My dear parishioners,
Peace! In other bulletins (4 December, 2016-11 June, 2017) we have considered the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on “conscience.” We then turned to Saint John Paul II’s encyclical letter Veritatis splendor (6 August, 1993) which addresses fundamental moral issues, including “conscience” more than one hundred times. These reflections were begun earlier (6 April, 2018-30 May, 2018). Here we now consider a passage from Veritatis splendor, 61.2.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) when considering the “judgment of conscience” reminds us that the practical judgment of conscience “imposes on the person the obligation to perform a given act, the link between freedom and truth is made manifest.
The judgement of a well-formed conscience imposes the obligation to perform a given act. It is nothing new in our day or last century that some people recoil from duties or obligations. Saint Paul, inspired by God, recognized his obligations (cf. Romans 1:14) even as he encouraged others to meet their obligations (cf. 2 Timothy 4:5). Moses, no less inspired insisted on the obligations of Israel to the service of the Lord and His Tabernacle (cf. Numbers 3:8; 8:26). The Fall of Man or Original Sin (cf. Genesis 3:1-7) involves confusion as to obligations and duties where the Devil was only too happy to deceive and muddy the waters regarding what God said, which fruit to eat or touch… The Hebrew word dabar is sometimes translated as “duty” or “ought” and can be found more than fourteen hundred times in Sacred Scripture. The Greek words opheilo/opheileo is sometimes translated as “to owe” or to “be under obligation (ought, must, should)” and can be found some thirty-six times in Sacred Scripture.
The link between freedom and truth is made manifest by a well-formed conscience. Sacred Scripture makes this clear: “The truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Jesus Christ who is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) calls us to holiness, to renounce sin and Satan and the glamour of evil (cf. Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 5:48; Mark 1:15). Whenever we sin we join Pilate in denying the truth (cf. John 18:38). Repentance and a good Confession restores grace.
The late Msgr. William B. Smith (+2009)who taught moral theology at Saint Joseph Seminary – Dunwoodie in New York, three months after the Holy Father’s words were published highlighted this passage in his article in Crisis Magazine (1 November, 1993) “No Truth, No Freedom: ‘Splendor Veritatis’ is a moral masterpiece.” Smith not only points out that there is a relationship between freedom, law, conscience and truth but that these all actually exist as a part of real moral norms. Twenty-five years after the Holy Father’s words were published Samuel Gregg (b.1969) when considering this passage insists on the heroism of living in an integrated way the Christian vocation, not being satisfied with mere “moral mediocrity” (“The Truth is Still Splendid: Veritatis Splendor at 25” The Catholic World Report (2 August, 2018)).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr