What is Morality?What is Morality?MoralityMorality - (Dictionary) the quality - (Dictionary) the quality of being in accord with standards of being in accord with standards of of right or good conduct.right or good conduct. - A - A system of ideas of right and system of ideas of right and wrong conductwrong conduct: : religious morality; religious morality; Christian morality.Christian morality. --Virtuous conductVirtuous conduct. . --A rule or in moral conduct.A rule or in moral conduct.

CFC - Chapter 13CFC - Chapter 13Living as Disciples of ChristLiving as Disciples of Christ

“What I just did was to give you an “What I just did was to give you an example: as I have done, so you must example: as I have done, so you must

do.” do.”

“But only God, who created man to His “But only God, who created man to His own image and ransomed him from sin, own image and ransomed him from sin,

provides a fully adequate answer to provides a fully adequate answer to man’sman’s

basic questions…revealed in Jesus basic questions…revealed in Jesus Christ His Son who became man. Christ His Son who became man. Whoever follows after Christ, the Whoever follows after Christ, the

perfect man, becomes himself more of perfect man, becomes himself more of a man.”a man.”

CFC # 674 . For Christians, CFC # 674 . For Christians, “moral living” “moral living” is simplyis simply “following “following

Christ,”Christ,”but we often think of morality as but we often think of morality as

set of set of do’s and don’ts or do’s and don’ts or punishments, laws or punishments, laws or

commandments.commandments.Christian faith is more than a Christian faith is more than a set of truths to be believedset of truths to be believed; it ; it

is the is the way of Christway of Christ which which leads to lifeleads to life (CCC 1696) (CCC 1696)

It is the It is the Gospel of ChristGospel of Christ believed and livedbelieved and lived which will which will decide our decide our destiny as destiny as ChristiansChristians. . Fullness of lifeFullness of life here here on earth means that, in all the on earth means that, in all the innumerable actions, events innumerable actions, events and problems of daily life, weand problems of daily life, we

walk with Jesus of walk with Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, Nazareth, the Christ, who is “the Way, the who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” Truth, and the Life” (Jn. (Jn. 14:6)14:6)

CCF # 675 – CCF # 675 – Christian moral Christian moral lifelife, then, is about the , then, is about the Gospel. Gospel. It It is about is about growing in love and growing in love and holiness. holiness. It is the process of It is the process of becoming authentically human. becoming authentically human. The Christian moral person is one The Christian moral person is one who experiences the who experiences the liberating liberating and transforming presence of and transforming presence of Christ, Christ, through the through the grace of his grace of his spiritspirit. ( 2 Cor. 3:17; Jn. 8:32) . ( 2 Cor. 3:17; Jn. 8:32)

From this experience, From this experience, Christians Christians commit themselvescommit themselves, in their , in their moral moral attitudes, decisions, and actsattitudes, decisions, and acts, to , to the the on-going process of liberating on-going process of liberating

and transforming men and and transforming men and womenwomen into into disciples of Christdisciples of ChristForFor Christ is he Christ is he “whom we go “whom we go

forth, forth, throughthrough whom we live, and whom we live, and towardtoward whom our journey leads whom our journey leads

us” us” (LG #3(LG #3

Thus Thus “the world may be filled “the world may be filled with thewith the spirit of Christspirit of Christ and and

may more may more effectively attain its effectively attain its destinydestiny in in justicejustice, in , in lovelove and and

in in peacepeace (LG#36. This is (LG#36. This is developed in the PCP IIdeveloped in the PCP II in in

terms of “terms of “social social transformation”transformation” (PCP II 256- (PCP II 256-

74,435-38)74,435-38)

Following Christ Following Christ is not easy - is not easy - life is life is full of challenges. full of challenges. From theFrom the very very

dawn of human beings, dawn of human beings, enticed by enticed by the evil one, abused their freedom. the evil one, abused their freedom. They They set themselvesset themselves against against GodGod and and sought to find fulfillment sought to find fulfillment apart apart from Godfrom God…Their …Their senseless minds senseless minds

were darkened were darkened and they and they served the served the creature creature rather than the rather than the CreatorCreator. .

(CCC #1707)(CCC #1707)

Left to ourselves, we have no Left to ourselves, we have no power to fulfill Christ’s power to fulfill Christ’s

commandcommand, “Be , “Be perfectperfect just as just as your heavenly your heavenly Father is perfect”Father is perfect”

Yet God strengthens us by Yet God strengthens us by letting us share the life of Christ letting us share the life of Christ Jesus, through the Holy Spirit Jesus, through the Holy Spirit received in Baptism received in Baptism (Rom.6:4)(Rom.6:4)

ThisThis SpiritSpirit, , in uniting us toin uniting us to Christ, Christ, ourour risen Savior, risen Savior, asas membersmembers of of hishis Body, Body, thethe Church, Church, liberates liberates andand empowers empowers us with new life us with new life toto respond respond in ourin our daily wordsdaily words

andand deedsdeeds toto God’s love God’s love (CCC #1742)(CCC #1742)

A great number of Filipinos are A great number of Filipinos are seeking ways seeking ways to draw closer to to draw closer to

Christ their Lord. Christ their Lord. Yet this yearning for spiritual Yet this yearning for spiritual

intimacy with Jesusintimacy with Jesus often does often does not seem not seem to touch to touch the daily the daily words and actions words and actions of some of some

devotees.devotees.

CONTEXTCONTEXT

There seems to be a There seems to be a serious gap serious gap between 1) between 1) external ritual external ritual expression of Christian Faith, expression of Christian Faith, andand 2) 2)authentic discipleship: authentic discipleship: following Christ in action.following Christ in action.

Fides quae – Fides quae – content of faith content of faithFides qua – Fides qua – action/living out of action/living out of faith in daily life faith in daily life

Genuine Christian pietyGenuine Christian piety, inspires true , inspires true Christian witnessChristian witness and and service. service. It It demands two things:demands two things:1. 1. interiorizationinteriorization of their of their devotional prayer devotional prayer andand sacramental worshipsacramental worship.. 2. 2. commitment to Jesus Christcommitment to Jesus Christ and to all He stands for, in dailyand to all He stands for, in daily practice of the faithpractice of the faith according to according to Catholic moral principles and the Catholic moral principles and the guidance of the teaching church. guidance of the teaching church.

I. Moral Agent: The Human PersonI. Moral Agent: The Human Person - Christian moral life is simply the call - Christian moral life is simply the call to become loving persons, in the to become loving persons, in the fullness of life-with-others-in-community fullness of life-with-others-in-community before God, in imitation of Christ. The before God, in imitation of Christ. The key to moral life, then, is the key to moral life, then, is the human human person, person, considered in light of both considered in light of both reason and faith.reason and faith.

Difference between Human acts Difference between Human acts and acts of manand acts of man

Humane acts are acts of mercyHumane acts are acts of mercy or acts that make you "Human". or acts that make you "Human". Acts of Human are not always Acts of Human are not always

nice, an example would be nice, an example would be pollution.pollution.

Human acts are free acts that Human acts are free acts that proceed from a deliberate will proceed from a deliberate will

while the acts of man are while the acts of man are involuntary acts that do not involuntary acts that do not

involve the use of intellect and involve the use of intellect and will.will.

Human acts can also be Human acts can also be called voluntary acts. These called voluntary acts. These

are actions done with full are actions done with full knowledge, full freedom of the knowledge, full freedom of the

will and full consent. While will and full consent. While acts of man actions done acts of man actions done

without the characteristics of without the characteristics of the human acts such as the human acts such as

heartbeat, death etc.heartbeat, death etc.