Just a Matter of Conscience (part 2)
In Part One we learned that our conscience resides at the juncture where heart and mind meet. Our conscience serves to help us make the appropriate judgments at appropriate times so as to act accordingly in choosing good and avoiding evil. In order to work properly and not serve us erroneously, our consciences must be properly formed. Allow me to offer a little conscience primer that I use with my students and in teaching faith formation:
Freedom & Obedience
What may at first glance seem like opposing terms are, hopefully for us as Catholics, seen as complimentary in nature. While we all like our freedom, we understand that this most precious right is God-given. Freedom is found not simply from doing what we want, when we want – following our own will - but recognizing that true freedom comes from following God’s will. Freedom comes through our obedience to God’s will. Saint John Paul II reminds us that our “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” Saint Catherine of Siena puts it directly “[Our] entire faith is founded on obedience, for it is by obedience that [we] show [our] faithfulness.” Without being rooted in our understanding of freedom and obedience, it will be almost impossible to ever attain a properly formed conscience.
Moral Norms
This is a check to ask ourselves “what” we believe. Is it based on scripture as the definitive source for what God wants us to understand about the choices we make? Is what we believe supported by the Church through its’ Catechism which should match what we’re hearing in Scripture? Does our conversation with trusted members of the faith community echo both Scripture and Catechism?
The Basics
To guard our conscience in making moral choices, some rules always apply and never go out of fashion so we examine:
- Will any evil come as a result of my choice?
- Will my choice treat another person in a way I would not like to be treated?
- Does my choice cause another person to stumble or harm their conscience?
Before the Cross
Does what we have come to believe pass the scrutiny of our prayer before the Cross? This should be the standard operating procedure of every Christian, in all humility and honestly, to bring what we believe in prayer before the Cross of Christ. Prayer and reflection must be our fundamental mode of operation. To come before the Cross and in silent prayer seek the heart of God does more to solve the problems not only of our own lives, but of our world than the best meeting, discussion, initiative, or plan. In Psalm 46:11 we are invited…scratch that, commanded, “Be still and know that I am God.” In a world afraid of “silence” and “being still” it’s not hard to see how far from God we can be and how easy it is to get there. Too often we are the “resounding gongs and clashing cymbals” from 1 Corinthians instead of the “silent seekers” Psalm 46 entreats.
Conclusion
I have heard it said that we learn everything we need to know about life in kindergarten. On some basic level there is some iota of truth there but that having been said the Catechism reminds us that “the education of conscience is a lifelong task.” In a world which in these days struggles often to acknowledge and understand the existence of Absolute Truth passed on to humanity from God who created us all to be a part of His family always striving to live in ways pleasing to Him and that honors this calling, we press on to stand in the face of unbelief or little belief to seek His will for our life. So finally in our introduction to conscience, we pray . . .
The Prayer of Consent and Intent
For me, this is the essence of faith: Today Lord God, I CONSENT to having you in my life - to be in a personal and intimate relationship with you. And, I INTEND, through your Holy Word and the teaching of your Holy Church, to seek your will for me in all things, big and small. Through the aid of the Holy Spirit shape my choices to be sound and allow my conscience to be clear. Follow that, and a CONSCIENCE, Properly Formed, will no longer be a question but a fact - devil & angel notwithstanding of course.
Deacon Tom Jewell has been a part of the Office of Campus Ministry at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY since 1997. He is the Campus Minister responsible for Liturgy & Music and Faith Formation. In 2005, Deacon Tom became the founding Director of Oasis511which serves as the Student Center for Campus Ministry and home to their Student Peer Ministers, Friends-In-Faith. With over 26 years in ministry in the Diocese of Rochester, he was ordained as a Permanent Deacon in 1998.