1. CHAPTER 1 – Our Moral Life in Christ

2. The Christian Life p2
The purpose of human life is to live the present in such a way as to enjoy eternal life with God
Like an athlete who works out and plays by the rules, the Christian is called to regular practice of the faith and to following God’s laws
Christ became man, suffered, died, and rose again from the dead so that we might enjoy eternal life with God

3. Christ’s Invitation p2
Christ invites each of us to to share in his life, both in this world and the next
To accept his invitation requires not only faith, but that we live according to that faith by using our free will to make good moral decisions

4. Introduction p4
Morality refers to the standards by which we judge actions to be good or evil
Moral law refers to the standards of human behavior that were established by God and that are taught by the Catholic Church
There is often heated controversy over how to define certain standards of behavior for society as they relate to a number of disputed issues

5. Societal Controversy over Moral Standards
For example, over the abortion issue, those who support a “woman’s right to abortion” clash with those who believe the unborn child has a “right to life”
These types of controversies reveal that, even though the two sides completely disagree, each believes that some kind of moral standard exists

6. Objective vs. Subjective Morality p4
Those who form their consciences according to Christ’s teachings believe in objective morality rooted in the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of human life
Those who do not have the same formation hold to a subjective morality, one that can vary from situation to situation and from one personal opinion to another
This is synonymous with moral relativism

7. Understanding Moral Theology
Moral theology is the study of the principles and actions revealed to us by Jesus Christ and taught by the Catholic Church that will guide us to a life of holiness and eternal salvation
It also includes the study of principles and actions that can be known by reason through the natural law, with the help of grace
Understanding basic principles of Christian morality is vital to appreciating the richness and depth of Catholic moral teaching

8. What the Moral Law Is Not p5
Moral law is not just about human sexuality
Many people assume Catholic moral teaching is all about issues of sexuality and marriage and conclude that moral law represents a severe restriction on human freedom
While Catholic moral teaching does govern such issues, it also has much to say about war, health care, economics, poverty, discrimination, calumny, and criminal justice

9. What the Moral Law Is Not p5
History
Since the later half of the 20th century, much of the secular culture has been obsessed with sex.
In 1950, only a tiny minority of people would have said that premarital sex, adultery. Divorce, contraception, pornography, homosexual behavior were morally acceptable
In 1950, ideas such as: in vitro fertilization (test tube babies), cloning, same sex marriage, and partial birth abortion would have been said by the majority of people as morally unacceptable
While much of the world opinion has changed, the Catholic Church has maintained a steady voice of consistently applying its teachings to these situations
These are sometimes scorned by the media and accuse the Church of trying to impose its values on others

10. Moral Law Reflects Natural Law p5
The third section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church gives the official presentation of Catholic beliefs and teachings
Moral law and Church teachings reflect the natural law, which is innate to human nature and established by reason
Natural law is the participation of man in God’s plan, the objective order God established that determines the requirements for people to thrive and reach fulfillment

11. Moral Law and Happiness p5
Moral law is not just about rules, but about happiness
The moral law essentially puts the human person in a position to achieve happiness
While all Catholic moral teachings are linked to the Ten Commandments, the commandments are rooted in an even more fundamental principle: love of God and neighbor, which is the Great Commandment
Are not the 10 Commandments Intuitively right and/or Common Sense?
Catholic moral teaching answers this question: how can we best reflect our love for God and other people in our thoughts, words, and deeds?

12. Morality Is More than Rules p5
Moral law is not just about precepts
Christianity is more a message of salvation and holiness than a set of moral teachings, but commandments and counsels are vital to reach holiness
Jesus himself fulfills the precepts of the Law
Christ’s morality is not a morality of rules but a morality that includes rules, which help us differentiate between good and evil and show us the path to follow to please God, achieve true perfection, and obtain salvation

13. Avoiding Being “Moralistic” p6
Morality does not mean being “moralistic”
People who reduce the Faith to a checklist of behaviors and practice triumphalism—excess pride that leads them to think themselves superior to others—become cold and judgmental moralizers, poor ambassadors for the Faith
Jesus criticized the Pharisees of his day for reducing the Old Testament to a narrow, legalistic, and sometimes hypocritical model of morality
We are called to live Church teaching with love

14. Discussion Review Why is being “moralistic” wrong?
Acting “holier than thou” and appearing as a cold and judgmental moralizer makes one a poor witness to the Faith and not someone others will want to emulate.
Why was Christ critical of many of the ideas preached by the religious leaders of his time?
He criticized the Pharisees for reducing the Old Testament to a narrow, legalistic, and sometimes hypocritical model of morality.
Define morality.
The standards by which we judge an act to be good or evil

15. Discussion Review
What is the origin of both physical and moral laws of the universe?
Both kinds of laws were created by God an are discovered, not invented, by human beings
What is natural law?
The natural law is the moral law written in the human heart.
Many say it is the intuitive sense we have of right and wrong. We can use “natural” reason to conclude it makes sense (i.e. Aquinas said, Nine of the Ten Commandments make sense with reason alone)

16. Characteristics of the Moral Law p7
Moral law is a demand of our Faith
Living according to the moral law is the first step in living the Christian life
The Great Commandment of love does not weaken the force of the Ten Commandments but rather brings context to them and describes the interior spirit with which we are to embrace the moral law

17. Characteristics of the Moral Law p7
What is synonymous with “subjective morality”?
Moral Relativism
What is the difference between subjective and objective morality?
Objective morality claims that our actions are good or evil independently of what we think about them, whereas subjective morality claims that the moral value of our actions depends on the situation and one’s opinion.

18. Moral Law Is Guided by the Cardinal Virtues p7
At Baptism, we receive from God’s grace the four cardinal virtues:
Prudence enables us to choose the right course of action inspired by the moral law
Justice enables us to render what is due to God and neighbor
Fortitude enables us to perform good actions amid obstacles and difficulties
Temperance enables us to control our passions in order to maintain a clear mind and a strong will

19. Practicing Virtues p7
The cardinal virtues enable us to live the Christian life and counteract the effects of Original Sin and resultant vices of ignorance, spite (meanness), infirmity (frailty), and sensuality (unrestrained indulgence in sensual pleasures), concupiscence
The infused virtues received at Baptism are not fully developed but must be strengthened through human effort expressed in repetition of virtuous actions

20. The Theological Virtues p8
Holiness is an interplay between God’s grace and the struggle to practice virtue
We also receive the theological virtues at Baptism:
Faith enables us to believe the truths revealed by Christ and transmitted by his Church
Hope assists us in trusting that God will give us the means to salvation and holiness
Charity enables us to love God and others with the very love of Christ

21. Happiness in the Moral Law p8
Moral law provides the way to true happiness
Because the moral law is rooted in love, living by its ideals prepares us for an ever-deeper relationship with God
Loving God and others allows a person to reach a joy that the world cannot offer
Living by the Commandments empowers a Christian to give more completely of self to the service of God and neighbor

22. Moral Life Brings Us Closer to God p8
The moral life leads us to the knowledge of the inner life of God and his plans for us
Living a moral life makes a person more receptive to God’s grace, which leads to a deeper knowledge of the mystery of God
Only with the light of Faith and God’s grace are we able to have greater knowledge and understanding of God’s inner life
At the same time, a well-grounded moral life is crucial

23. Moral Law and Divine Wisdom p8
Moral law is based on the Divine Wisdom of God
Just as the physical laws governing physics, chemistry, and biology were discovered rather than invented by man, the moral law is also not man’s own creation but reflects the influence of an all-knowing Supreme Being
The natural law is the universal moral law God has written on every human heart, explicitly revealed in the Ten Commandments and fulfilled in Christ

24. Objective, Not Subjective p8
Abiding by moral law draws us closer to Christ
The standards of Christian morality are objective, not subjective, because they are determined not by general consensus or individual preference but by God’s plan for us
The perfected law taught by Christ is a pathway to ultimate happiness and growth in holiness
The Ten Commandments are a vital first step for the full experience of a moral life in Christ

25. Moral Law and Free Will p10
Adam and Eve enjoyed complete self- mastery over their minds, wills, and passions but lost this self-control when they disobeyed God
This act of Original Sin caused a deep wound in the soul of every human being, giving us a clouded mind, weakened will, and disordered passions—that is, a tendency to sin
Although God’s law is written on our hearts, our sinful nature makes it difficult for us to follow it

26. Our God-Given Dignity p10
Because of our limitations, we need God’s help to distinguish good from evil choices
Adam and Eve were made in God’s image, and through the merits of Christ received in Baptism, we too are restored in his image
This is an important incentive for us to behave according to our God- given dignity
God, in his love for us, draws us into Christ’s light and life through the moral law, a preparatory step for deeper friendship with Christ

27. Moral Law and Grace p11
Grace, the divine life of God in the soul, is a supernatural gift bestowed on us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation
It is a gratuitous, free gift that we can never deserve or earn
It enables us to share the life of Christ and assists us in conforming our lives to his teachings
It is the indispensable help God gives us, allowing us to respond to his call to holiness and become his adopted sons and daughters

28. There Are Two Kinds of Grace: p11
Sanctifying grace confers new life in our souls—a sharing in God’s life—and through it, God dwells in us
We receive it at Baptism; it is nourished by the Eucharist; and, if we lose it through mortal sin, the Sacrament of Reconciliation restores it
Actual grace is a temporary grace that gives us the knowledge and strength to do what is right
It is necessary for all who have the use of reason
Without it, we would not have the strength to resist temptation and be faithful to the Commandments

29. Our Response to the Gift of Grace p11
Despite receiving sanctifying grace, many baptized persons lead poor moral lives
God makes the first move in helping us pursue holiness, but our freedom is indispensable in responding to him
Grace does not operate in a vacuum, but assists those who sincerely commit to keeping the moral law and make every effort to do so
Those who lack that commitment and effort will not be aided by grace
We must respond to the gifts of faith and grace with our own free will

30. Moral Law and the Christian Vocation p13
The moral law is not just for Catholics or even just for theists, all those who believe in God
Every human person is called by God to a life of holiness, requiring a degree of self- control to overcome our inherent tendency to sin
Man is by nature a religious being, leading him to grasp the moral law at least in part
Every group of people and civilization throughout world history have practiced religious worship

31. Everyone Is Called to a Life of Holiness p13
By virtue of Baptism, every Christian is called by Jesus to fully embrace his teachings as proclaimed in the New Testament
Because God gave us free will, it is completely up to us whether to accept or reject this call
God’s call requires our response
The only appropriate response is to follow the example of Christ
That is every person’s fundamental vocation

32. Living Our Vocation Requires Free Will and Self-Control p13
The Gospel tells us of two aspects of freedom in being a Christian:
an individual must want to follow Christ and live by his teachings, and
he or she must have sufficient self-mastery to live Christ’s standards of love and sacrifice
St. Augustine is an example, as he desired to live holiness for many years but lacked the self-control to do so, finally finding the strength to amend his life through prayer and grace

33. Vocation and Discipleship p15
Jesus calls us to discipleship with him as the divine teacher
Disciple or “follower” indicates an individual who has adopted another person’s way of life and taken on that person’s particular type of discipline
To be a disciple of Christ means to imitate Christ, applying his instructions to our own particular circumstances

34. How to Imitate Christ p14
Jesus’ life and Death exemplify the virtues to which he calls us
“I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you”
As disciples, we can be incorporated into the life of Christ
The Holy Spirit can gradually transform our hearts and minds so that we love, think, and act like Christ
St. Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”