Morality: Life in Christ

It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. St. Paul

Sacraments = Mysteries of Christ



Christ who acts in the sacraments and communicates grace, his Divine Life, to us.

Grace = Divine Life



Grace for just one man is worth more than:

all the 170 billion galaxies all the billions of men all the myriads of angels put together

The good of grace given to one man is greater than the good of the whole natural universe St. Thomas Aquinas

Christian Morality


Christians can live the life of God By living in Christ. St. Paul: It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Christians are ipse Christus



By receiving grace, divine life, they can live as other Christs, Christs, who is fully God and fully man. Christians are other Christs, Christs, Christ himself.

Examples of fullness of humanity

Saints are divinized humans = Fullness of happiness

Mans dignity


Made in the image and likeness of God. Includes invalids, mentally retarded, embryos, suffering old people, unaccomplished. Like God, we are a spirit, with
Intelligence Free Will

Spirit


Intelligence
You can know more, more, and more. Open to the infinite

Free will
You can decide to do something or not You cannot be forced. You are in control of your interior spirit. You can decide to stop bad actions you usually do. You can decide to do good.

Freedom


Interior space where we can act and nobody can force us Power to act or not to act. Perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility Our free actions are caused by us. We are responsible for them. We are the captain of our ship.

Classification of moral choices Ten Commandments

Love God about all



Love others as self



1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me. 2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. 3. Remember to keep holy the LORDS day. day.

 

 

4. Honor your father and your mother. mother. 5. You shall not kill. kill. 6. You shall not commit adultery. adultery. 7. You shall not steal. steal. 8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 9. You shall not covet your neighbors wife. wife. 10. You shall not covet your neighbors goods. goods.

Conscience


We can know what is good and bad, using our reason.

Who is freer?
  

He who He who He who poor? He who

can read? He who cant? can write? He who cant? loves the poor? He who does not love the loves his Creator? He who doesnt?

Freedom is not incompatible with discipline, working for the good, training to choose the right thing. The more we do what is good, the freer we become.

Sources of Morality
For an action to be good, these three have to be good: 1. Object action (giving alms, (giving cheating) going to Mass or cheating)
2.

Bad object/action is bad even if intention is good. One cannot do evil so good may result from it. Evil intention corrupts the action, even if the object is good in itself. A great intention can make small good acts great.

Intention interior aim (help (help people, give glory to God or vanity) vanity) Circumstances big or small, place, etc.

3.

What did the greatest of all saints do?

        

Take care of the baby Cook food Fetch water Sew clothes Wash clothes Clean the house Ponder things in her heart Stood beside the cross Time alone with Jesus
'Great' holiness consists in doing the 'small duties' of each moment. Do everything for Love. Thus there will be no little things: everything will be big. St. Josemaria

Love: essence of Christian morality



Seeking God is the greatest adventure. Finding God is the greatest accomplishment. Loving God is the greatest romance.

What is love?
 

Willing the good to the other Giving oneself to another "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another BeneBene-volere will the good

Only God satisfies Saints are the aristocrats of happiness

The just man falls 7 times



But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw him; his arms around him and kissed him. him. 21 The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Lets have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.

How to go to Confession
1.

2. 3.

Examination of ConscienceConscienceContrition Confession to the priest Penance/Satisfaction

there will be more rejoicing in heaven over ninetyone sinner who repents than over ninetynine righteous persons who do not need to repent

Confession proper
1. 2.

Kneel down Say:

Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was (when it was). My sins are: I lied 3 times. I did not go to Sunday mass once. Etc. etc.

3. After the Priest gives advice, mentions your penance, and says: Now you can manifest your contrition. You reply: "Lord Jesus, Son of God,
have mercy on me, a sinner."

Christian Prayer
Mary pondered all these things in her heart. Pray always, at all times Jesus

John Paul II


A great man of prayer

For what does the Pope pray? You would have to ask the Holy Spirit! The Pope prays as the Holy Spirit permits him to pray Man must not put obstacles.

Gift and response



Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part CCC 2725

Youth Catechism 470: What prompts a person to pray?

Forms of prayer
Traditional list (PACT)


Catechism (BAPITP)


Petition Adoration

Blessing and Adoration Petition Intercession Thanksgiving Praise

 

Contrition


Thanksgiving


Forms of prayer
Traditional list (PACT)


Catechism (BAPITP)


Petition Lord hear our prayer Adoration we worship you Contrition Lord have mercy Thanksgiving - Thanks be God

Blessing Blessed be God forever Adoration Petition Lord have mercy on me a sinner. Intercession Thanksgiving Praise Allelu-ia; Praise to you Allelu-ia;
Lord Jesus Christ. Hosanna

Universal call to holiness



All called to be holy (be perfect in love) All called to be a very close friend of Jesus All called to continuous prayer
"We must remember God more often than we draw breath. But we cannot pray "at all times" if we do not pray at specific times, consciously willing it.

When should a person pray?



YOUCAT: Anyone who loves another person and all day long never gives that person a sign of his love does not really love him. So it is with God too. -- keep sending signals of his longing for his company and friendship. Getting up/Mealtimes/End of day

Expressions of Prayer


Vocal prayer with external words and sounds Meditation reflection on readings (Bible, spiritual writers, etc.) Contemplation loving gaze

Mental prayer or interior prayer

 

Making time for God Includes meditation and contemplation St. Teresa of Avila: a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us "I look at him and he looks at me"

Opening prayer for mental prayer

 

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here, that you see me, that you hear me. me. I adore you with profound reverence, I ask your pardon for my sins, and the grace to make this time of prayer fruitful. My immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph my father and lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.