Download Mortal Sin - Ave Maria Press

Catholic Essentials
Chapter 6
Our Life in
Christ
Christian discipleship = a radical choice
The Son of Man did not come
to be served but to serve.
Ora Beatam Vitam
“Ask for the happy life”
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The Beatitudes, preached by Jesus in the Sermon on
the Mount, respond to our natural desire for
happiness.
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The Beatitudes make us like God and able to share
eternal life.
The Beatitudes – Blessed are…
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The poor in spirit
Those who mourn
The meek
Those who hunger
and thirst for
righteousness
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The merciful
The clean of heart
The peacemakers
Those who are
persecuted for the
sake of
righteousness
Morality
Living a moral life means being responsible for…
What you say and do
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Your action and inaction
Motives for your behavior
Living a moral life means being free.
You can initiate and control your own actions.
The more you choose good, the freer you become.
Sin
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Sin is an offense against God and others.
We sin when we freely choose against
reason, truth, and right conscience.
Sin turns our hearts away from God’s love
for us.
There are different kinds of personal sin.
Mortal Sin
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The most serious kind of personal sin.
Destroys our relationship with God and
kills our ability to love.
Three conditions for mortal sin
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Grave or serious matter
Full knowledge
Complete consent
Mortal sins should be confessed in the
Sacrament of Penance
Venial Sin
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Less serious sin.
When repeated and
unrepented, can lead us to
commit mortal sins.
Social Sin
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We have a responsibility
for sins committed by
others when we
cooperate with them or
praise them for them.
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Sinful behavior
multiplies and can affect
social situations and
institutions
Capital Sins
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Vices or bad habits that
are related to the seven
capital sins.
Pride, Greed, Envy, Anger,
Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth
Law is an ordinance of reason for
the common good, promulgated
by the one who is in charge of the
community
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Good laws guide human freedom.
Morality is not subjective.
The moral law is the work of God and
emanates from the Divine Law, the
source of all law.
Natural Law
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What human reason can discover about human
nature and its moral duties independent of
God’s Revelation.
Corresponds to basic human drives
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Preserving life
Developing as individuals and communities
Sharing life with others
Natural Law is the foundation of civil laws
and moral rules.
Natural Law
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Present in the heart of each person and
established by reason.
Cannot always be correctly discerned.
Revealed by God himself through history,
giving us the moral law of the Old and New
Testaments.
Major precepts are found in the Ten
Commandments.
The Ten Commandments
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I am the Lord your God,
you shall not have
strange gods before me.
You shall not take the
name of the Lord, your
God, in vain.
Remember to keep holy
the Lord’s Day.
The Ten Commandments
Honor your father and your
mother.
You shall not…
 kill.
 commit adultery.
 Steal.
 bear false witness against
your neighbor.
 covet your neighbor’s wife.
 covet your neighbor’s
goods.
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The New Law of the Gospel
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Represented in the Sermon on the
Mount especially in the
Beatitudes.
A law of love.
The fulfillment of the Old Law.
“Do unto others as you would
have them do to you.” (Mt 7:12).
“Love one another as I love you.”
(Jn 15:12)
The Precepts of the Church
You shall:
 Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of
Obligation.
 Confess your sins at least once a year.
 Receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at
least during the Easter season.
 Observe the days of fasting and abstinence
established by the Church.
 Help to provide for the needs of the
Church.
Grace is God’s favor to us; a
participation in the life of God
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Sanctifying grace is the habitual, permanent grace
received in Baptism that enables us to live with God.
Actual grace is God’s help as we work to become
more holy.
Sacramental graces are received when we
participate in the sacraments
Special graces (charisms) are graces given to
individuals for the good of the entire Church
Graces of state are given to those who have
responsibilities for life and ministries in the Church
A Conscience
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Is the “most secret core and sanctuary” that
helps us distinguish between good and evil.
Allows us to do good and avoid evil.
Helps us to listen and hear God speaking to
us.
Must be continually formed and informed.
Must always be followed.
Virtues – habitual and firm
dispositions to do the good
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Cardinal Moral Virtues
Prudence – right reason in
action.
Justice – always giving God
and neighbor their due.
Fortitude – courage to
conquer fear for a just
cause.
Temperance – balances the
way we use created goods.
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Theological Virtues
Faith – belief in God.
Hope – trust in God.
Charity – love for God.
The Gifts of the Holy
Spirit complete and
perfect the virtues of
those who receive them.
Making Choices
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The morality of human acts depends upon:
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The moral object – the “what” of morality; what
we do for good or evil
The intention – The “why” of morality; the end
does not justify the means.
The circumstances – The “who, where, when,
and how” of morality; may increase or decrease
the moral goodness or evil of a particular action
Helps to Moral Living
Prayer
Participating in
the sacraments