perseverance" - christian community bible - catholid pastoral edition] you will gain your souls.'"

cardinal virtues: ccc

Re: Virtues, Human; Cardinal
Fr: Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) # 1804-1811

“Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions and guide our conduct according to reason and faith” (# 1804).

“And if anyone loves righteousness, her labors are virtues; for she teaches
 self-control [temperance] and
 prudence,
 justice and
 courage [fortitude];
nothing in life is more profitable for mortals than these.”
- Wisdom 8:7 (New Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition, 1993) (# 1805)

These virtues are called “cardinal” because all the other virtues are grouped around them (# 1805).

1. PRUDENCE = “is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it…. “ It is “‘right reason in action’” (St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, Summa Theologiae) (# 1806). Being prudent means being “careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery” (St. Augustine, De moribus eccl.) (# 1809). Prudence is called the charioteer of the virtues (auriga virtutum) because it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure (# 1806).

 “The prudent man looks where he is going” (Proverbs 14:15) (# 1806).

2. JUSTICE = “is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor” (# 1807). Justice enables one to obey only God (St. Augustine, De moribus eccl.) (# 1809). It involves respect for human rights, the establishment of harmonious interpersonal relationships, the promotion of equity, and the pursuit of the common good (# 1807).

 “You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” (Leviticus 19:15) (# 1807)
 “Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1) (# 1807).

3. FORTITUDE = “is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life (# 1808). It keeps one from being disturbed in times of misfortune (St. Augustine, De moribus eccl.) (# 1809). [It] enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause (# 1808).

 “The Lord is my strength and my song.” (Psalm 118:14) (#1808)
 “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) (# 1808)

4. TEMPERANCE= “is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good, and maintains a healthy discretion.” Temperance keeps love whole and uncorrupted (St. Augustine, De moribus eccl.) (# 1809).

 “Do not follow your inclination and strength, walking according to the desires of your heart.” (Sirach 5:2; cf. 37:27-31) (# 1809)
 “Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites.” (Sirach 18:30) (# 1809)
 “… live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world.” (Titus 2:12)

virtue: definition: ccc

Re: Virtue, Definition
Fr: The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994)

Virtue = “a habitual and firm disposition to do the good …. [and] to give the best of himself …. with all his sensory and spiritual powers,” pursuing it and choosing it in concrete acts.

Human Virtues = “are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that
-- govern our actions,
-- order our passions and
-- guide our conduct
according to reason and faith.”
Consequently, “they make possible
-- ease,
-- self-mastery, and
-- joy
in leading a morally good life. (# 1804)

Moral Virtues = are the fruit and seed of morally good acts acquired by human effort that dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love (# 1804).

fraternal correction: ss

re: "some sayings of jesus" (lk 17:1-10)
v3 "'be on your guard! if another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive."

re: "reproving another who sins" (mt 18:15-20)
vv15-17 "'if another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the 2 of you are alone. if the member listens to you, you have regained that one. [16] but if you are not listened to, take 1 or 2 others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses. [17] if the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector."

re: "the prayer of faith" (jas 5:13-20)
v19 "my brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, [20] you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner;s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

conscience: catechism: summary

Re: Conscience
Fr: Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994). Part III, Section 1, Article 6 “Moral Conscience,” # 1776-1802. (underscore mine)

• Definition

Conscience is a law inscribed by God in man’s heart calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounding in his heart at the right moment. (Gaudium et Spes 16 in CCC # 1776). It 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” (# 1778).

“Conscience includes the:
 perception of the principles of morality (synderesis);
 their application in the given circumstances by practical discernment of reasons and goods; and finally
 judgment about concrete acts yet to be performed or already performed” (# 1780).

• Kinds

(1) Informed Conscience – “is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator” (# 1783). Moral conscience is formed throughout life through prudent education (# 1784) and the assimilation of the Word of God in faith and prayer, and putting it into practice (# 1802).
(2) Conscience in Ignorance -- can make erroneous judgments, i.e., one that departs from reason and divine law (# 1786), which can be imputed to personal responsibility (# 1791) due to:
(a) ignorance (of truth & goodness, Christ and his Gospel)
(b) habitual sin
(c) bad example of others
(d) enslavement of one’s passions
(e) mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience
(f) rejection of the Church’s authority and teaching
(g) lack of conversion
(h) lack of charity (# 1791-1792)

• Importance

-- “The dignity of the human person implies and requires uprightness of moral conscience” (# 1780).
-- “Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions” (# 1872).
-- “… charity proceeds at the same time ‘from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith’ (Pt 3:21; Acts 24:16).” (# 1794).

• Teaching

 Prerequisite:

Interiority – being present to oneself through such means as “reflection, self-examination or introspection” (# 1779).

 Prescription:

-- “In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right” (# 1778).
-- “A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were deliberately to act against it, he would condemn himself” (# 1790).
-- “Man is sometimes confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision difficult. But he must always seriously seek what is right and good and discern the will of God expressed in divine law” (# 1787).
-- Some rules apply in every case:
(1) never do evil even for a good cause
(2) follow the golden rule: do to others what you wish them to do unto you (Mt 7:12; cf. Lk 6:31; Tob 4:15)
(3) respect others’ conscience and avoid scandalizing them (# 1789)

 Factors in Discernment:

1. data of experience
2. signs of the times assisted by the virtue of prudence
3. advice of competent people
4. help of the Holy Spirit and his gifts (# 1788)

 Effect:

“Conscience enables one to assume responsibility for the acts performed.”
(1) negatively: it witnesses to “the evil of his particular choice”
(2) positively: it witnesses to the “universal truth of the good” and calls to mind the forgiveness to be asked, the good that must be practiced, and the virtue that must be cultivated with the grace of God (# 1781).

basic principle: ss

re: "marks of the true christian" (rom 12:9-21)
vv9-10,21 "let LOVE be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; [10] love one another with mutual affection; outdo onw another in showing honor.
"[21] do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

re: "raphael's exhortation" (tob 12:6-10)
v7b "do good and evil will not overtake you."

reflection: the angel raphael says this to tobit and tobias after he had carried out god's orders for him to heal tobit of his blindness and sarah of her depression (due to the demon who caused her husbands to die at their honeymoon night) in response to their prayers. this is also divine justice because they were good people and deserved to be blest. so, the lesson of raphael is to continue to do good no matter what unfortunate events befall us.
(2007 dec 13)

emotions: catechism

Re: Emotions, Psycho-spiritual Viewpoint
Fr: Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) # 1762-1775. (underscore mine)

• Definition
“Feelings or passions are emotions or movements of the sensitive appetite that incline us to act or not in regard to something felt or imagined to be good or evil” (# 1763). They “form the passageway and ensure the connection between the life of the sense and the life of the mind” (# 1764).

• Classification
“The principal passions are love and hatred, desire and fear, joy, sadness and anger” (# 1772).

(a) Attraction to Good
“‘To love is to will the good of another’” (St. Thomas Aquinas) (# 1766). “The most fundamental passion is love, aroused by the attraction of the good” (# 1765). “All other affections have their source in this first movement of the human heart toward the good” (#1766). Love causes a desire for the absent good and the hope of obtaining it; this movement finds completion in the pleasure and joy of the good possessed (# 1765).

(b) Aversion to Evil
“The apprehension of evil causes hatred, aversion, and fear of the impending evil; this movement ends in sadness at some present evil, or in the anger that resists it” (# 1765).

• Morality
“In themselves passions are neither good nor evil. They are morally qualified only to the extent that they effectively engage reason and will, (# 1767) i.e., insofar as they engage reason and will, there is moral good or evil in them” (# 1773).

• Principles
 “The human person is ordered to beatitude by his deliberate acts: the passions or feelings he experiences can dispose him to it and contribute to it” (# 1762).
 “Passions are said to be voluntary, ‘either because they are commanded by the will or because the will does not place obstacles in their way’” (St. Thomas Aquinas) (# 1767). “The upright will orders the movements of the sense it appropriates to the good and to beatitude; an evil will succumbs to disordered passions and exacerbates them” (# 1768).
 “It belongs to the perfection of the moral or human good that the passions be governed by reason” (Cf. St. Thomas Aquinas).”
 “Passions are morally good when they contribute to a good action, evil in the opposite case” (# 1768).
 “Emotions and feelings can be taken up in the virtues or perverted by the vices” (# 1774).
 “In the Christian life, the Holy Spirit himself accomplishes his work by mobilizing the whole being, with all its sorrows, fears and sadness, as is visible in the lord’s agony and passion. In Christ human feelings are able to reach their consummation in charity and divine beatitude” (# 1769).
 “Moral perfection consists in man’s being moved to the good not by his will alone, but also by his sensitive appetite, as in the words of the psalm: ‘My heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God’ (Ps 84:2) (# 1770).”

moral principle: basic

re: "good acts and evil acts"
"a morally good act requires
-- the goodness of the object,
-- of the end, and
-- of the circumstances
TOGETHER."
- ccc # 1755.

morality: elements

Re: Morality, Elements
Fr: Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994) # 1750-1755.

The morality of a human act depends on:

[a] primary elements

1. the object chosen
-- “Objective norms of morality express the RATIONAL order of good and evil, attested to by CONSCIENCE.” (# 1751)

2. the subject’s intention
-- A good intention does not make a bad act good. “The end does not justify the means.” (# 1753)

[b] secondary element

3. the circumstances (including the consequences)
Circumstances can increase or diminish the moral goodness or evil of human acts and/or the subject’s responsibility, but cannot change the moral quality of acts themselves. (# 1754)

NB: Basic Moral Principle
“A morally good act requires the goodness of the object, of the end, and of the circumstances together.” (# 1755)

7 capital sins: lust: ss

re: "dying and rising with christ" (rom 6:1-14)
v12 "therefore, do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal BODIES, to make you obey their PASSIONS."
v19 "... for ust as you once presented your members as SLAVES TO IMPURITY and to greater and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for sanctification."

re: daniel ch 13: susanna and the two lustful elders
vv7-14,19-21,32,56 "when the people left at noon, susanna would do into her husband's garden to walk. [8] every day the tow elders used to see her, going in and wlaking about, and they began to LUST for her. [9] they suppressed theier CONSCIENCES and turned away their eyes from looking to Heaven or remembeing their DUTY to administer justice. [10] both were overwhelmed with PASSION for her, but they didnot tell each other of their distress, [11] for they were ashamed to disclose their LUSTFUL desires to seduce her. [12] day after day they watched eagerly to see her.
"[13] one day they said to each toher, 'let us go home, for it is time for lunch.' so they both left and parted from each toher. [14] but turning back, they met again; and when each pressed the other for the reason, they confessed their LUST. then together they arranged for a time when they could find her alone."
"[19]"when the maids had gone out, the two elders got up and ran to ther. [20] they said, 'look, the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. we are BURNING WITH DESIRE for you; so give your consent, and lie with us. [21] if you refuse, we will testitfy against you that a young man was with you, and this was why you sent your maids away.'
"[32] as she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled, so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty.'
"[56]"...'you offspring of canaan and not of judah, beauty has beguiled you and LUST has perverted your heart.'"

Re: "Concerning Adultery" (Mt 5:27-30)
vv27-28 "'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' [28] But I say to you that everyone who LOOKS AT A WOMAN WITH LUST has already committed adultery with her in his heart.")

human acts: morality

re: "the morality of human acts"
"...human acts, i.e., acts that are freely chosen in consequence of a JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE, can be morally evaluated. they are either good or evil."
- ccc 1749

personal responsibility

"his deliberate acts properly belong to him."
- ccc # 1745

7 capital sins: greed: ss

re: "the parable of the rich fool" (lk 12:13-21)
v15 "...'take care! be on your guard against all kinds of GREED; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.'"

human faculties: ss

re: "god's wisdom seen in creation" (sir 16:24-17:24)
vv3,6-8,11-12 "he endowed them with STRENGTH like his won, and made them IN HIS OWN IMAGE. [6] DISCRETION and tonge and eyes, ears and a mind for THINKING he gave them. [7] he filled them with KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING, and showed them good and evil. [8] he put the FEAR OF HIM into their hears to show them theh majesty fo his works. [11] he bestowed knowledge upon them, and allotted to them the law of life.

[12] he established with them an eternal covenant, and reveald to them his decrees."

free will: ss

Re: Free Will, SS
Fr: Sirach 15:11-20

“Freedom of Choice”

• Principle

[14] It was he who created humankind in the beginning, and he left them in the power of their own FREE CHOICE.
[16] He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.
[17] Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given.

• Human Experience

[11] Do not say, “It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away”; for he does not do what he hates.
[12] Do not say, “It was he who led me astray”; for he has no need of the sinful.
[20] He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

temptations: antidote: prayer

re: "freedom and grace" (ccc 1742)
"the grace of christ is not in the slightest way a rival of our freedom when this freedom accords with the sense of the TRUE and the GOOD that god has put in the human heart.
on the contrary, as christian experience attests especially in PRAYER, the more DOCILE we are to the promtpings of GRACE, the more we grow in INNER FREEDOM and CONFIDNENCE during trials, such as those we face in the pressrues and constraints of the outer world. by the working of grace the HOLY SPIRIT educates us in SPIRITUAL FREEDOM in order to make us free collaborators in his work in the church and in the world:

'almighty and merciful god,
in your goodness take away from us all that is harmful,
so that, made ready both in mind and body,
we may freely accomplish your WILL.' (missale romanum, 32nd sun, opening prayer)

tithing: ss

re: "jesus denounces pharisees and lawyers" (lk 11:37-54)
vv42 "'but woe to you pharisees! for you TITHE mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of god; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others."

lying: statistics

fr: james b. simpson (1988). simpson's contemporary quotations. c/o http://www.bartleby.com/63/41/2941.html

"people tell about 2 lies a day, or at least that is how many they will admit to."
- bella DePaulo, psychologist, univ of virginia, c/o a study in which participants kept a daily diary of lies. NY times (1985 feb 12).

homosexuality: ss

re: "the guilt of humankind" (rom 1:18-32)
vv26-27,32 "for this reason [suppression of truth (v18) and exchanging it for a lie (v25) & worshiping & serving the creature rather than the creator (v28)] god gave them up to DEGRADING PASSIONS. their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, [27] and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were CONSUMED WITH PASSION for one another. men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
"...[32] they know god's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die -- yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them."

sin: nature: ss

re: "the guilt of humankind" (rom 1:18-32)
v25 "because they exchanged the TRUTH about god for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the CREATOR...."

sin: effects

re: "human freedom in the economy of salvation"
"... by deviating from the MORAL LAW man
- violates his own freedom,
- becomes imprisoned within himself,
- disrupts neighborly fellowship, and
- rebels against divine truth."
> ccc 1740

sin: imputability

"imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by
- ignorance,
- inadvertence [unintentional],
- duress [forcible restraint],
- fear,
- habit,
- inordinate attachemnts and
- other psychological or
- social factors."
> ccc 1735

re: "the faithful or the unfaithful slave" (lk 12:41-48)
vv47-48 "that slave who KNEW what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. [48] but the one who DID NOT KNOW and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating.
from everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded."

freedom: definition: ccc

"the more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. there is no TRUE FREEDOM except in the service of what is good and just. the choice to disobey and do evil is an ABUSE OF FREEDOM and lead to 'the slavery of sin' (cf. rom 6:17)*."
- ccc 1733
---------
*rom 6:17 "but thanks be to god that you, having once been SLAVES OF SIN, have become OBEDIENT FROM THE HEART to the form of teaching to which you were entrusted."

"but the exercise of freedom does not entail the putative right to say or do anything."
- ccc 1747

commandments: summary: ss

re: "the parabel of the good samaritan" (lk 0:25-37)
vv25-28 "just then a lawyer stood up to test jesus. 'teacher,' he said, 'what must i do to inherit eternal LIFE?' [26] he said to him, 'what is written in the law? what do you read there?' [27] he answered, 'you shall love the lord your god with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.' [28] and he said to him, 'you have given the right asnwer; do this, and you will LIVE.'"

bad influence: ss

re: "the conquest of canaan promised" (ex 23:20-33)
v33 "they shall not live in your land, or they will make you sin against me; for if you worship their gods, it will surely be a snare to you."

euthanasia: catholic teaching

Re: Euthanasia, Catholic Teaching
Fr: Excerpted from Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Writer. “Vatican rejects charges on John Paul II.” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_re_eu/pope_euthanasia (underscore mine)

Catholic teaching holds that it is morally wrong to refuse "proportionate" or ordinary care, which includes water and feeding tubes; refusing such care amounts to euthanasia.

The Vatican recently repeated its position on euthanasia and feeding tubes. A document issued Sept. 14 from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirmed that it considers the removal of feeding tubes from people in vegetative states to be an immoral act.

The Vatican distinguishes between feeding tubes, which it considers proportionate care, and "aggressive medical treatment" which can be disproportionate to any expected results or pose an excessive burden on the patient.

"In such situations, when death is clearly imminent an inevitable, one can in conscience refuse forms of treatment that would only secure a precarious and burdensome prolongation of life, so long as the normal care due to the sick person in similar cases is not interrupted," according to John Paul's 1995 encyclical "Evangelium Vitae."

truth: testimony

"'the easy thing would have been to do nothing, but i have followed my heart and spoken the truth,'"
- 21-year-old victim of forced marriage and sex at 14 years old to her 19-year-old cousin by warren jeffs, 51, poylgamist president of the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints (mormons)
- source: http://news.yahoo.com/2/ap/20070926/ap_on_re_us/polygamist_leader

commandments: ss

re: "the good fight of faith" (1 tim 6:11-19)
vv13-14 "in the presence of god, who gives LIFE to all things, and of christ jesus, who in his testimony before pontius pilate made the good confession, i charge you [14] to KEEP THE COMMANDMENT without spot or blame until the manifestation of our lord jesus christ,"

moral law

"man is obliged to follow the MORAL LAW, which urges him 'to do what is good and avoid what is evil' (cf. GS16). this law makes itself heard in his conscience." (ccc # 1713). "... the MORAL LIFE, increased and brought to maturity in grace, is to reach its fulfillment in the glory of heaven." (ccc # 1715)

conscience: catechism: quotes

part 3: life in christ
section 1: man's vocation: life in the spirit
chapter 1: the dignity of the human person
article 1: man: the image of god

"the human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. by his REASON .... by his FREE WILL.... (ccc 1704) by virtue of his SOUL and his spiritual powers of intellect and will, man is endowed with freedom .... (ccc 1705). by this reason, MAN RECOGNIZES THE VOICE OF GOD.... EVERYONE IS OBLIGED TO FOLLOWD THIS LAW, which makes itself heard in CONSCIENCE and is fulfilled in the love of god and neighbor. living a moral life bears witness to the DIGNITY of the person." (ccc 1706)

re: "moral conscience" (... art 6)
# 1776 "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 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' (GS 16)."

re: "the judgment of conscience"
# 1777 "... when he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear god speaking."

life

sep 10, 2007
"jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the sabbath [lk 6:6-11] and the hearts of those who are withered with insensitivity, self-righteousness, and judgmentalism are indignant. jesus is about LIFE, giving LIFE, preserving LIFE for all, most espeically for those whose lives are on the bring, on the edge. this protection of LIFE, this healing and care for all people from the womb to the tomb ...."
- mckeena, m. (2007). bible diary. qc: claretian.

sep 11, 2007
"... as Christians, we get three consultants for the price of one
- the Father who started LIFE,
- the Son who lived LIFE, and
- the Holy Spirit who handles the daily operations of LIFE."

by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges (2003). the servant leader. thomas nelson, p. 10.

sep 23, 2007
re: "the good fight of faith" (1 tim 6:11-19)
v13 "in the presence of god, who gives LIFE to all things...."

oct 23, 2007
re: "adam and christ" (rom 5:12-21)
v18 "therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and LIFE for all.
vv20-21 "...but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, [21] so that just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to ETERNAL LIFE through jesus chirst our lord."

re: ps 119 "the glories of god's law"
v83 "i will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me LIFE."

re: "life in the spirit" (rom 8:1-17)
v6 "to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the spirit is LIFE, and peace."
vv10-11 "but if christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is LIFE because of righteousness. [11] if the spirit of him who raised jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who rasied christ from the dead will give LIFE to your mortal bodies also through his spirit that dwells in you."
v13 "for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will LIVE."

pro-life issues

re: protecting the embryo through the health of the mother
fr: excerpt from Children of God for Life and Human Life International. "VACCINATIONS IN U.S., CANADA, AND EUROPE DERIVED FROM BABIES ABORTED IN THE 1960s"

While abortion remains far and away the greatest sin and should remain the central pro-life effort, the environment is also an issue that needs to be brought into the tent -- involving as it does millions who die each year not just from climate shifts (which may or may not be attributable to pollution), but from industrial smoke, sullied water, and toxic contamination of food.

The most frequent victims of this: unborn children. We are now at a stage where virtually every pregnant woman has industrial chemicals in her umbilical cord or breast milk and more than 90 percent of children have chlorinated hydrocarbons (such as PCBs) in their tissues (as do adults). This is not something that God wants as part of our biology. Cancer now afflicts a quarter to a third of those in modern nations, and is far too common in the young -- too common to be mere happenstance. Miscarriages (as in "unborn") are often the first sign of a pollution problem.