Reflection Starters
The following four pictures and statements are meant to be reflection starters as you articulate what you think it means to live the Good Life.
> Should you choose the far right statement and the one on the bottom, then select the Bottom Right
picture.
OR
choose the left statement along with either the top or bottom one and then the corresponding picture.
2. Then respond to the next two questions
3. Reflect and write down for yourself how you would begin to tell another person who you are
The following four pictures and statements are meant to be reflection starters as you articulate what you think it means to live the Good Life.
- Choose the two statements which best reflect your current perspective.
> Should you choose the far right statement and the one on the bottom, then select the Bottom Right
picture.
OR
choose the left statement along with either the top or bottom one and then the corresponding picture.
2. Then respond to the next two questions
3. Reflect and write down for yourself how you would begin to tell another person who you are
Story
Something happened to me when I was baptized. I stepped into the baptismal pool, knelt and felt the water, flowing over my head and body. As I left the baptismal pool I knew something had changed in my heart. I knew God loved me and that I was God’s beloved. I prayed the Holy Spirit would guide my thoughts, words and actions so they would be Good News for all I met and would always give praise and glory to God. |
Jesus’ Deepest Desire: The Coming of the Kingdom
Jesus’ passion, what got him up in the morning and gave him energy for the day was the coming of God’s Kingdom. It was the subject of his parables and teaching and the very way in which he led his life.
Jesus wants us to have that same passion. We do so to the extent that we have Jesus’ mind, heart and hands and live lives of virtue. Virtue is the strength to bring goodness, order and life into the world as Jesus did. This way of life is called virtue morality.
Jesus’ Deepest Desire: The Coming of the Kingdom
Jesus’ passion, what got him up in the morning and gave him energy for the day was the coming of God’s Kingdom. It was the subject of his parables and teaching and the very way in which he led his life.
Jesus wants us to have that same passion. We do so to the extent that we have Jesus’ mind, heart and hands and live lives of virtue. Virtue is the strength to bring goodness, order and life into the world as Jesus did. This way of life is called virtue morality.
Morality
The word “morality” comes from the Latin word for custom and has to do with the customary way in which people think, speak and act. The first Christians were called “Followers of the Way” because they acted in a new way. Virtue Morality begins with knowing who we are and then with how we live our lives in response to God’s love.
“Ethics” comes from the Greek word for character. Ethics typically describes how a certain group of people will act. For example, we talk about Business Ethics, Legal Ethics or Medical Ethics because we expect people in those professions to act in consistent ways.
A) To be Christian is to act as Jesus did. “What would Jesus do?” is a popular way of asking ourselves how we
should act as followers of Christ. The challenge is to discern what Jesus would do, not as a first century Jew,
but as a person living in the 21st Century.
B) When asked, “How did Jesus act?” we can say, “He acted as God acted.”
We summarize God’s action by saying God creates “Goodness, Order (right relationships) and Life.”
See Genesis Chapter 1. The Gospels shows Jesus doing what God did.
- Jesus teaches what it means to do GOOD by healing the sick and sharing words of hope
- Jesus proclaims a new ORDER (The Kingdom of God or God’s Way of Life, the way of Love).
- Jesus is the LIFE-GIVER inviting all to share in eternal life through his Resurrection.
As followers of Christ we are called to bring Goodness, Order and Life to others.
C) Jesus came to proclaim the Good News of God’s Way of Life (God’s Kingdom).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus invited his followers to live this new way of life and to live the ideal, e.g.,
forgiving one’s enemies and loving as he has loved us.
Covenant
Jesus called his disciples to obey the Ten Commandments. These commandments were given to Moses and the Hebrew people in the context of the Covenant God made with them: “I will be your God and you will be my beloved people.” (Exodus 19:3-6) The first three commandments direct one’s relationship to God and the last seven spell out a person’s relationships with one’s neighbors.
For the most part the commandments are stated in negative terms, e.g., “You shall not steal or You shall not bear false witness, etc.” This is to remind us of the outside limits, that which we must not violate in our relationships. But we are not simply called to avoid doing wrong. We are called to do good, to develop what brings about goodness, order and life. The positive side of “Do not steal” is “Respect the Property of Others” and “Respect our common property, e.g. our streets, our parks, etc.”
The Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:2-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. The Christian listing differs from the Jewish listing in that former combines the first two commandments of the Jewish listing and separates its last commandment into two parts. Thus the Christian listing is:
The Ten Commandments:
1. I am the Lord your God, you shall honor no other god but me.
This commandment directs us to remember God is the answer to all of life’s issues. It also reminds us to take
religion seriously as only in God will we find fulfillment.
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
This commandment directs us to take seriously our belief in God.
Words and actions, such swearing or on and off again practice of one’s religion can make our belief in God
become casual or taken lightly.
3. You shall keep holy the Lord’s Day.
For Christians the Lord’s Day is Sunday, the day of the Resurrection.
This commandment directs us to spend at least one day a week refocusing the most important elements
of life: Praising God for the blessings of life; enjoyment of family and friends; rest and relaxation.
4. You shall honor your Father and your Mother.
This commandment directs us to honor the parents who gave us life and nourished us. If we learn to honor
our parents then we can learn to honor others we meet on our life’s journey.
5. You shall not kill.
This commandment forbids the taking of human life for each person is a unique reflection of God.
It prohibits abortion and euthanasia. It calls us to find ways to make war and capital punishment a thing
of the past. It calls us to respect life and to put aside everything that would take life or diminish another’s
dignity.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
This commandment forbids adultery which, like killing, destroys the social fabric. Adultery, premarital sex,
pornography and addiction to sexual fantasy are always harmful because they divert and weaken a person's
energy to make focused decisions and faithful commitments. Such behavior thus eats away at the foundation
of the family, the basic unit and fabric of society. This commandment directs us to honor our bodies as
sacred and to honor others (and their bodies) as persons not simply as objects of personal or physical
pleasure.
7. You shall not steal.
This commandment forbids the taking of another’s property whether it be material goods or ideas. We are ot
to steal from individuals or from businesses regardless of how large the business might be. It calls us to
respect both private and public property by, for instance, not littering. This commandment directs us to be
forthright and honest in our dealings with others and be people of integrity.
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
This commandment forbids lying. We are to tell the truth to others and about others. It also forbids
gossiping about others or harming their reputation in any way. This commandment directs us to respect
the rights of others, especially their good name.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
This commandment has to do with what goes on in one’s heart. All have thoughts and desires which pop into
one’s head; and in and of themselves these are not sinful. When, however, we hold onto those thoughts and
desires, and let them control us we are just a step away from destructive action. This commandment directs
us to avoid situations, where we become possessed by wanting what rightfully belongs with another.
In today’s world this commandment would be better stated: You shall not covet your neighbor’s “spouse”.
It directs us to keep watch over what is going on in our minds and hearts regarding our neighbor’s spouse
and keep ourselves pure and focused in a right and virtuous way.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Like the 9th Commandment, this commandment directs us to put out of our minds and hearts anything that
would lead us to waste time or energy or to take what rightly belongs to another.
The first commandment keeps us focused on God rather than on ourselves. The last two commandments are like the feathers on an arrow to help keep envy and jealously from diverting or dissipating our energy for living a life of right relationships.
Jesus’ New Commandment:
Jesus “walked his talk”. That is, in his own life, Jesus showed his disciples how to love. In word and deed he brought Good News to others. He welcomed the poor and the outcast and forgave his enemies.
On the night before he died, Jesus commanded his disciples to “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12). By washing his disciples’ feet, he called them to provide loving service to and for others. He calls to continually grow love.
Love
Love is willingly and actively seeking the good in and for others without regard for the cost of doing so. This agape love is the self-giving and life-giving love revealed by Christ.
St Paul teaches that this
“Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous; love does not brag; is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)
The Beatitudes
The Beatitudes provide insight and perspective into love. They can be understood as saying “Happy are those who are not addicted.” For example, if a person are not addicted to material things but are willing to share with others, happy will that person be. If one is not addicted to feeling good all the time, then that person can can mourn with those who are in sorrow, and they will be comforted. If a person is not simply concerned with one's self but truly hungers and thirsts for justice for others, then that person will be satisfied.
The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy
The Works of Mercy also help make love concrete and real
The Corporal Works of Mercy The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. Feed the hungry 1. Help others do what is right
2. Give drink to the thirsty 2. Teach the ignorant
3. Clothe the naked 3. Give advice to the doubtful
4. Visit those in prison 4. Comfort those who suffer
5. Shelter the homeless 5. Be patient with others
6. Visit the sick 6. Forgive injuries
7. Bury the dead 7. Pray for the living and the dead
Jesus “walked his talk”. That is, in his own life, Jesus showed his disciples how to love. In word and deed he brought Good News to others. He welcomed the poor and the outcast and forgave his enemies.
On the night before he died, Jesus commanded his disciples to “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12). By washing his disciples’ feet, he called them to provide loving service to and for others. He calls to continually grow love.
Love
Love is willingly and actively seeking the good in and for others without regard for the cost of doing so. This agape love is the self-giving and life-giving love revealed by Christ.
St Paul teaches that this
“Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous; love does not brag; is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)
The Beatitudes
The Beatitudes provide insight and perspective into love. They can be understood as saying “Happy are those who are not addicted.” For example, if a person are not addicted to material things but are willing to share with others, happy will that person be. If one is not addicted to feeling good all the time, then that person can can mourn with those who are in sorrow, and they will be comforted. If a person is not simply concerned with one's self but truly hungers and thirsts for justice for others, then that person will be satisfied.
The Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy
The Works of Mercy also help make love concrete and real
The Corporal Works of Mercy The Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. Feed the hungry 1. Help others do what is right
2. Give drink to the thirsty 2. Teach the ignorant
3. Clothe the naked 3. Give advice to the doubtful
4. Visit those in prison 4. Comfort those who suffer
5. Shelter the homeless 5. Be patient with others
6. Visit the sick 6. Forgive injuries
7. Bury the dead 7. Pray for the living and the dead
Virtues
Virtue is the strength to do good.The four cardinal (or hinge) virtues which help a person love their neighbor are: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. Two other key virtues are added to this list.
1) Fidelity is the ability to develop, maintain and nurture our commitments to those closest to us, e.g., family,
friends, co-workers, etc.
2) Justice is the ability to give each person his or her due. This means that each person must be treated equally
in similar situations, (e.g., due process under the law) and equitably, depending on their particular situation.
The poor, elderly and infirm deserve special attention.
3) Self-esteem is the ability to cherish and nourish one’s self in an appropriate way. This is important as one’s
ability to love one’s neighbor is proportionate to the care of one’s self.
4) Prudence is the ability to plan ahead and make good, specific decisions.
5) Courage (Fortitude) is the ability to stand by one’s principles when those principles come under threat.
Courage does not look for trouble but helps defend, protect or rescue when someone or something is
threatened.
6) Temperance is the ability to live a life of balance and wholesomeness, especially with regard to our bodies.
There are many other virtues or qualities that a person can develop such as: hospitality, gratitude, humor, generosity, etc. The power of the Spirit enables us to enjoy life to the full as we relate to God, others and the world around us.
Virtue is the strength to do good.The four cardinal (or hinge) virtues which help a person love their neighbor are: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance. Two other key virtues are added to this list.
1) Fidelity is the ability to develop, maintain and nurture our commitments to those closest to us, e.g., family,
friends, co-workers, etc.
2) Justice is the ability to give each person his or her due. This means that each person must be treated equally
in similar situations, (e.g., due process under the law) and equitably, depending on their particular situation.
The poor, elderly and infirm deserve special attention.
3) Self-esteem is the ability to cherish and nourish one’s self in an appropriate way. This is important as one’s
ability to love one’s neighbor is proportionate to the care of one’s self.
4) Prudence is the ability to plan ahead and make good, specific decisions.
5) Courage (Fortitude) is the ability to stand by one’s principles when those principles come under threat.
Courage does not look for trouble but helps defend, protect or rescue when someone or something is
threatened.
6) Temperance is the ability to live a life of balance and wholesomeness, especially with regard to our bodies.
There are many other virtues or qualities that a person can develop such as: hospitality, gratitude, humor, generosity, etc. The power of the Spirit enables us to enjoy life to the full as we relate to God, others and the world around us.
Grace
Grace is used to describe God’s relationship with us. It is a relationship of Love and Life because God is Love and God gives us Life. God’s love and life-giving presence always comes first. Grace is not something but rather a relationship.
Original Sin:
The Genesis story of the Fall is the author’s attempt to explain the struggle we all experience as we try to live in right relationship with God, ourselves, others and creation. It is as if Adam and Eve’ sin had “turned out the lights” leaving us stumbling around in the dark trying to find our way. Jesus tells us that he is the Light of the World. He is the one who shows us the way by teaching us how to live as God would have us live.
The “original” or first sin (i.e. the sin of Adam and Eve) occurred after the “original or first blessing” of creation when God said, “It is very good. (Gen 1:31) The immediate effect of the original sin was that Adam and Eve became ashamed of their nakedness and of being vulnerable or open to each another. Their relationship with God was broken and they tried to hide from God. They were expelled from the Garden and had to struggle to develop a harmonious relationship with the earth. The effects of original sin continued as Cain killed Abel and the human community was scattered as related in the story of the Tower of Babel.
Grace and Sin:
God always takes the initiative. St. John reminds us that it is because God first loves us that we are able to respond in love and love others. (1 John 4:19) God’s love that forgives us, heals us, and enables us to develop and live in right relationship with God, ourselves, others and all creation. This love manifested in Goodness, Order and Life is what the Church calls Grace and is the opposite of sin.
Out of love God has made a Covenant with his people and given them Commandments so that they might develop right relationships with God, neighbor, creation and self. Sin prevents a person from developing those right relationships. Sin manifests itself in many ways and can be described as the failure to embrace and promote goodness, order and life; the failure to believe that one is beloved of God; the failure to live up to the Covenant. Sin is always a violation of one of the commandments and is expressed in some form of violence in thoughts, words and or actions.
Violence has plagued the human family from the beginning. Jesus, who was a victim of both religious and civil violence, broke the cycle of violence when he rose from the dead and did not strike down those who had denied and abandoned him or those who had scourged and crucified him. Rather he spoke “PEACE” to them. Peace is not just the absence of conflict, it is the building up of right relationships. This is the peace Jesus wants us, his disciples today, to share with all.
Mortal and Venial Sins:
Sins are thoughts, words or actions that turn us away from God and our neighbor. More significant offenses are referred to as “mortal” (serious) sins; and less serious sins are called “venial sins”. Three conditions must exist for a person to commit a mortal sin.
1. The action or failure to act must be seriously wrong.
2. A person must be aware that the act is seriously wrong.
3. A person must make a free choice to commit the sin.
A thought, word or deed is seriously wrong if it prevents us from revealing God’s love to others and/ or hinders us from inviting others to respond to God’s transforming love in some significant way.
To illustrate, we can become put out with another person, impatient, frustrated or angry with another person which is in most cases a venial sin; but if we deliberately set out to harm that person’s reputation by spreading lies or malicious gossip then it is a serious sin.
Similarly, while enjoying wine with dinner is part of enjoying life, deliberately becoming drunk is seriously wrong as it, among other things, prevents one from acting in a conscious manner.
Accidents are not sinful. Thus, one who unintentionally bumps and breaks a vase has not sinned; but one who deliberately litters or paints graffiti harming public or private property is committing a sin.
Mortal and Venial Sins:
Sins are thoughts, words or actions that turn us away from God and our neighbor. More significant offenses are referred to as “mortal” (serious) sins; and less serious sins are called “venial sins”. Three conditions must exist for a person to commit a mortal sin.
1. The action or failure to act must be seriously wrong.
2. A person must be aware that the act is seriously wrong.
3. A person must make a free choice to commit the sin.
A thought, word or deed is seriously wrong if it prevents us from revealing God’s love to others and/ or hinders us from inviting others to respond to God’s transforming love in some significant way.
To illustrate, we can become put out with another person, impatient, frustrated or angry with another person which is in most cases a venial sin; but if we deliberately set out to harm that person’s reputation by spreading lies or malicious gossip then it is a serious sin.
Similarly, while enjoying wine with dinner is part of enjoying life, deliberately becoming drunk is seriously wrong as it, among other things, prevents one from acting in a conscious manner.
Accidents are not sinful. Thus, one who unintentionally bumps and breaks a vase has not sinned; but one who deliberately litters or paints graffiti harming public or private property is committing a sin.
Conscience:
Conscience is the ability to make an informed judgment as to whether something “is or is not” in keeping with who we are and our mission as Christ’s disciples.
We say informed to remind ourselves that we are not acting simply on the basis of our own individual opinion, but are acting in relationship to Christ and his disciples, the Church. Thus acting with an informed conscience is a shorthand way of saying:
- We need to be in union with Christ through prayer and the presence of the Spirit.
- We need to be in union with the Church by knowing what values and principles the Church teaches. The Bishops, in union with the Pope, constitute the official teaching authority of the Church. Their official teaching role is called the Magisterium, which means the authoritative teaching.
- Our actions need to be consistent with the values, principles and teachings of Christ and the Church
Conscience enables a person to act based on values rather than simply following commands from authority.
It is helpful to distinguish moral decision making from what psychologist call the super-ego. The super-ego is like a tape repeatedly replaying in one’s head the things learned while growing up in terms of what one should, should not and has to do, (e.g., “wash your hands before eating.”}
Moral decision making involves making decisions based on conscience. One’s conscience is formed as one answers the questions of “what type of person should I be as a beloved child of God and a disciple of Christ” and “how should that type of person act”? By acting in accord with one’s conscience, one is not simply doing what he/she thinks is best, but is deciding how to act and acting in accord with discerned moral values. As such, when deciding whether to pursue a particular course of action, a conscience-based decision maker makes his/her decision based upon whether the action is or is not moral.
Acting in Peace:
Christians often find themselves facing a choice between conflicting sets of values. How is one to make a decision when faced with such a conflict? It will be helpful to look at a theoretical situation and then identify a basic framework for dealing with such a situation.
A Hypothetical Situation:
John has been working at a maintenance job for five years. The job offers a career path, good medical and pension benefits and enables him to support his family. Last month the owner signed a contract with a medical facility in which doctors perform abortions. John wonders whether it is morally justifiable for him to clean this facility. Consider the following analysis of this case.
From a moral perspective
A doctor directed by a superior to perform an abortion would have to refuse even though doing so might cost the doctor his or her job because complying with the directive would involve the doctor taking an innocent life.
A nurse instructed to assist a doctor in performing an abortion would be morally obliged to refuse because she would be directly involved in performing then abortion. In Church would consider this immediate formal cooperation.)
John, the maintenance person, should ask if there is another assignment he could take. If not, because of the other values involved, e,g, supporting his family, he could clean the medical facility because from the Church’s perspective this would be remote material cooperation.
Because this is not an ideal situation, John should continue to explore other options, such as being assigned to a different facility or seeking alternative employment.
Discernment
Discernment is the process by which one seeks to understand “how he/she should think, speak and act as a disciple of Christ today. Discernment is an ongoing and lifelong process of fathering information and mindfully and prayerfully considering how to act in a particular situation. Discernment consists of the following steps:
- Know who you are and that you have been called by Christ to continue his mission.
- Know the ideal to which Christ and the Church are calling you to.
- Know the principles and values applicable to the current situation which are articulated in the Bible and the teachings of the Church.
> Often a person cannot further ALL the values involved in a given situation thus requiring him/her to
focus on those which are more important.
> At the same time, it is important to know and affirm all the values involved so that one can work to
advance those values when and where possible.
5. Consult with experts to clearly understand the situation and the probable consequences of a specific
course of action.
6. Pray for guidance and make the best decision possible given all the circumstances (the best decision
possible so that as many values as possible might be achieved). As Christ Himself and the martyrs make
clear, sometimes the best decision requires one to make great sacrifices.
7. Act in the future in a way that will enable you to live more fully as God’s beloved son or daughter and carry
on the mission of Christ of loving God and neighbor with all your heart and all your strength.
Our Catholic Story:
As Catholics we believe
As Catholics we believe
- Baptism frees a person from being trapped in the darkness of original sin and fills them with God’s original blessing of goodness, order and life.
- Baptism unites a person with the Risen Christ and opens the way for that person to embrace the way of virtue and right relationships.
- Baptism incorporates a person into the Church, the community of Christ’s disciples
Your story
Would you modify your story of what it means to live the Good Life in some way?
Other Questions
What other questions do you have or would like to ask?
A) ________________________________________________________________
B) ________________________________________________________________
C) ________________________________________________________________
Would you modify your story of what it means to live the Good Life in some way?
Other Questions
What other questions do you have or would like to ask?
A) ________________________________________________________________
B) ________________________________________________________________
C) ________________________________________________________________
Additional Resources
Links
How is Baptism linked to holiness?
What is virtue? Why is it important in the Christian life?
How does personal holiness lead to a better life?
What are the basic elements of Christian morality?
What is grace? What role does it play in my life?
What are the Ten Commandments? Why are they important? How are the relevant to my life?
What is the First Commandment? How does this commandment lead me to deeper faith hope and charity?
What is idolatry and how does it break the First Commandment?
What is the Second Commandment and why is God’s name so important?
What are ways I should avoid misusing God’s name?
What does the Third Commandment mean? How do I keep a day holy?
Why is Sunday “The Lord’s Day”?
Why is it important to keep Sunday as a special and holy day?
How does a day of rest bring me closer to God?
How does the Fourth Commandment apply to family life?
What is the Fifth Commandment? What challenges does it present for us in the modern world?
How is abortion a violation of the Fifth Commandment?
What does in vitro fertilization and stem-cell research have to do with the Fifth Commandment?
How does euthanasia break the Fifth Commandment? What does “the dying have a right to live” mean?
What does the Church teach about euthanasia? Isn’t it an act of compassion for the suffering?
What is the Sixth Commandment? What does it mean for my life? How does the virtue of chastity apply?
What is the truth of Church teaching on sexuality and love?
What is the Seventh Commandment? Is it ever permissible to steal?
How do acts of charity relate to the Seventh Commandment?
How does the Seventh Commandment tie in with social doctrine and our obligation to the poor?
What is the Eighth Commandment? What are sins against truth?
What is the Ninth Commandment? How does this commandment apply to the human heart?
What is modesty? Why is it important? How is it relevant to me?
How does the Tenth Commandment lead us to a greater generosity of heart?
What is sin?
What is original sin? How does it impact me?
Isn’t “sin” just a way of saying I have some weakness I can overcome through self-help or therapy?
What is the reality of sin? Why can’t I just let it go?
Sin seems like such an old fashioned notion. Why would I think it’s something real?
How can we tell if an action is moral?
What is original sin? How does it impact me?
What does it mean to have a well formed conscience?
Links
How is Baptism linked to holiness?
What is virtue? Why is it important in the Christian life?
How does personal holiness lead to a better life?
What are the basic elements of Christian morality?
What is grace? What role does it play in my life?
What are the Ten Commandments? Why are they important? How are the relevant to my life?
What is the First Commandment? How does this commandment lead me to deeper faith hope and charity?
What is idolatry and how does it break the First Commandment?
What is the Second Commandment and why is God’s name so important?
What are ways I should avoid misusing God’s name?
What does the Third Commandment mean? How do I keep a day holy?
Why is Sunday “The Lord’s Day”?
Why is it important to keep Sunday as a special and holy day?
How does a day of rest bring me closer to God?
How does the Fourth Commandment apply to family life?
What is the Fifth Commandment? What challenges does it present for us in the modern world?
How is abortion a violation of the Fifth Commandment?
What does in vitro fertilization and stem-cell research have to do with the Fifth Commandment?
How does euthanasia break the Fifth Commandment? What does “the dying have a right to live” mean?
What does the Church teach about euthanasia? Isn’t it an act of compassion for the suffering?
What is the Sixth Commandment? What does it mean for my life? How does the virtue of chastity apply?
What is the truth of Church teaching on sexuality and love?
What is the Seventh Commandment? Is it ever permissible to steal?
How do acts of charity relate to the Seventh Commandment?
How does the Seventh Commandment tie in with social doctrine and our obligation to the poor?
What is the Eighth Commandment? What are sins against truth?
What is the Ninth Commandment? How does this commandment apply to the human heart?
What is modesty? Why is it important? How is it relevant to me?
How does the Tenth Commandment lead us to a greater generosity of heart?
What is sin?
What is original sin? How does it impact me?
Isn’t “sin” just a way of saying I have some weakness I can overcome through self-help or therapy?
What is the reality of sin? Why can’t I just let it go?
Sin seems like such an old fashioned notion. Why would I think it’s something real?
How can we tell if an action is moral?
What is original sin? How does it impact me?
What does it mean to have a well formed conscience?