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, 117
Saint John Paul II (+2005) when considering the “responsibilities” of pastors in chapter III reminds us that “the church’s reply” to “the questions raised” by the consciences of the faithful who turn to “the Church” the “bishops and pastors” “contains the voice of Jesus Christ, the voice of the truth about good and evil.”
What questions of conscience do we have? Some minimalists have asked: “How late can I come to Mass?” “Does my tithe really have to be ten percent?” “Is it OK if I only hate the Communists?”
Have we submitted our questions of conscience to Mother Church? If we consider ourselves self-sufficient in matters of morals we may be suffering from a sort of neo-pelagianism. Pelagius (+418) was a heretical monk who denied that we need God’s grace, help from without, in order to be good, to keep the Commandments.
Have we submitted our conscience to the answers given by Mother Church? It is one thing to search the Sacred Scriptures or the Catechism for answers to our moral questions. It is another thing to act accordingly. The Good God was not just suggesting that we not steal, murder, lie and the like. The Commandments of God are just that, commandments! When Mother Church has explicated further on the Lord’s call to holiness we should likewise be ready to listen and learn and put it all in practice. Questions of “orthodoxy” (right teaching) and “orthopraxy” (right practice) pre-date the Incarnation if Socrates (+399BC) and Plato (+347BC) can teach us anything (cf. Meno,Apology regarding good and evil, virtue and vice). Saint Paul, inspired by Almighty God reminds us of the same: “I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do” (Romans 7:19).
Jesus Christ is still speaking to us the truth about good and evil (cf. Matthew 19:17). The Lord has not promised us a cake-walk. The county fair has the cake-walk. The Lord has promised us Heaven (cf. Hebrews 4:1; 2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 65:17). Picking up and carrying the Cross is a part of the Lord’s promise to us (cf. Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). Yet we do not have to carry the burden alone. While Simon of Cyrene helped the Lord to bear His burden, we have the better help of the Lord Himself, His grace and the Communion of Saints cheering us on in the arduous task of salvation (cf. Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26; Philippians 2:12).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr