In Evangelium Vitae #4, St. John Paul II spoke of the “end result” of the development of modernity as “tragic.” In that passage, he particularly had in the mind the darkening of conscience with respect to the sacredness and dignity of human life, but inasmuch as human dignity consists in the ‘capacity to live in truth and love’ that ‘opens us to God’ (cf. Letter to Families, #8), then we can also say that the tragedy of modernity consists in the widespread forgetfulness of God that characterizes secular society.
Slightly more pernicious, vast majority people allege have not forgotten God. Anything they have determined as a good is of God. Self-autonomy, I want there I will, cause a lot of problems. Manipulate good ends use destructive means to get there.
God is subjectivized to being the giver of things man has determined to be good everything to them is subjectively good. If suggest to modernity is not a good, you are not worth discussing with.
The subjective idea that no good God want no want me to have grandchildren. More pernicious. Better if atheist. Lukewarmness.
Moderns state they believe in God, self-determinist, referring to horrible definition Justice Kennedy gave if we are definers of ‘mysteries of life’ we are definers of God. God thereby becomes the giver of things I want. Highly problematic.
Liberty does not reside in the desire. JPII in Denver, “Freedom the ability to do what ought to do”. Specifically, to choose the good.
How to define something from opening of the episodes, left in the misery of the Enlightenment thinkers told us we are each our own determining factor. Consequently, left with goodness defined by me. I define that it is good to have grandchildren.
III Conscience Defined
1777[1] Moral conscience, present at the heart of the person, enjoins him at the appropriate moment to do good and to avoid evil. It also judges particular choices, approving those that are good and denouncing those that are evil. It bears witness to the authority of truth in reference to the supreme Good to which the human person is drawn, and it welcomes the commandments. When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking.
1778 Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives and recognizes the prescriptions of the divine law:
Conscience is a law of the mind; yet [Christians] would not grant that it is nothing more; I mean that it was not a dictate, nor conveyed the notion of responsibility, of duty, of a threat and a promise. . . . [Conscience] is a messenger of him, who, both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by his representatives. Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ.
IV Conscience Duty to inform/form with view to truth
A THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE imperative
1783 Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings.
1784 The education of the conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience. Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart.
1785 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.
No one has a well formed conscience. Is there something outside self determines good or evil. Humility, I am not perfect, I cannot define mystery of life. Arrogance masquerading as education.
Kennedy has read books but wholly unwise use own intellect & wisdom as definer of life. Fool says in his heart there is no God. Not the wise of Bernadette’s & Therese.
No dialogue, Enlightenment, monologue no dialogue. I want, I will, my good, my God. My doctor, my body, all me.
I determine good & bad. How can there be a conversation of good & bad? The other rejects the definitions of good & evil.
Go back to first principles, how can one form a conscience if one does not know what is good.
Pilate, “what is truth”.
[1] http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a6.htm accessed June 9, 2020
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