Nobody likes rules, which seem like arbitrary directives instituted by people in power to control our lives. More appealing is St. Augustine’s often repeated adage: “Love and do what you want.” In fact, if you truly love then you don’t need rules or commandments, love itself will suffice. Think about it: does a newlywed bride...Continue reading→

Good parents not only teach their children the house rules and laws, they teach them the reason behind them. God does the same with us by teaching us our great dignity as human persons made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). The web of relationships and interdependence into which we are born images the...Continue reading→

Forming our conscience is key to living in Christ’s love, a “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,” moving us to “wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith” (1 Timothy 1:5,18-19). To help us...Continue reading→

The Church values God’s gift of conscience as the sacred place where God enlightens our path with the light of truth, the truth of the goodness and evil of our actions. When we seek to follow God’s will, the light of truth shines upon the conscience. This is why we are obliged to follow certain...Continue reading→

On Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, stirring them to action. He doesn’t come by some momentary action but continues to manifest himself in our hearts in various ways. One of those ways is his work in our conscience, moving us to choose good and avoid evil. Conscience is a wonderful gift whereby...Continue reading→

We are preparing for the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let’s do so praying that the whole Church—and each one of us—be open to his inspiration. Our Lord’s mention of a sin that will not be forgiven and some find this disturbing: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will...Continue reading→

We classify an action by its object (its objective essence). When an action’s object is evil—such as murder, the killing of an innocent human being—it is morally evil to do it. A particular choice can also be evil in its subjective dimension (motive or intention) or when circumstances (or accidents) make the choice evil. A...Continue reading→

Not everything unlawful is a sin, as Jesus clearly points out: “Hear  and  understand:  not  what  goes  into  the  mouth  defiles  a man,  but  what  comes  out  of  the  mouth… [as]  what  comes  out  of  the mouth  proceeds  from  the  heart,  and  this  defiles  a  man.  For  out  of  the heart  come  evil  thoughts, murder, ...Continue reading→