Day 255: Human Solidarity

Socio-economic problems can be resolved only with the help of all the forms of solidarity: solidarity of the poor among themselves, between rich and poor, of workers among themselves, between employers and employees in a business, solidarity among nations and peoples. International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this. CCC 1941

Today's reading from the Catechism is another short one, consisting of four paragraphs on human solidarity, and an In Brief section reviewing what has been covered over the past few days.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes how human solidarity is manifested:

Solidarity, which springs from human and Christian brotherhood, is manifested in the first place by the just distribution of goods, by a fair remuneration for work and by zeal for a more just social order. The virtue of solidarity also practices the sharing of the spiritual goods of faith which is even more important than sharing material goods. (#414)

The Catholic Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

In order to flourish and have a society that is like the society God wants for us, we need to have "friendship" and "social charity" - "human solidarity" (CCC 1939)... Catholic social teaching tells us every person has a right to private property... We are to meet the needs of those around us, though never by force... Human solidarity tells us we have the duty to use our private property for the needs of our neighbors... Solidarity involves putting on a new lens that sees strangers as our brothers, people for whom Christ died. (p. 26)

Day 254: Social Justice

Society ensures social justice when it provides the conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation. Social justice is linked to the common good and the exercise of authority. CCC 1928

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses social justice. A term which has been abused in recent times, in fact, so much so that I actually cringe when I hear it now. However, what the Church teaches about social justice isn't the same as what some are pushing it to be in modern culture. In the Catechism, social justice is defined as:

The respect for the human person and the rights which flow from human dignity and guarantee it. Society must provide the conditions that allow people to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and vocation (CCC 1928, 1931).

Something that seems to be absent from what some advocate for social justice in modern culture is "forgiveness of offenses" and the "commandment of love," even for one's enemies - real or imagined. For true "liberation in the spirit of the Gospel is incompatible with hatred of one's enemy as a person" (CCC 1933).

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of how society ensures social justice:

Society ensures social justice when it respects the dignity and the rights of the person as the proper end of society itself. Furthermore, society pursues social justice, which is linked to the common good and to the exercise of authority, when it provides the conditions that allow associations and individuals to obtain what is their due. (#411)

We are all made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27), with inherent equal dignity and fundamental rights (Gal 3:28). We are all equally called to Christ and salvation (2 Cor 5:14-15). Unjust discrimination is sinful, for if we are all made in His image, we should "show no partiality" (favoritism) and "love your neighbor as yourself" (Jam 2:1-9). This doesn't just apply to the usual "sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion" (CCC 1935), but also to the differences between all persons, like "age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes" (CCC 1936). The Church recognizes that "these differences are part of God's plan... and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods" (CCC 1937). Finally, there "exist sinful inequalities" which we are called to address as much as possible, as people rightly "strive for fairer and more humane conditions" (CCC 1938).

Day 253: Participation in Public Life

"Participation" is the voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person. CCC 1913

Today's reading from the Catechism is short, just five paragraphs discussing participation in public life, that is, our involvement in society. This is followed by an In Brief section reviewing what has been covered over the past few days. I suppose the words of the poet John Donne would be appropriate here:

No man is an island,

Entire of itself;

Every man is a piece of the continent,

A part of the main.

In these words, Donne echoes what Scripture and the Church teach us. We are to "bear one another's burdens" (Gal 6:2) and "love your neighbor as yourself" together with the love of God being the greatest commandments (Matt 34:40). And of course, perhaps one of the best guides for us to follow in how we should live comes in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-11; see also CCC 1716-29).

The Catechism Compendium gives a good summary of how we can participate in bringing about the common good:

All men and women, according to the place and role that they occupy, participate in promoting the common good by respecting just laws and taking charge of the areas for which they have personal responsibility, such as the care of their own family and the commitment to their own work. Citizens also should take an active part in public life as far as possible. (#410)

Finally, the Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

As part of a community, we have an obligation to contribute to the common good and the life of society. We must take personal responsibility for our roles. A helpful motto is "See a need, fill a need." ... We cannot be mature Christians unless we take personal responsibility for our own spiritual growth. We cannot be mature adults until we take personal responsibility for the areas in which we ought to be responsible... Human beings are made for work of some sort since we are made in God's image and likeness. (p. 22)

There are many today we could benefit from learning "personal responsibility" as this involves not only caring for oneself, but others as well. 

Day 252: The Common Good

By common good is to be understood "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily." The common good concerns the life of all. It calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercise the office of authority. CCC 1906

The Catechism today discusses the common good in society. Included in this are

• "respect for the person... public authorities are bound to respect the fundamental and inalienable rights of the human person." (CCC 1907)
• "the social well-being and development of the group itself." That is, the basic needs of individuals, both temporal and spiritual, as well as those of society as a whole. (CCC 1908)
• "peace, that is, the stability and security of a just order." (CCC 1909)

These three things are all involved in the common good, and the lack of one or more of them wounds society as a whole.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes where we find the most complete realization of the common good:

The most complete realization of the common good is found in those political communities which defend and promote the good of their citizens and of intermediate groups without forgetting the universal good of the entire human family. (#409)

So the common good has a delicate balance between individuals and the whole, caring for their needs and respecting their God-given dignity, for all of us were made in His image (Gen 1:27).

The Catechism Companion, Vol III notes:

We belong to each other. We are made for each other. We must care for the common good, but in doing so we must never forget the individual. The common good can never violate even one individual human being... All people, regardless of where or how they live, have "equal natural dignity," so there is a "universal common good" (CCC 1911).  (p. 20)

Day 251: Authorities in Society

The authority required by the moral order derives from God: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."  CCC 1899

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses authorities in society. That is, those to whom Jesus told us to "render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Matt 22:21). We need authorities for human society in order for them to be "well-ordered... prosperous... and care for the good of all" (CCC 1897). In the modern era, the authorities bearing the role of "Caesar" are vastly different than 2,000 years ago. Nevertheless, we are still called to honor them except when doing so would violate God's law. 

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of when authority is exercised legitimately:

Authority is exercised legitimately when it acts for the common good and employs morally licit means to attain it. Therefore, political regimes must be determined by the free decision of their citizens. They should respect the principle of the “rule of law” in which the law, and not the arbitrary will of some, is sovereign. Unjust laws and measures contrary to the moral order are not binding in conscience. (#406)

What of authorities championing unjust laws? The example of St. Peter and the Apostles gives us an answer that "we must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). 

The Catechism Companion, Vol III comments on this:

Laws cannot go against "right reason" or else they are no law at all but instead are "a kind of violence" (CCC 1902). "Unjust laws" do not need to be followed (CCC 1903). Laws are not good or true simply because the person with power declares them so. They are true or good to the degree that they accord with right reason, are oriented toward the common good, and use a morally lawful way of achieving that good.  (p. 18)

Day 250: Conversion in Society

Without the help of grace, men would not know how "to discern the often narrow path between the cowardice which gives in to evil, and the violence which under the illusion of fighting evil only makes it worse." This is the path of charity, that is, of the love of God and of neighbor. Charity is the greatest social commandment. It respects others and their rights. It requires the practice of justice, and it alone makes us capable of it. Charity inspires a life of self-giving: "Whoever seeks to gain his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it." CCC 1889

Today's reading from the Catechism is another short one, with just four paragraphs discussing conversion in society, and an In Brief review of what has been covered over the past few days. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what is required for an authentic human society:

Authentic human society requires respect for justice, a just hierarchy of values, and the subordination of material and instinctual dimensions to interior and spiritual ones. In particular, where sin has perverted the social climate, it is necessary to call for the conversion of hearts and for the grace of God to obtain social changes that may really serve each person and the whole person. Charity, which requires and makes possible the practice of justice, is the greatest social commandment. (#404)

The Catechism Companion, Vol III, also has some good commentary on this:

The "ultimate end" is - God - must be the ultimate end. We can never value the "means" more than the "end" (CCC 1887)... It is a lie to think some far-off utopia exists if we get our societal structures right. For we are beings with moral capacity who need interior change. There are broken structures, but they come from broken people, who need a change of heart. Part of inner conversion is acting against injustice when we see it. The way forward is "love of God and of neighbor" (CCC 1889). (p. 16)

Day 249: The Person in Society

The vocation of humanity is to show forth the image of God and to be transformed into the image of the Father's only Son. This vocation takes a personal form since each of us is called to enter into the divine beatitude; it also concerns the human community as a whole. CCC 1877

The Catechism discusses the person and society in today's reading. All human beings need society; it is a "requirement of [our] nature"  and through which "man develops his potential" (CCC 1879). Indeed, "certain societies, such as the family and the state, correspond more directly to the nature of man" (CCC 1880). We were made as communal beings, in the Image of God, just as God is a communion of Persons. As God is a unity of love, a Trinity of love, we are also called to be an image of that unity in love for one another.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what the social dimension of man consists of:

Together with the personal call to beatitude, the human person has a communal dimension as an essential component of his nature and vocation. Indeed, all are called to the same end, God himself. There is a certain resemblance between the communion of the divine Persons and the fraternity that people are to establish among themselves in truth and love. Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God. (#401)

We are called to share our gifts with others in this life, and we owe society our loyalty, especially family, save where it would violate God's law. 

The Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

The family is the building block of society. The individual is greater than any society, but society is not just a bunch of individuals... If something can be done at a more local level, it should be left to that local level. The higher levels should not subvert the authority of that local level. The Church prohibits "all forms of collectivism" (see CCC 1885) such as communism and socialism, for they subvert the human dignity of every individual and go against the principle of subsidiarity. (p. 14)

Finally, I just finished reading Pope Leo XIII's 1881 encyclical Diuturnum Illud, which has some really good commentary on this topic, especially civil society. 

Day 248: The Spread of Sin

Sin creates a proclivity to sin; it engenders vice by repetition of the same acts. This results in perverse inclinations which cloud conscience and corrupt the concrete judgment of good and evil. Thus, sin tends to reproduce itself and reinforce itself, but it cannot destroy the moral sense at its root. CCC 1865

Today's reading is five short paragraphs on the proliferation of sin, followed by an In Brief reviewing what has been covered over the past few days. These vices engendered by "repetition of the same acts" are like a gateway drug that can lead one to what traditionally are classified as the Seven Deadly Sins. The Catechism Compendium summarizes these:

Vices are the opposite of virtues. They are perverse habits which darken the conscience and incline one to evil. The vices can be linked to the seven so-called capital sins, which are: pride, avarice, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, and sloth or acedia. (#398)

We are responsible for our own bad choices, not those of others, except when we participate or cooperate in their sins. 

The Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Sin can spread like a virus. As love begets love and virtue begets virtue, sin begets sin. When we choose sin, it becomes easier to choose sin... We must stand up to protect others who are being hurt by someone's sins, even if it costs us something. Fighting against these sins is hard, yet we must protect the vulnerable among us. God poured out his life for us and gives us the grace and strength to be the people we can be for the people around us. (p. 12)

Day 247: The Weight of Sin

Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in Scripture, became part of the tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience. CCC 1854

Today's reading from the Catechism is on the weight of sin, or more specifically, how they are classified as mortal and venial. That there are differences in the kinds of sins, and their weight upon the grace given to us by God, is clear from the Scripture referred to above:

If anyone sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal. (1 Jn 5:16-17)

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what is "evident in Scripture... part of the tradition of the Church... [and] is corroborated by human experience":

Mortal sin

One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This sin destroys charity in us, deprives us of sanctifying grace, and, if unrepented, leads us to the eternal death of hell. It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance or Reconciliation. (#395)

Venial sin

One commits a venial sin, which is essentially different from a mortal sin, when the matter involved is less serious or, even if it is grave, when full knowledge or complete consent are absent. Venial sin does not break the covenant with God, but it weakens charity and manifests a disordered affection for created goods. It impedes the progress of a soul in the exercise of the virtues and in the practice of moral good. It merits temporal punishment, which purifies. (#396)

The Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this, especially on giving in to despair against Holy Spirit:

Mortal sin destroys love in our hearts and takes us out of right relationship with God so we are no longer in a state of grace. Venial sin is wounding. Though it still allows love to exist and does not kill the life of God in our soul, it makes it easier for the Evil One to deliver a killing blow... God wants to forgive all our sins, to heal us and reconcile us to himself. "But the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven" (quoted in CCC 1864). This is when we choose not to allow God to forgive us and say no to being saved by him. (p. 10)

Day 246: Mercy and the Mystery of Sin

The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. The angel announced to Joseph: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." CCC 1846

Today's Catechism reading is on God's mercy and the mystery of sin. For the former, the quote above shows that at the heart of the Gospel is "God's mercy to sinners" through Jesus Christ. We see in parables like those found in Luke 15 that God yearns for us to turn from sin to Him, is merciful when we repent, and "will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:8-9). I like how the Catechism says, "Like a physician who probes the wound before treating it, God, by his Word and Spirit, casts a living light on sin" (CCC 1848). Just as the world will be convicted of its sins, so will each one of us (Jn 16:8). God already knows our sins, and we cannot cover them up, no matter how we may wish to (Lk 12:2-3). Even with our worst sins, God's grace "abounded all the more" (Rom 5:20).

I do like how the Catechism starts this section with God's mercy before getting into what the definition of sin is and elaborating on it. The Catechism Compendium summarizes this teaching:

Sin is “a word, an act, or a desire contrary to the eternal Law” (Saint Augustine). It is an offense against God in disobedience to his love. It wounds human nature and injures human solidarity. Christ in his passion fully revealed the seriousness of sin and overcame it with his mercy. (#392)

The Catechism Companion, Vol III has some good commentary on this:

St. Augustine said, "God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us" (CCC 1847). We must cooperate to be saved, so we need to acknowledge our sins and our need for God... The measure of a sin is not if someone gets hurt but if we violate God's law. All sins are saying, "God, I know what you want. I don't care. I want what I want." This is the opposite of what Jesus did. Through saying yes to his Father, Jesus conquers sin. We are called to do everything in our power to live by the Spirit in order to avoid sin and avoid hell and eternal death. (p. 8) 

Day 245: Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. CCC 1830

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, as well as an In Brief reviewing what has been covered over the past few days. The Catechism Compendium summarizes both:

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are permanent dispositions that make us docile in following divine inspirations. There are seven: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are perfections formed in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity (Galatians 5:22-23, Vulgate). (#389-90)

 The Catechism Companion, Vol III(!) gives some good commentary on this:

We need the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to continue to choose the Lord. The gifts... do not take us over or overwhelm us, but they open us up. The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit... are sanctifying gifts that help us to become holy. They enable us to live a full Christian life... The fruits of the Spirit are a sign of a person living in Christ, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Day 244: The Virtue of Charity

Fruit of the Spirit and fullness of the Law, charity keeps the commandments of God and his Christ: "Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love." CCC 1824

In today's reading, the Catechism covers the last of the three theological virtues: charity. In modern English, the word "charity" has taken on a bit more specific meaning: "generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering" (Merriam-Webster). The word itself, however, is derived from the Greek agape, meaning love. In Greek, love has different forms, with agape being "the highest form of love" (Britannica), or in the context of this part of the Catechism, loving God above all and loving neighbor for God’s sake (CCC 1822). The reason "charity" is still used in theological terms is that it comes from caritas in the Latin Vulgate.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what charity means in this section:

Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Jesus makes charity the new commandment, the fullness of the law. “It is the bond of perfection” (Colossians 3:14) and the foundation of the other virtues to which it gives life, inspiration, and order. Without charity, “I am nothing” and “I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). (#388)

While it comes as the third of the theological virtues in the arrangement of the Catechism, it is actually the first and is "superior to all the virtues" (CCC 1826). This is just like what St. Paul says in 1 Cor 13:13: "So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has much good commentary on this:

Jesus tells us that the greatest of the Commandments is love. Love is the fulfillment of the Commandments... Jesus also makes a very clear connection between obeying the Commandments of God and loving God. If we want to have a personal relationship with God, we must strive to obey what he has said in the Commandments; it is not optional. Love is not just in the heart but must be translated into action. The virtue of charity has to be effective, not just affective. An effective love is love that moves and acts. When we are filled by love, trying to turn away from evil and live a moral life makes us free. We do not approach God like a slave or like someone who just wants payment. (p. 252)

And with that, I have finished with the Catechism Companion, Vol II. I highly recommend it as one great resource for those wishing to get more out of a study of the Catechism. Starting tomorrow, I begin using the Catechism Companion, Vol III the rest of the way to Day 365!

 

Day 243: The Virtue of Hope

Christian hope takes up and fulfills the hope of the chosen people, which has its origin and model in the hope of Abraham, who was blessed abundantly by the promises of God fulfilled in Isaac, and who was purified by the test of the sacrifice. "Hoping against hope, he believed, and thus became the father of many nations." CCC 1819

Today's reading from the Catechism is on the second theological virtue: hope. This is the virtue in which we respond to God, trust Christ, and yearn to be united with Him in Paradise. The Catechism Compendium gives a nice summary of this virtue:

Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire and await from God eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit to merit it and to persevere to the end of our earthly life. (#387)

The virtue of hope "unfolds from the beginning of Jesus' preaching in the proclamation of the Beatitudes," which in turn, "raises our hope toward heaven as the new Promised Land". Hope gives us the strength to endure trials (Rom 12:12) and persevere with the promises of Christ in mind (Heb 6:19-20). It also "is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father" (CCC 1820).

Fr. Mike Schmitz has a good video on the virtue of hope and why we need it:

Day 242: The Virtue of Faith

Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith, "man freely commits his entire self to God." For this reason, the believer seeks to know and do God's will. "The righteous shall live by faith." Living faith "work(s) through charity." CCC 1814

Today's reading from the Catechism is about the first of the theological virtues: faith. The Catechism Compendium summarizes what these virtues are:

The theological virtues have God himself as their origin, motive and direct object. Infused with sanctifying grace, they bestow on one the capacity to live in a relationship with the Trinity. They are the foundation and the energizing force of the Christian’s moral activity and they give life to the human virtues. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being. (#384)

The virtue of faith is a gift in "which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us" and we fully commit ourselves to do His will. This is a living faith, not intellectual assent alone, but instead "faith working through love" (Gal 5:6) because as Scripture testifies, "faith apart from works is dead" (Jas 2:26). 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

We have faith in God. We hope in God, regardless of where life leads us. We love him. Unless we have faith, there is always going to be a skeptic that lives inside us. But when we have encountered the living God and hear what he reveals, our questions come not from cynicism or skepticism but from wanting to understand... Faith requires action. We are saved by grace - God's free gift - through faith working itself out in love. (p. 248)

Day 241: The Cardinal Virtues

Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called "cardinal"; all the others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. "If anyone loves righteousness, [Wisdom's] labors are virtues; for she teaches temperance and prudence, justice, and courage." These virtues are praised under other names in many passages of Scripture. CCC 1805

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the cardinal virtues. The human virtues are "stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith". The cardinal virtues quotes above are "acquired through human effort" and "make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life" (CCC 1804). Each of these virtues contributes something of great value to leading a moral life and becoming a virtuous man. Probably my favorite of the explanations of these virtues is the one on prudence. As the Catechism notes:

It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rules and measures. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue, we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid. (CCC 1806)

The Catechism Compendium gives a good summary of the other three cardinal virtues:

Justice consists in the firm and constant will to give to others their due. Justice toward God is called “the virtue of religion.”

Fortitude assures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It reaches even to the ability of possibly sacrificing one’s own life for a just cause.

Temperance moderates the attraction of pleasures, assures the mastery of the will over instincts, and provides balance in the use of created goods. (#381-383)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

The moral life is a life of freedom. To embrace responsibility and choose to live according to the Commandments is to ultimately live a life of freedom and of happiness... A virtue is not about occasionally doing what is good. What makes a person virtuous is not sometimes telling the truth or being prudent or temperate... A person who has virtue does what is good without being forced to do it. But it takes human effort. We have to discipline ourselves, bear fruit in trial, and embrace God's grace. (p. 246)

Day 240: Erroneous Judgment of Conscience

Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one's passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church's authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct. CCC 1792

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses erroneous judgment of conscience. The source for this can be one of those quoted above, or even come from what is called "invincible ignorance" (CCC 1793), but "such ignorance and errors are not always free of guilt" (CCC 1801). Regardless, we have to seek the proper formation of our conscience, as the Catechism notes:

The Word of God is a light for our path. We must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. This is how moral conscience is formed. (CCC 1802)

The Catechism Compendium gives this summary on erroneous judgments made by moral conscience:  

A person must always obey the certain judgment of his own conscience, but he could make erroneous judgments for reasons that may not always exempt him from personal guilt. However, an evil act committed through involuntary ignorance is not imputable to the person, even though the act remains objectively evil. One must therefore work to correct the errors of moral conscience. (#376)

Finally, the Catechism Companion, Vol II has some commentary on this:

Someone who purposely does what his conscience tells him is wrong "would condemn himself" (CCC 1790)... Sin can also deaden our conscience. God is the one who helps us see and hear... Even if we did not know, an evil action is still evil, and we must continue in the process of forming our conscience. All of us are called to become virtuous because we are called to be free. (p. 244)

Day 239: The Formation of Conscience

In the formation of conscience, the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church. CCC 1785

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the formation of conscience. It can be a lifelong process of forming our conscience through education and making judgments formulated by reason (CCC 1783). Such "education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart" (CCC 1784). In short, we can educate ourselves through Scripture and the teaching of the Church. All of us will face some moral conundrums at some point in our lives, making our "judgment less assured and decision difficult" (CCC 1787). In all such cases, these rules apply as summarized by the Catechism Compendium:

There are three general norms: 1) one may never do evil so that good may result from it; 2) the so-called Golden Rule, “Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” (Matthew 7:12); 3) charity always proceeds by way of respect for one’s neighbor and his conscience, even though this does not mean accepting as good something that is objectively evil. (#375)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

We also are born with broken hearts and dimmed intellects, so the formation of conscience is very important because sin pulls us toward wanting to follow our own way. We are to learn what the good is, what God's law tells us about the right way to live, but then we have to actually choose it in our day-to-day life. It is not just an information transfer, but a transformation. (p. 242) 

Day 238: Our Moral Conscience

Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. "He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters." CCC 1782

Today's reading from the Catechism is about our moral conscience. That is, the interior voice we all have calling for us "to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil" and where we are "alone with God whose voice echoes in [our] depths" (CCC 1776). Those who truly exhibit a lack of conscience would be a sociopath or psychopath, something I presume the Church would classify as being disordered. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what a moral conscience is:

Moral conscience, present in the heart of the person, is a judgment of reason which at the appropriate moment enjoins him to do good and to avoid evil. Thanks to moral conscience, the human person perceives the moral quality of an act to be done or which has already been done, permitting him to assume responsibility for the act. When attentive to moral conscience, the prudent person can hear the voice of God who speaks to him or her. (#372)

I know that CCC 1782 quoted above has been used and abused by some folks to challenge Church moral teachings, usually erroneously citing the "spirit of Vatican II" or some such nonsense. Yet, as the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

Just because we have a sense that something is right or wrong does not make it so. Our conscience can be malformed, numbed, or deafened. God wants us to have a well-formed conscience... Conscience reminds us that we need to seek to be forgiven and that there are good things to be chosen. (p. 240)

If we wish to become virtuous, we need above all "a well-formed conscience" (p. 241). 

Day 237: The Morality of the Passions

In the Christian life, the Holy Spirit himself accomplishes his work by mobilizing the whole being, with all its sorrows, fears and sadness, as is visible in the Lord's agony and passion. In Christ human feelings are able to reach their consummation in charity and divine beatitude. CCC 1769

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the morality of our human passions. We are not Vulcans, like in the television show Star Trek, but human beings with emotions that tend to govern or at least influence our actions. These passions are part of how we are created and help make us who we are.  "In themselves passions are neither good nor evil... effectively engage reason and will [and should] be governed by reason" (CCC 1767).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what these passions we have are:

The passions are the feelings, the emotions, or the movements of the sensible appetite - natural components of human psychology - which incline a person to act or not to act in view of what is perceived as good or evil. The principal passions are love and hatred, desire and fear, joy, sadness, and anger. The chief passion is love, which is drawn by the attraction of the good. One can only love what is good, real, or apparent. (#370)

Back to the Vulcans of Star Trek, while they made fascinating fictional characters for the show, one of their goals of which was called kolinahr, or the complete purging of emotions from the mind, is not what we as Christians are called to do. No, we are to govern our passions by reason, and chief among them, love, we should have for God and our neighbor (Mk 12:30-31). 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II puts it like this:

The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us bring the passions, intellect, and will together to form a person who is holy. Freedom is found when not only our intellect apprehends the true and our will is choosing the good, but also when our desires and passions are oriented toward the good and we want to actually do the right thing. The goal is not to eliminate our desires but to reorient and transform them. (p. 238)

Day 236: The Morality of Human Acts

It is therefore an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it. CCC 1756

The Catechism discusses the morality of human acts in today's reading. Since human acts are freely chosen, they "can be morally evaluated" and thus "good or evil" (CCC 1749). Too often in modern society, whether something is "good or evil" is stripped down to ideology, preference, or utility. Objective truth and morality are discounted. Whether an act is morally good depends upon "the object itself;  the end in view or the intention; [and] the circumstances of the action" (CCC 1750). All of those must be morally good for the act itself to be morally good. 

I like how the Catechism Companion, Vol II, puts it:

For example, for a book to be good, it needs good writing, well-developed characters, and a good plot. If one of those is missing, it falls short and is not good. (p. 236)

The upshot is that "the end does not justify the means" (CCC 1753) and "one may not do evil so that good may result from it" (CCC 1756). The expression that "the road to hell is paved with the best of intentions" expresses this too, because a bad intention can make an act morally evil.

Day 235: Human Freedom in Salvation

Freedom and sin. Man's freedom is limited and fallible. In fact, man failed. He freely sinned. By refusing God's plan of love, he deceived himself and became a slave to sin. This first alienation engendered a multitude of others. From its outset, human history attests the wretchedness and oppression born of the human heart in consequence of the abuse of freedom. CCC 1739

The Catechism discusses human freedom in the economy of salvation in today's reading. We have the freedom to choose God or to reject Him. Our eternal destiny hinges upon the choices we make in this life. Too often in modern culture, we confuse freedom with the "right to say or do everything" we wish, apart from God, focusing only on our interests, which leaves us "imprisoned within [ourselves], disrupts neighborly fellowship, and rebels against divine truth" (CCC 1740). We can freely choose the abuse of our freedom that God has given us, and live a life in sin, or turn to God and embrace true freedom in Christ, "for freedom Christ has set us free" (Gal 5:1).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the place human freedom has in the plan of salvation:

Our freedom is weakened because of original sin. This weakness is intensified because of successive sins. Christ, however, set us free “so that we should remain free” (Galatians 5:1). With his grace, the Holy Spirit leads us to spiritual freedom to make us free co-workers with him in the Church and in the world. (#366)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

Due to the Fall, there was a darkening of the intellect, so we can know, but we do not always know fully or clearly. There was also a weakening of the will, so we can choose, but we do not always choose with strength... By our nature, we are still good and still retain God's image, yet that image has been marred and broken. Our freedom has become wounded... The moral law is not a straightjacket as much as it is a set of good guideposts that give us the ability to live with freedom and joy... We need God's grace and the power that comes from him. This corresponds with our freedom, giving us the capacity to do what we ought to do. (p. 234) 

This painting by Rembrandt shows St. Paul held in prison. The real threat to human freedom is not physical chains but sin, and thus in Christ, St. Paul is free indeed (see CCC 1740). (p. 235)

Day 234: Freedom and Responsibility

Freedom is the power, rooted in reason and will, to act or not to act, to do this or that, and so to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility. By free will, one shapes one's own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude. CCC 1731

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the Church's understanding of what true freedom is and the responsibility it entails. For many modern Americans, focused on freedom, the responsibility that comes with it can be overlooked. As Christians, we believe that the more we choose to respond to God and do good in our lives, "the freer one becomes," because "true freedom [comes] in the service of what is good and just" (CCC 1733). We have the freedom to choose to do good and also to do evil. Yet choosing the latter "is an abuse of freedom and leads to "'the slavery of sin'" (Rom 6:17).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the understanding of the relationship between freedom and responsibility:

Freedom makes people responsible for their actions to the extent that they are voluntary, even if the imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or sometimes cancelled by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, inordinate attachments, or habit. (#364)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

Who we choose to be earlier in life is who we ultimately end up becoming later in life. There is sin on earth because we have the capacity to say yes or no to God. In heaven, our freedom has been perfected... If we are going to exercise our freedom, we also have to be willing to take responsibility. (p. 232)

Day 233: The Beautitudes

The beatitude we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement - however beneficial it may be - such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love. CCC 1723

Today's reading from the Catechism is on the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12), which "are at the heart of Jesus' preaching" (CCC 1716). They give us faithful a proper model for Christian living, and "they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations" (CCC 1717). Each of us is disposed to desire happiness in our lives, and the Beatitudes respond to that because "God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it" (CCC 1718).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what eternal happiness is:

It is the vision of God in eternal life in which we are fully “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), of the glory of Christ, and of the joy of the trinitarian life. This happiness surpasses human capabilities. It is a supernatural and gratuitous gift of God, just as is the grace which leads to it. This promised happiness confronts us with decisive moral choices concerning earthly goods and urges us to love God above all things. (#362)          

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

True happiness is not the fleeting happiness of mere pleasure. We want to know not just the words in the Bible, but God. For, as St. Thomas Aquinas said, "God alone satisfies" (CCC 1718)... We get to choose between good and evil, life and death. "True happiness is... in God alone" (CCC 1723). Where we spend our time and our money is where we place our hearts. We have many moral choices and need to ask, "What gets my heart above everything else? Is it going to be the Lord - or anything else?" (p. 230)

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on the Beatitudes:

Day 232: Man is Made in the Image of God

"Christ... in the very revelation of the mystery of the Father and of his love, makes man fully manifest to himself and brings to light his exalted vocation." It is in Christ, "the image of the invisible God," that man has been created "in the image and likeness" of the Creator. It is in Christ, Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image, disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the grace of God. CCC 1701

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses that man is made in the image of God, as Scripture reveals in Gen 1:26-27, and what that means for us. The Catechism Compendium summarizes what is at the root of human dignity:

The dignity of the human person is rooted in his or her creation in the image and likeness of God. Endowed with a spiritual and immortal soul, intelligence, and free will, the human person is ordered to God and called in soul and in body to eternal beatitude. (#358)

Because we have been made in God's "image and likeness" and remarkably are the "only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake" (CCC 1703), we are "obliged to follow the moral law" which "makes itself heard in [our] conscience" (CCC 1713). We still desire good, "but [our] nature bears the wound of original sin" and as a result "man is divided in himself," which can only be healed through Christ (CCC 1707).

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

From the very beginning of our existence, from the very moment of our conception, human beings are destined for eternal beatitude, for heaven... Even if a person does not choose heaven, that is what God made us all for - to be united with him for eternity... Though humanity fell through original sin and human beings do evil, in our nature we are still good and want the good. Jesus came to set us free from the Devil and sin so we could live. He earned that for us, and "his grace restores what sin had damaged in us" (CCC 1708). (p. 228)

Day 231: Our Calling

Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, Christians are "dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" and so participate in the life of the Risen Lord. Following Christ and united with him, Christians can strive to be "imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love" by conforming their thoughts, words, and actions to the "mind... which is yours in Christ Jesus," and by following his example. CCC 1694

Today's reading from the Catechism is about our calling to "deny [ourselves] and take up [our] cross and follow [Christ] (Matt 16:24). This includes recognizing the dignity we have as sons and daughters of God, living out our calling to witness Christ to the world through our lives. In this, the Christian moral life is bound up with both faith and the sacraments. As the Catechism Compendium notes:

What the symbol of faith professes, the sacraments communicate. Indeed, through them the faithful receive the grace of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which give them the capability of living a new life as children of God in Christ, whom they have received in faith.

“O Christian, recognize your dignity.” (Saint Leo the Great) (#357)

I really like the commentary the Catechism Companion, Vol II has for this:

We hear the Gospel proclaimed, are brought into communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through the sacraments, and are called to live new life as partakers of the divine nature and children of God. Our high call comes from God himself and from the dignity that he has given us... We fall, but the Lord sustains us, giving us grace through the sacraments and prayer. Jesus has gone ahead of us, living in loving obedience to his Father, and we are called to follow in his footsteps toward heaven. (p. 226)

Day 230: How We Live (Part 3 Introduction)

Today there is no reading from the Catechism, but instead a discussion between Fr. Mike Schmitz and Dr. Mary Healy introducing Part 3. Tomorrow begins the actual reading of the text!

In the video, Fr. Schmitz & Dr. Healy introduce us to the importance of living each day what we say we believe in our walk with Christ. The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

In this third part of the Catechism. it comes down to our daily choices: Do I really believe what I say I believe? The first section of pillar three is about our vocation, life in the Holy Spirit. God never gives us a commandment that he does not empower us by the Holy Spirit to carry out... Ultimately, the moral life is God calling us to the impossible. But what is impossible for men is possible for God. Every time we fall and then get up, it's a victory for the Kingdom. This part of the Catechism gets down to the concrete reality of our daily choices. Keep going. Be all in for Jesus because it is a complete adventure. (p. 224)

Ok,  the intro is done, and tomorrow Part 3 begins!