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 link between freedom and truth is the reason “conscience expresses itself in acts of ‘judgment’ which reflect the truth about the good, and not in arbitrary ‘decisions.’”
There are, of course, several passages which warn against judging, especially “Do not judge or you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1); “Do not judge, and you will not be judged” (Luke 6:37); “Stop judging by outward appearances” (John 7:24); “Judge nothing before the appointed time” (1 Corinthians 4:5). “Judge”, however, is found in Sacred Scripture some two hundred twenty-two times. The Greek words krino, anakrino, and diakrino are often translated variously as “to decide, give a verdict, declare and opinion, to investigate, scrutinize, to distinguish,” namely to judge or give judgment. There are even twenty-one chapters in the Old Testament Book of Judges, which includes such luminaries as Deborah (Judges 4-5), Gideon (Judges 6-8), and Samson (Judges 13-16).
A well-formed conscience reflects the truth about the good. There is truth and it can be known. We are not relativists. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32) says the Lord Jesus who Himself is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). There is a difference between good and evil, right and wrong. This is why the Lord Jesus solemnly tells us that our “yes be yes and our no be no, anything beyond this is from the Evil One (cf. Matthew 5:37).
A well-formed conscience does not make arbitrary decisions. Our conscience is well-formed to the extent that it corresponds with the Cross (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:23), with the Commandments of God (cf. Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 5:6-21), with the virtues and vices (cf. Ruth 3:11; Proverbs 12:4; 31:10, 29), corporal and spiritual works of mercy and the perennial teaching of Mother Church. None of this is arbitrary or haphazard. Just as Jesus Christ Himself “is the same, yesterday, today and forever” so too His Gospel, His call to holiness, His moral doctrine (cf. Matthew 5:18,48; 24:35; Luke 21:33; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 13:11).
The judgement of a well-formed conscience is not so much about damning anyone to Hell as much as helping us to avoid such a sad outcome. Living according to the just judgements of a well-formed conscience allows us even here below to glorify God in our body and soul, composites that we are (cf. Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Gaudium et spes, 14).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr