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, 54.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) in VS, 54, cites Gaudium et Spes, 16, where “conscience” is mentioned twice. “”In the depths of his conscience man detects a law which he does not impose on himself, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice of conscience can when necessary speak to his heart more specifically: ‘do this, shun that.’” The Holy Father was a Council Father at Vatican II (1962-1965) and took an active role in the deliberations, including those concerning the Pastoral Constitution of the Church. This passage of GS, 54, seems to be a reworking of sorts of Romans 12:9 where God directs us through Saint Paul to “detest what is evil, cling to what is good.” This is axiomatic in virtue ethics and moral philosophy generally.
Unmentioned but alluded to is the author of the law found in the depths of our conscience, namely, God the author of all that is good, who calls us to obedience.
The well-formed conscience recognizes the difference between good and evil, what should be done and what should not be done. The Disney film Pinocchio (1940) is based on the Italian children’s book (1883) of Carlo Colodi (+1890). The wise advice given to Pinocchio was to “always let your conscience be your guide.” Pinocchio, of course, is famous for lying, one of the things we are not to do, that we are to shun, as directed in the 8thcommandment (not to bear false witness; cf. Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20) and alluded to by the Lord Jesus (Matthew 5:37 “let you ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no”). Hopefully the little bug’s name is not a place holder for blasphemy (Jiminy Cricket/Jesus Christ) which also ought not be done (cf. Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 5:11). That there is good and evil, right and wrong is basic to morality, it is neither gnostic nor dualistic. Gnosticism is an ancient heresy which leans heavily on “secret knowledge”, often seeing matter as evil and spirit as good. The Commandments of God and the Beatitudes are in the public domain, not secret. Gnosticism is dualistic, sometimes even attributing the creation of material things to an evil deity while the creation of spiritual things is attributed to a benign deity. Part of the mystery of the redemption includes the Incarnation, the one only God became flesh in the Immaculate womb of Saint Mary. The holy angels do cheer us on, while, sadly, the wicked ones root against us.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr