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, 62.2.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) when considering the “seeking what is true and good” reminds us about four key aspects of “conscience” which we consider here.
“Conscience must be ‘confirmed by the Holy Spirit’” (cf. Romans 9:1). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (cf. John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6). For the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth to confirm the judgement of conscience regarding the true and the good as opposed to the false and the bad is no small matter. The Holy Spirit is also the primary author of Sacred Scripture which has much to say about the true and the good, lies and evil. For our conscience to be well-formed, in conformity with the Sacred Scripture is to be “confirmed by the Holy Spirit.”
Conscience “must be clear” (cf. 2 Timothy 1:3). After Damascus road Saint Paul served the Lord God with a clear conscience (cf. Acts 9:3). When in a state of grace, well confessed, we are right with God and nothing should torment us. To be “right with God” allows for a peace unlike any other. One of the main reasons many people are faithful to the Sacrament of Penance is to enjoy a clear conscience.
Conscience “must not ‘practice cunning and tamper with God’s word.”’ While the Lord does instruct us elsewhere to be “innocent as doves” but “clever as serpents” (Matthew 10:16), the Devil, who is often likened to a serpent, is the father of lies (cf. Genesis 3:1; John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:3). Were we to deny the truth of the Commandments of God as found in Sacred Scripture (cf. Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21) we would be tampering with God’s word and inviting plagues upon us (cf. Revelation 22:18-19).
Conscience openly states the truth (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:2). Our “yes” is to be “yes” and our “no” “no” (cf. Matthew 5:37; James 5:12). With our well-formed conscience we are to say “yes” to God, His grace, and His call to holiness. Similarly with our well-formed conscience we say “no” to sin, Satan, and the glamour of evil. Not only are we to “speak the truth in love” but to love in truth Almighty God, our neighbors and ourselves (cf. Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 3:18). We are not to hide under a bushel basket the truth we known in our well-formed conscience but rather “teach all nations” all that the Lord has commanded, His Gospel, including His moral doctrine (cf. Matthew 5:15; 28:19-20; Mark 4:21; 16:15).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr