Making Moral Choices

1. Making Moral Choices Gifts & Guides

2. Called to Be Holy • The goal of Christian morality is to live a holy life • Commitment to live as a true follower or disciple of Christ • Put into daily practice the moral principles and teachings given to us by Christ and taught to us by the Church • Be passionate in this practice • The primary role of a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus; the primary characteristic is to “have love for God and one another”

3. Love • God • Shared with us • Within us • Sin: the misuse of the power given to us by God for doing good; a use contrary to God’s commandments. • Intellect: using reason to think about or conspire about wrongdoing • Free will: actions that are contrary to God’s commands • Love: misuse or anger

4. Vocations • The opportunity to live your Baptismal vocations • A meaningful job • Employment that contributes to the good of society • Providing goods and services with a joyful caring attitude • Volunteer work • Works of mercy • Service to the Church • Participating in the various ecclesial ministries • Religious movements • Joining religious movements that encourage and support the call to share God’s love with others • Missionary activity • Traveling to places where there is little or no knowledge of Christianity to share both knowledge and love

5. Grace • The free, undeserved gift of God’s loving and active presence in the universe and our lives. It empowers us to respond to His call and to live as adopted sons and daughters. It restores our communion with the Trinity which was lost through sin. • Sanctifying grace • Grace by which our sins are forgiven and we are made holy by God • Actual grace • God’s intervention and support for us in everyday moments • Sacramental grace • Grace proper to each of the sacraments • Special grace (charisms) • Gifts intended for the common good of the Church • Personal gifts and talents given to each of us to be used for the good of all

6. Virtues • A habitual and firm disposition to do good • The Theological Virtues (God given gifts from which all other virtues flow) • Faith • Hope • Charity • The Cardinal Virtues (pivotal virtues on which the other virtues depend) • Prudence • Temperance • Justice • Fortitude Vice: a practice or habit that leads a person to sin

7. Theological Virtues • Faith • A gift from God that is also a response. God invites us to believe in Him, we accept or reject that offer. Faith must be accompanied with action or it is false. • Hope • Closely connected to faith, it enables us to trust in God and all of His promises • Charity • Also called “love”, the greatest virtue; the human longing for God and a selfless commitment to support the dignity of all humans because each is created in God’s image and likeness.

8. Cardinal Virtues • Prudence • Virtue that inclines us toward choosing the moral good and avoiding evil. The “rudder” virtue, it steers us through complex situations • Temperance • The virtue by which we moderate our appetites or passions to achieve balance in the use of created goods • Justice • The virtue that commits us to actions and attitudes that ensure that all persons, especially the poor receive what is due them • Fortitude • Enables us to maintain good moral judgment and act on it in the face of difficulties and challenges

9. Sacraments • Seven efficacious signs instituted by Christ, entrusted to the Church, and dispense grace. • Visible rites that make grace present • Necessary for salvation • Necessary to live a moral life • Necessary for our holiness

10. Sacramental Grace • Reconciliation • Grace of forgiveness • Anointing of the Sick • United with Christ in suffering, given the strength to continue living amid illness and suffering Baptism Sanctifying grace forgives all of our sins Confirmation Perfects the grace of Baptism Gifts of Spirit strengthen our lives Eucharist Communion with Christ, nourishes us and strengthens us • Matrimony • Helps with faithfulness, openness to children and virtuous lives • Holy Orders • Helps to live their clerical lives virtuously as an example to others and to serve as their order requires

11. Guides for Moral Living • Revelation • Scripture • Tradition • Magisterium • Who develops teachings from scripture and tradition • Natural Law • God given ability to understand right and wrong • Witness • Saints, parents, leaders • Conscience • An “inner voice”, a God given sense of the dive law. It leads us to understand that we are responsible for our actions and prompts us to do good and avoid evil

12. Role of Conscience • At work in all stages of moral decision making • Helps to recognize the moral consequences to an action • Makes a judgment about the moral correctness of a specific act to be performed • Gives us inner peace or a feeling of guilt depending on the morality of the action already done • Not • the moral opinion of the majority • A feeling • Dependent on how well we use our reason to understand Divine Law

13. Formation of Conscience • Study and know the doctrine of the Church • Read and reflect on scripture • Examine and evaluate your daily actions • Read about the saints and other holy persons that will inspire you to form and follow your conscience • Receive the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation often • Conscience in error • Deliberate, (responsible) • Accidental, (partially responsible, not responsible) • Obey your conscience • You must take the right action to avoid sinning

14. Making a Moral Decision • Find the facts • Review the elements of the moral decision • Assess the alternatives • Reflect on the possible actions that can be taken instead • Consider the consequences • Evaluate the effect to your relationship with God, others and yourself • Think about God’s teachings • 10 commandments, beatitudes, Jesus’ “Law of Love” • Seek spiritual support • Pray • Seek help from a spiritual mentor

15. Making Moral Choices Forgiveness & Reconciliation

16. The Gospel Call to Forgiveness • Jesus calls us to forgive through his example and his words • Forgave those who executed them • Preached love of enemy • Taught against retribution, anger, revenge • Forgave sinners • Jesus also calls us to seek forgiveness • Repent and hear the “Good News”

17. Seeking Forgiveness • Admit wrong doing • Examination of conscience • Love of God • Love of neighbor • Seek reconciliation • Ask for forgiveness • God • Neighbor • Accept forgiveness

18. Granting Forgiveness • Forgiveness • Requires the action of one person • Reconciliation • Requires the action of two persons • Consequences of “unforgiveness” • Hurt • Resentment