Chapter 24 — "Life in Christ — Part Two"

OPENING PRAYER

Prayer to an Evolutionary God

You accept us--at times of self-doubt
Thank you, God of all,
Co-creator of our world,
For allowing us to be imperfectly made:
Because it makes us, if we are wise, forgiving.
Do you accept us as we are?
We condemn people too quickly:
We judge them for flawed thinking, disguised egotism,
Unworthy acquisitiveness, or skewed opinions.
But we can forgive them once we accept our own shadow,
And realize how well we ourselves fit
Into the ranks of a less than perfect human race.
You, Holy God, accept each of us,
Prophets tell us, just as we are:
Provided our moral judgments of others
Are reciprocally generous and compassionate.
Imperfection fits this evolving reality,
For the universe thrives on diversity,
Including random failure,
One of the very preconditions for the unfolding advances.
May it be so.

William Cleary

(Source: Xavier University)
"LIFE IN CHRIST — PART TWO"
—CCC, Nos. 1691–2082
What plan do you have for your life and what helps you to achieve that plan?

God has a plan for our salvation. We come to know this plan of God’s created moral order (“natural law”) through the revelation of God’s Word, most fully realized in Jesus. God’s natural law is unchangeable and applies to all persons in all places and at all times.

Our moral life is our response to the person, life, and teachings of Jesus, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Church. We are responsible to recognize and respect the inherent human dignity of all persons who are created in the image and likeness of God.

We are not born to live in isolation. Rather, we have a natural inclination for social interaction and to seek and to live in communion with others. Our lives are a web of interrelationships. We are called to develop an attitude of solidarity with one another that leads to social justice for all. Our thoughts, words, and actions are to be directed toward promoting and fostering the common good of all.

Christ calls each of us to participate in and to promote God’s reign of love, peace, justice, mercy, compassion, healing, and salvation for all. We are guided by the “Golden Rule”—“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (Mt 7:12), the Beatitudes (Mt 5:3–12), and the Ten Commandments, including the “Greatest Commandment” to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love one another as Jesus’ loves us. (Mt. 22:35–40; Mk 12:28–34; Jn 13:34).

God gives us the moral law that leads to God’s salvation. At Baptism we are justified—cleansed of our sins and reconciled to God—through Christ’s Passion and the power of the Holy Spirit. We become friends of God and are called to holiness (“sanctification”) through our participation in the divine life.

God offers us free and undeserved assistance called “grace” (sanctifying, actual, and sacramental). Through the Holy Spirit, this grace empowers us to respond to God’s call to grow in holiness, to live a virtuous and moral life, and to perfect our freedom to resist and overcome the restricting power of personal and societal sin which can enslave us. 

God also gives us the Church—the People of God and the Body of Christ—to guide and assist us in living the moral life as intended and revealed by God. The Magisterium (the Bishops in communion with the Pope), guided by the Holy Spirit, are the authoritative teachers in the Church.


Please read this week USCCA,Chapter 24, "Life in Christ—Part Two," (pages 323–338), the CCC, Nos. 1691–2082, (pages 421–497), and the Compendium, Nos. 357–441
VIDEOS

"What is Sin" (Bishop Don Hying)

"What is a Sin" (Fr. Mike Schmitz)

"Mortal vs. Venial Sin" (Fr. Mike Schmitz)

"God and Morality" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Catholic Morality 101" (Fr. Robert Barron)

"Conscience and Morality" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Modernity and Morality" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Why What You Believe Matters" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Morality, Character and Relationships" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Faith, Hope, and Love" (Bishop Robert Barron)

"Life and Dignity of the Human Person" (CST)

"The Cardinal Virtues – Prudence"

"The Cardinal Virtues – Justice"

"The Cardinal Virtues – Temperance"

"The Cardinal Virtues – Courage"

"Life in Christ – Introduction" – CCC 1691–1698 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Dignity of the Human Person" – CCC 1699–1715 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Our Vocation to Beatitude" – CCC 1716–1729 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Man's Freedom" – CCC 1730–1748 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Morality of Human Acts" – CCC 1749–1761 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Morality of the Passions" – CCC 1762–1775 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Moral Conscience" – CCC 1776–1802 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"The Virtues" – CCC 1803–1811 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Theological Virtues" – CCC 1812–1845 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Sin" – CCC 1846–1876 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"The Person and Society" – CCC 1877–1896 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Social Life" – CCC 1897–1927 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Social Justice" – CCC 1928–1948 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Law and Grace" – CCC 1949–1964 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Law of the Gospel" – CCC 1965–1986 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Grace and Justification" – CCC 1987–2005 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Merit and Holiness" – CCC 2006–2029 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"The Church, Mother and Teacher" – CCC 2030–2051 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)

"Ten Commandments" – CCC 2052–2082 (Fr. Daniel Mahan)
MUSIC

”Fill My Cup, Lord”

"Glory and Praise to Our God" (John Michael Talbot)

"The Litany of the Saints"

"Thankful" (Josh Groban)
OTHER RESOURCES

Daily Examen (Video)

Resources for the Daily Examen (Xavier University)

The Daily Examen (Ignatian Spirituality)
REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

How do you live the “Golden Rule” in your life?

What prevents you from experiencing the image and likeness of God in your self and others?
We encourage and invite you to  spend time to reflect, pray, and write in your journal about what you have read, seen, heard, or experienced this week. You can find some questions you may wish to consider here.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, in now, and ever shall be.
Amen.