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1. SOCIAL NORMS
NORMS OF MORALITY
CONSCIENCE
Societal/Social Norms
Social norms, or mores, are the unwritten rules of behavior
that are practice in a group or society. Norms function to
provide order and predictability in society. People want
approval and sense of belongingness, and those who do not
follow the norms will suffer disapproval or may even be
outcast from the group. This is how people keep society
functioning, not just with direct rules but also expectations.
When people know what is expected of them, they will
comply. While some people seek to be different, most just
wantto be part of the group.
Norms of Morality
These are standards on which human acts are based to
determine theirgoodnessorbadness.A proximate normis
immediatelyapplicable tothe actswhile
the ultimate norm guarantees the validity of the proximate
norm.
a. Proximate Norm
Proximate Normof Moralityarisesfromhumannature.Thisis
present in everyone for all to immediately find out if the
actiontheyare abouttodoor the act thattheyhave justdone
is good or bad. Since this norm is in the human person, it is
also subjective. This proximate norm of morality is
Conscience.
CONSCIENCE
Conscience comes from the Latin word, CONSCIENTIA,
meaning "a joint knowledge" or "knowledge with." Based on
this etymological meaning,conscience isnot an entity that is
devoid of other factors. According to the Catechism of the
CatholicChurch(CCC),Conscienceisthe practical judgmentof
reason allowing the person to recognize the moral qualityof
an act. So, Conscience isattachedwithourreason/intellect.
It is considered as God's voice that echoes in the heart and
mindof an individual.Conscience isthe mostsecretcore and
sanctuary of man. There he is alone with God whose voice
echoesinhis depths(GS16).
Conscience hasthe finalsayinmakingmoraldecisions.Ithelps
a person make the final judgment on how to act in a given
situation. In addition, it is the inner voice summoning us to
love the good and avoid evil, by applying objective moral
norms to our particular acts, and thus commanding:"dothis,
do notdo that". (CFC723)
There are two momentsof conscience:(Ante = before,
Consequent= after)
1. Antecedent Conscience — is a conscience that judges an
act before itisdone.Inotherwords,before anactioniscarried
out; the Conscience immediatelygave a warning if it is a bad
or gave approval if it isgood.
A. typical example isduringadifficultquiz,astudentthought
of; cheatingbut since his/herconscience reactedthatsuch is
a bad action,the studentdidnotpush throughwithit.
2.Consequent Conscience — judges an act after it is done. In
otherwords,moral assessmentcomesafterthe completionof
a certain act. This is the case of people who act first before
they think about the action they did. Such are called reckless
or imprudent.Inour local language or dialects,youcall these
"padalos-dalos"or"darusudos"
Going back to the example above, consequent conscience
worksafterthe cheatinghasbeendone bythe studentandso
he/she starts feeling guilty about the act that he/she
committed. A part of him/her wouldsay it is alright because
something good happened — he/she passed the quiz.
However, another part of him/her says he/she should have
not done it because it was unfair to those who reviewed.
He/she finallyrealizesitaswrong.
Conscience is further classified into different forms:
1. Correct conscience - judges a good act as indeed good
while abad act is indeedbad.
2. False conscience. This conscience judges a good act as
bad and badact as good.
One example isgambling.Gamblinginanyformisnotgoodat
all. In every game, one wins at the expense of another
person's loss. Assessing this situation, one may say that such
action isgood for itis a formof funand a game of luck.Thus,
the bad act is perceived as good for pleases and comforts
people.Thatiswhy,despite the clamorof endingall formsof
gambling in the country, how come until now, it is still
prevalent? Are people unaware of its negative effects to the
widercommunity?
3. Scrupulous conscience describes that one is always
afraid of committingerrors; hence,he/she becomesrigorous
in everything that he/she does. In other words, such kind of
conscience makesapersonverylegalistic(apersoninterprets
the letter of the law alone, not its spirit) in such a way that
he/she follow what is literallythere in the law and follows it
no matteritseffectsonhis/herlife.Whatmattersmostis the
fact that he/she willnotcommitanyerror.
Fulfilling one's Sunday obligation of attending mass is good
act.
This is in accordance with the third commandment.
Misunderstanding this Church law subjects one to his/her
scrupulousconscience.While itistrue thateveryoneneedsto
fulfill thisobligation,itdoesnothoweverbindsickpeople.So
that when a student of a Catholic institution goes to mass

2. despite being sick, scrupulous conscience is working on the
person. In this case, he/she may not attend mass anymore
considering his/her condition but still forces himself/herself
due to his/herfearof committingasin.
4. Lax conscience is a case where a person keeps on
excusing himself/herself from every mistake committed.It is
as if,he/she doesnotcommitanymistake atall.
Intentional violation of traffic rules is one example. Not
stopping even when the red light is on and giving the reason
that no one sees anyway as there are no traffic enforcers
around. The driver justifies his/her mistake by saying that
anywayhe/she will notbe reprimandedsince he didnothurt
anyone. Another example are students who are just
contented with passing grades and do not exert effort
anymore.
5. Certain conscience isa firmjudgmentthatone isnot in
error.The personalwaysmakesitsure that he willnotcommit
any mistake.
6. Doubtful conscience isacase where judgmentisalways
suspended because of the uncertainty of the goodness and
badnessof ahumanaction.The word'doubt'denotestheidea
that one is not sure of what he/she is doing. A person's
suspensionof his/herdesire forgettinginshape until his/her
doctor gives clearance that he/she is fit to go through
strenuous activities is one good example. The suspension
gives him/her a reasonable period to assess whether or not
such an ideawouldreallyhelphim/herorwouldrather bring
abouta problemonhis/herhealth.
LEVELS OF CONSCIENCE
• Instinctive Level
Dominated by fear of punishment and desire for
approval or reward. - Natural level, it is normal for
children(itwill notdo badbecause of fear)
• Moral/Philosophical
Operatesnotjustonwhatiscommandedbyauthority
but from the judgement or awareness of the inner
goodnessorbadnessof an act.
• ChristianLevel
One's Christian Faith illumines,clarifies and deepens
what is perceive as truly worthyof being a person. It
places moral striving as a personal call to wholeness
and holiness.
General Norm:
Always followyour conscience
Pointtoponder:Withthegivenkindsofconscienceabove,will
you always follow the general norm which is always follow
your conscience?
Challenges to the Formation of Conscience
With all the classifications of conscience, is it easy to
determine whether one's conscience is geared towards the
good or bad? To say, "Let your conscience be your guide" is
easy, but in reality, to act accordingly is difficult since many
voicesare heard withinoneself especiallyinmakingdecisions.
Thisiswhere the educationandformationof conscience come
in. It is good to stress that the formation of conscience is a
long process, not an overnight activity. It is learned through
experience and time. It is therefore important to form one's
conscience because it stands as the ethical imperative of the
Church — to mold Christianswhoare responsible withawell
formedandmature conscience (McTavish,2011).
While the formation of Conscience is a noble task, there are
some factorswhichhindersitsgoodformation
McTavish in his article, The Formation of Conscience, cites
some challengesinthe formationandeducationofconscience
which are worth mentioning: First, one challenge can be
attributed to extreme relativism, which means, everybody
decides according to what he/she thinks to be the good one,
without consulting knowledgeable people or other
authorities. It is indeed detrimental to decision making if a
persondependsonlyonhis/herrelativisticthinking.Therewill
be no room forclarificationandproperadvice.
Another challenge to the formation of conscience is
misinformation. This is to say that every now and then, one
hears reactions, comments and opinions from people. Some
are very convincing and persuasive. Yet, it is not a guarantee
that it is the truth. Many mistakes are caused by
misinformation, so, people really need to clarify matters of
whichtheydonotknow theirtruthso as notto make horrible
decisionsintheiractions.
Another factor that could lead to a gross difficultyin forming
one's conscience is individualism. It is a drive towards one's
own satisfaction while disregarding other people. In other
words, it is an attitude of "my world and mine alone and
outside of me isnot significant."
To come upwithagoodformationof one'sconscience,people
shouldbrushaside these hindrancesmentionedabove.
Formation of Conscience
To meetthe aforementionedchallenges,there are suggested
ways by whichthe Christianmoral conscience can be formed
and educated.
1. Through Prayer — According to Lipio, prayer is of vital
importance in the process of conscience formation. Persons
whowishto have a true Christianconscience mustbe faithful
incommunicatingwiththe Lordin theirdailylives(Lipio,66).
One needs to develop and practice a good prayer life. In this
way one's moral conscience is formed. In prayer, a person is
helpedtodiscernwhatisgoodandwhatisbad,howtoaccept
and correct mistakes, and reflect on concrete experiences. It

3. should be understood that prayer is not something that is
purelyspiritual withoutanyconnectiontothe concreteevents
of daily life. Rather, prayer is always connectedand relevant
to the present and concrete experiences of people. That is
why,prayerhelpsformone'sconsciencebecause itenlightens
the mind and one's able to assess properly a moral situation
froma Christianperspective.
2. Through Listeningtothe preachingof the Gospel — "In
the homily,preachersare exertinggreaterefforttobe faithful
to (McTavish,2011). In thisway, personsmaysee and realize
their actions in relation to what Jesus is telling them in the
Gospel.
3. Through the Role of the Christian community — as
children of God, people always need to depend on one
another especially on matters that they want to be clarified
with regarding their course of action. People do not live
individuallybutwithothers.GaudiumetSpesadvisesthat,"In
fidelitytoconscience,Christiansare enjoinedwiththe restof
humans in the search for the truth, and for the genuine
solution to the numerous problems which arise in the life of
individuals from social relationships" (Gaudium et Spes 16).
The Christian community can help in looking at issues from
differentangles,notjustformone viewpoint.
To sumupthe three factorsmentionedaboveinformingone's
conscience,CFCexplicitlysays,"...toformthe conscienceof a
disciple of Christ, the key obviously is Christ and His Spirit,
experienced within Christ's community the Church. The
formative processtakesplace in faithand through prayer,by
attendingtothe Word of God and the teachingof the Church
and by responsiveness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Critical
reflectiononthe eventsandexperiencesof ourlifehelpsusin
forming moral judgments. It is in living out the faith that we
formour Christianconsciences"(558).
4. Through Multi-disciplinaryapproach — Other fieldsof
science such as psychology, economics, civil laws, natural
sciences etc. are considered in forming one's conscience.
However, these fields should not be the only measure in
decision making but these other perspectives should also be
considered,anditiswhere one canderive gooddecision.
Thus, the formationof conscience isindeedagreat challenge
for all,notonlyforChristians.Tosay that conscience isGod's
voice is easy, yet in reality one may get confused because
there are conflicting voices. That is why it is best to
emphasize the importanceof prayerbecause itiswhere one
can truly be assured that he/she hears and listens to God's
voice. Praying doesn't only mean going to mass alone or
reciting formula prayers, but it is in its broader sense when
one is always in touch with the presence of God in his/her
life. It is by experiencing His presence that she/he may be
able to realize what course of action he/she should take,
especially in very delicate and complicated situations.
Havinga well-formed conscience does not happen in a split
of a second,butit isa deliberate and lifelong journey. It is a
challenge to form one's conscience well but a worthwhile
one.
The Norms Which Govern Human Conduct Norms of
Morality
Ultimate Norm
If the Proximate
Normof Moralitylike
conscience is
subjective since it is dependent on the person, the Ultimate
Norm of Morality is objective.These comes in the forms of
laws, decree or ordinances which are derived or formulated
basedonhigherordersthatare foundinNatureandthe divine
aspectsof reality.
The Norms Which Govern Human Conduct
• Law
Since not all are able to use properly their intellect and ft-ee
will andnotall reallyhave aformedandinformedconscience
at once, people have set for themselves and for the
communitystandardsorguidelinestofollowinordertolive a
morally upright life. These rules are technically called Law/s.
These Laws are enacted as standards of life and to promote
genuine humandevelopment.
Asstatedabove,the humanpersonorNature asawholeisnot
a pure material entity but has spiritual aspect. This spiritual
aspectof realityreasonablypresupposesthatthere (God) isa
Creatorof the universe andthepattern/orderof allthingsthat
exist. 50, for laws to achieve its noble purpose,they must be
based on higher norms/orders which are called the Eternal
Law and the Natural Law.
-Eternal Law
Eternal Law can be described as the Divine reason and will
commanding that the natural order of things be preserved
and forbiddingitto be disturbed.Otherdefinitionsof Eternal
Law are: Gods divine plan for all His creatures and the
"exemplar of the divine wisdom as directing all actions and
movements". ThisLaw hasthefollowing characteristics.
a Eternal - this law is with God who has no beginningand no
end. It governs all the creatures of God froM the beginning
until the endof time (forthe material realities).
b. Immutable - the Eternal Law is notsubjectto change
c. Absolutelyuniversal - thisLaw is applicabletoall creatures.
-Natural Law
Natural Law isunderstood asthe lightof understanding placed
in us by God so that we know what to do and what to avoid.
the biblical text and mindful of the condition of the faithful,
providing them assistance in interpreting the events of their
personal livesandhistorical happeningsinthe lightof faith"
b. Ultimate Norm
Ultimate Norm

4. Or the lawof humanconductwhicharisesfromhumannature
as orderedtoitsultimate natural endandwhichisrecognized
by the light of reason. Natural Laws are discovered and
understoodbypeople withthe aidof reason.
In simple words, Natural Law are the pattern or order of all
things which are discovered through experience and
reasoningorevencommonsense.
Examples of the Natural Law are the following: Fundamental
moral principlessuchas "Good isto be done and evil isto be
avoided","Neverdountootherswhatyoudonotwantothers
do unto you:. ''-the end does not justify the means,' "Honor
your parents;"Preserve lifer"Donotmurder,"andothers.
With the examples above, you might ask about the Ten
Commandments,thatare these Natural Laws?
Except for Commandment Number One to Three, the next
SevenEl Commandmentsare basicallyNatural Laws.Actually,
people bynature knoworwilldiscoverthese Commandments
usingtheirintellectandconscience.
The Four Characteristics of the Natural Law:
a. Universal - This law is applicable to all creatures.
Example: the rule, "you shall not Kitt. is applicable in all
countries.
b. Recognizable - The person will realize or notice the
existence of the Natural Law through observations,
interactions with others, and through deeper reflection of
his/heractivitiesorof his/herveryownexistence.
5o, there isno excuse forone notto obeythe Natural
Law since theyare noticeable orrealizable.
c. Obligatory- Since this very law will lead the person to
his/her well-being and to his/her desired destiny, there is no
better choice for the human person than to obey it. Not
obeying it would lead to the things that the human person
would like to avoid in life such as sickness, calamities, and
ultimate to death or total destruction. In reality, most of the
sickness and calamities we experience today are all effect of
whatpeople didtomotherNatureornotrespectingthe order
innature or notfollowingNatural Law.
d. Immutable - Since the NaturalLawisinaccordance with
the divine planorwiththe Eternal Law,itwill neverchange or
is not subject to change Example: The Ten Commandments
despite being an ancient set of law is still relevant all
throughoutthe ages.
Positive Law
The word"positive"meansbeingpromulgatedor"published."
Positive Laws are the specific (laws) formulations derived
from the Natural Law and the Eternal Law. These are the
specific application of the Eternal Law or the Natural Law in
different human or societal contexts. Positive laws are
formulated since the Natural law often appears in general
forms/principles.
As the Eternal Law is seen or expressed through the Natural
Law, the Natural Law is also seen, expressed or applied
through the Positive Law. A Positive Law which does not
respect the Natural Law contributes to the damage on the
developmentof the humanpersonandof the whole creation
Positive Law is categorized into two: the Divine Positive Law
and the Human Positive Law.
i. The Divine PositiveLaw - thisisaGod-givenlawwhich
is promulgated for all creatures or only for a specific
group of community. A good example is the Ten
Commandments which God gave to the Israelites
throughthe prophetMoses.(Divine meansGod)
ii. The Human Positive Law - this is an ordinance of
reason promulgated for the common good by one in
charge of the community or by a competent
authority. Examples of human positive laws are the
ordinances of a certain place or the constitution of a
certain country. Other examples or terms for human
positive law are:
Civil Law and the Ecclesiastical Law (Law of the
Church). To better understand the meaning of the
human positive law, let us analyze all the key words
inthe definition.
a. Ordinance - it is a decree or a command and not a
request;itdemandsobedience One hastofollowit.
b. Reasonable- itmeansa certainpositive lawisbasedon
reason and not on mere emotion. It must be useful or good
which means it must attain its goal. A positive law is also
reasonable if ithasthe followingcharacteristics:
✓ just/fair
✓ honest- inharmonywithhigherlaws(Eternal and
Natural Laws)
✓ possible forfulfillment/attainment - meansrealistic
✓ useful - itisa meansor tool to attaina goal
✓ Relatively permanent - change if no longer
effective/no longer serves its purpose Example:
Before people were allowed to wear slipper when
driving a car, now it is no longer allowed since the
shoesgivesbetterprotectionthanthe slipper.
✓ Must be promulgated - made known, announced,
published,written,before ittakeseffect.
Other descriptions of a Positive Law:
Territorial or Contextual - The application of the law
sometimes depends on the context (place and time) or
territory
Example:Peopleonthe mountains whichisusuallycoldin
climate differ in their way of dressing from those on the
lowlands; such as wearing jacket is necessary in Baguio
while people in Cagayan only wear jackets during cold
seasons.

5. A law continues until it is changed by another. (Relatively
permanent)
As stated above, time and place may cause change or
revisionof acertainlaw.Whenwe werechildren,we were
not allowed to enter the room without slippers, but now
students are not allowed to enter the classrooms with
slippers. Why? Slippers are no longer allowed for formal
affairs and for protection but shoes. Another example is
the people on the mountains who usedto wear G-strings
(bahag), but now for more descent and body protection
purpose,theyare all wearingpants.
The Two General Applications of the Norms of Morality
As we have stated other factors in the application of the
Normsof Moralitysuch as time,place,andothers,thereare
twogeneral applicationsof the normsof morality.These are
Normative Morality andDescriptiveMorality.
• Normative Morality
These are laws or norms that are or should be universally
implemented. For example, the dignity and worth of a
human life is a universal concept freely embraced by all
individuals regardless of their profile (religion, ethnicity,
gender and others). All cultures put a high regard for life
and attach respect and honor to it. The rule is "you shall
not kill". So, there are laws that crossed all boundaries
such as cultures, time, place, and others. The
Commandments Number Four to Ten are good examples
of this.
• Descriptive Morality
Thisisthe applicationof auniversal lawtoaspecificplace,
time, and other particular conditions of certain
communities, societies. With this, the law becomes
exclusive and applicable only to a certain society. As we
have statedabove,theapplicationof auniversallaw tothe
people onthe mountainsmaydifferfromthoselivingnear
the sea since their source of income or livelihood may be
totallydifferent.
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten Season in the
Catholic Liturgical Calendar (calendar of worship
celebrations).
Lent is 40 days. Aswe discussedinCFED 1013, 40 daysin the
Old Testament symbolizes time for purification. It is time for
us to purify ourselves and undergo conversion and return to
the Lord if we have not beendoinggoodinourpastdays.It is
time for repentance and metanoia. Ash is a symbol of
mortality, and people in the OldTestament use it when they
ask forforgivenessfromthe Lord.Aside fromusingash,there
are also two things that we (Catholics) do during Ash
WednesdayandGoodFriday.FastingandAbstinence.Fasting
doesnot mean you will noteat the whole day.It meanstake
one full meal aday.
Out of your three meals, you should get full only once, and
take little food for the other two meals. Aside from
purification,fastingalsomeanssacrifice,thatwe share inthe
sacrifice of Christ who sufferedfor our sins. Abstinence.This
means do not eat meat. Point to ponder: If you go to a so
called "burol ng patay" and they will offer you food with a
meat as your "ulam". How do you feel? In line with this,we
alsorespectthe bodyof Christwhichsufferedanddiedforour
sins. As Catholics, we are expected to practice these two.
Anyway, we are only required to do these during Ash
WednesdayandGoodFriday.
Two days only, while other sects do not eat blood for the
whole of their lives. Fasting and abstinence also means
abstain from doing other pleasurable things or from joyous
momentsduringthese days."Nagfastingkangang foodpero
naglaro ka naman ng favorite mong games the whole day, e
nawala,nayungessencengpagfastingmo!Thesetwodaysare
the official days for us to practice fasting and abstinence.
Other Fridays of the year is just recommended but not
obligatory. Why Friday? Because Jesus died on a Friday. For
your assignment, research on the exemptions or who are
exemptedfromdoingfastingandabstinence.
Lesson 9: UNDERSTANDING THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
God stronglyrevealedHisplanforHispeoplethroughthe Ten
Commandments. When Moses and the rest of the Israelites
were on their way to the Promised Land, God was gracious
enoughtoguide Hispeople onwhatwasthe rightthingto do
and what can open the door of blessings for them. He gave
guidelinesonhow theywouldlive harmoniouslywithHimand
withthe restof the society.
In full obedience tothe commandof the Lord, Mosesstarted
his sojourn at Mount Sinai and received the Ten
Commandments on tablets of stones. God gave the
Commandments to remind His people that there are certain
acceptable guidelinesthattheyneedtofollowinordertolive
a life that would reflect their respect for their own lives,the
lives, honor and dignSity of others, and to deepen their faith
and fellowshipwithHim.

6. The Ten Commandments was a follow up of the
covenant between God and His people and the promises
connected with it. This was revealed When God/Yahweh
introduced Himself to Moses as the God of their forefathers
starting with Abraham,
Isaac, andJacob.
The Ten
Commandments
reveals the
moral responsibility
of a Christianintwo
(2) dimensions:
towardsGod
and towards
others. For people to live a fruitful Christian life, it is not
sufficient that they solely focus their attention on their
relationship with God. living harmoniously with others also
playsavital role.The verticalbarof the crosspointstoaloving
relationshipwithGodandHissovereigntyuponone'slife.The
horizontal bar of the cross reminds the human person's
responsibility towards fellow human beings and other
creatures. Jesus Himself revealed that people must make
peace withothersand continuouslymake consciouseffortto
live harmoniouslywiththem.
As Christians who are on a continuous journey
towards perfection, the Ten Commandments is a great
springboardforreflectiononrelevantguidelinesthatwe must
live bytorespondtoourmoral responsibilitytowardsGodand
others.
When we accept and follow the Commandments
wholeheartedly,we are worthytobe calledGod'schildren.
However, when we choose to deviate from the
Commandments by misusing our freedom, we separate
ourselves from the love of God and the harmonious
relationshipwithothers.
MORAL RESPONSIBITY TOWARDS GOD IN THE TEN
COMMANDMENTS
First Commandment
The Lord, am your God... You shall not have other
gods besidesme. You shall not carve idolsfor yourselvesin
the shape ofanythingin the skyabove or on the earthbelow
or in the waters beneaththe earth. You shall not bow down
before themor worshipthem. (Exodus20:2-4)
The ContextwhenGodgave the TenCommandmentstothe
Israelites
First, In Egypt and in other countries, there was the problem
of identifyingwhoreallyisthe God of all.With thisdifficulty,
most often they identify God with any creature such as the
sun,moon,eventhe pharaoh,animalsandothers.Second,all
people are searching for the meaning of life (true
contentment) andimmortality.Third,the Israeliteswere busy
worshippingthe goldencalf.
Why did God-YHWH insist to stick with His covenantal
relationship with the Israelites and even followed it up with
the Commandments?Before Hiscovenantal relationshipwith
the Israelites,there wasthe humansearchforthe meaningof
life and its elements such as security or stability, harmony,
true contentment,andespeciallythe longingforimmortality.
Withall these humanlongings,the commandmentsespecially
the first one is God's gracious answer. This is God's own
initiativeaspartof Hissalvificplanforhumanity.AsCFCsays,
“True happinessandourfinal destinyare achievedwithinthe
framework revealed in God's laws” (880). As Christ taught,
“eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Him
whomYou have sent,JesusChrist"(John17:3).
The Catechism for Filipino Catholics reminds people that
knowing the true God is liberating. It sets people from
restlessness in searching for true contentment and
everlasting happiness (883). Not knowing the true God will
leadpeople astrayandtheywillnotachievethe noblehuman
aspirations mentioned above. God has formed the Israelites
as his special possession and gave them the Ten
Commandmentsto
proclaimHimas the true
God for all people.The prophetAmos proclaimedYahwehas
the God of all,and thiswas ultimatelyrealizedbythe coming
of Jesus,the saviorof all.
Violations against the First Commandment
There are various instances when one shows the sin against
the First Commandment. Indifference reveals the outright
neglect of a Christian to reflect on God's love and His innate
goodness. Indifference neither accepts nor rejects God's
power and love. Ingratitude is the failure to respond to the
love of God. Lukewarmness is the refusal to recognize the
sovereigntyof Godoverone'slife andall.The grave violation
against the first commandment is hatred towards God. It is
basicallyacomplete opposite of the love of/forGod,denying
His existence,goodnessandsovereignty.
Furthermore, the first commandment rejectsthe submission
of Christianstoother"gods”whichsometimesare manifested
insuperstition,idolatry,divination,magic,irreligion,atheism,
and agnosticism. Superstition is a belief on some things but
rooted on unfounded and unknown reasoning. Another
violation of the First Commandment is polytheism which is a
belief inmore thanone God.Polytheismobviouslyrejectsthe
principle of havinga God since withtheir numberthenthere
isreallynogod at all.
Divination, another violation of the First Commandment
refers to complete reliance on horoscopes, astrology, palm
reading, and interpretation of omens and lots as a basis to
seek guidance in determining the direction of an individual's
life. These forms of divination are direct recourse to other
mediums to conceal the future or seek for relief from
temporal sufferings. This is indeed a manifestation that one
doubts his faith in God, his promises, goodness and
sovereignty. With the changing of times, there are several
distractions that beset Christians on how they demonstrate
theirvenerationandworshipof God.Christiansare more pre-
occupied with material possession, gaining more social

7. stature,acquiringtechnologicalgadgets -- peoplespendmost
of theirtime fulfillingtheirtemporal needs,suchasover pre-
occupation to work, addiction to increasing material wealth,
spending more time in television,internet and others. These
are unconscious manifestations of their disregard to the
primacy of God, thus a clear deviation from the first
commandment. Generally,anything or anyone that tries to
take over the primacy of God over the lives of the Christians
is indicative of disregard or unresponsiveness to the divine
charity and unconscious veneration of earthly possessions
and social stature.
Pointto ponder:
How is the First Commandment being violated in the
Philippinecontextandatpresent?Whyare we sufferingfrom
manyformsof chaos inourcountry?What are the thingsthat
manypeople considerasmore importantthanGodoreven as
theirgod?
Is it really sinful to make or carve an image/statue? Read
Exodus 25:10-22.
The first Commandment has a follow-up reminder of not
making graven image or statues and worshipping them as
gods. Thisfollow-upreminderdoesnotprohibitpeople from
makinganyimage orstatuessuchasstatuesof heroesandthe
saints since the warning emphasizes on not | worshipping
themas godssuch as the goldencalf.
In the Book of Exodus where the Ten Commandments is
found, there is also a chapter (25:10-22) which shows God
instructing His people to make the images of the Seraphim
and the Cherubim(angels) ontopof the Ark of the Covenant.
Later on,the Arkof the Covenantwasanimage initself which
for the Israelites was a sign of God's presence in their midst.
In the
NewTestament,thereare evenimageswhichdirectlypointto
God Himself suchasthe Dove duringthe baptismof Jesusand
the tonguesof fire duringPentecost.
These examplesclearlytell thatimageswhichremindpeople
of God's presence are notprohibitedsince GodHimselfisalso
usingimagesorsignsand symbolsincommunicatingwithHis
people. These images are strongly emphasized as reminders
of God or of Hispresence,andtheyare NOTto be considered
as substitute for Him or totally equated with Him since this
will be verydegradingonHispart.God as a transcendentand
perfectBeingcannotbe limitedbyapermanentimage,statue
or evenbya permanentname or wordor language.
Fromthe above discussiononthe useof images,itis alsoclear
that the Catholicpractice of veneratingsacredimagesisnota
violation of the First Commandment.Showing respect to the
sacred images was the same with the Israelite's practice of
showing respect to the Ark of the Covenant and the other
remindersof God'spresence intheirmidst.
Venerationshouldnotbe equatedwithadorationorworship.
Adoration, praise or worship is only reserved for God while
venerationisforall sacredimages.Venerationissimplygiving
respect to the sacred images like by touching, kissing and
other ways which may have their cultural origin. CFC says
sacred imagesandstatuescan offervaluable helporgenuine
aid forChristianprayerand worship(892). A biblical example
of veneration was when God asked Moses to remove his
sandalsand staffssince the groundwhere he stoodwasholy.
So,eventhe groundwhenGodusesisbecomesholy.Another
example waswhenJesusgotangrywiththepeoplewhenthey
did not respect the sacredness of the Temple (Matthew
21:12-13).
Inveneratingsacredimages,CFCremindspeopletobe always
aware of the temptationfromthese imageswhichis:from
merelyremindingusof God, theytend to graduallybecome”
a god, an idol.Animage caneitherbringthe realityit
representstomind, toaiddevotionandattention,oritcan
become a substitute forthe realityitself andthusbecome an
objectof idolatry.The Commandmentremindspeoplethat
God the Creator isinfinitelybeyondanyof His creatures; no
image or mental concept can ever "capture” Him. Deus
simper major – God is always greater (891).
SecondCommandment
Youshall not take the name of the Lord, your Godin
vain. (Exodus20:7)
Sanctity of the Name
For the Israelites, a name has great value. A name is very
closelyconnectedwiththe personifnottotallyidentifiedwith
him/her.A name alsoindicatesthe kindof lifethatthe person
will have or his/her mission. As shown in many instances in
the Sacred Scriptures, there were changes in the names of
people such as the names of Abraham from Abram, Sarah
from Sarai, and others. Thus, a name is equated with the
identity or even the dignity of the person. As CFC says, “The
name stood for the person, the name made the person
presentandactive”(895). It is inthiscontextthat the Second
Commandment should be understood. Since God is a Holy
One, His name, which for the Israelites is intimately linked
withHim, shouldalsobe treatedwith reverence.There were
even years in the history of the Israelites when they did not
evenmentionorpronounce the name "YHWH” since it is too
holy to be uttered. So, they used other titles such as Adonai
(Lord),Eli and others.
Violations against the Second Commandment
Generally,the commandmentabhorsthe misuse of the name
of the Lord, considering the sovereignty and authority that
come with it. False representation of God is profanity, a
discredittoistrue nature anddivinity.Thisoftencomeswhen
people make an oath and using the name of God to curse or
invoke punishment. This maligns the true nature of God and
discredits His sovereignty and goodness. It is not within the
realm of humans that God may be compelled to act on our
behalf to inflict punishment on others. This commandment
also clearly prohibits the casual use of God's name in
interjectionsandcurse.The blasphemoususe of God's name
andthe act cursingportraysindecencyanddisrespecttoGod,
ingeneral.
However,despitethe strongprohibition,some peoplestill fall
intothe trap of usingthe name of the Lord invain.A concrete
manifestation of violating this commandment is through
perjury.Thoughmore appropriate to legal situations,perjury

8. pertains to a willful and voluntary act of telling something
with the intention of not fulfilling it. It refers to the act of
fabricating the truth in the guise of eluding punishment or
reprimand.
In relation to this Commandment, there are many ways on
how people and even students violate it in the Philippine
context. Some examples of this are: some of the politicians
use the name of God to make theirpromisesmore appealing
to people when they campaign before elections, some of
themonlyattendthe HolyMassbefore electiontobe seenby
people, some of them gave donations to the Church or to
newly wed couple or even volunteer to become Godparents
duringbaptismof infantsandwedding.ForLouisianstudents,
duringface-to-face classesmanystudentsattendthe Massfor
the sake of attendance,eventhese days,manystudentspass
Sunday reflections without attending the Mass, and even
some copy the reflectionsof othersjusttoobtainpoints,and
manyothers.
Third Commandment
Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days
you may labor and do all your work but the seventh day is
the Sabbath of the Lord your God. No work may be done
then either by you or your son or daughter or your male or
female slave, or your beast or by the alien who lives with
you...on the seventh day God rested...and blessed it and
made it holy.(Exodus 20:8-11)
There are twothingsthatthiscommandmentemphasizes:the
time forGodandthe respectforthe humanperson.How does
one show this respect for God and the human person? As
Scripture and tradition teach, this is shown primarily by
worshipping God as a community, as His people, and
respectingothersby givingthemtime torest.
Aside from worshipping God and resting, what are
otherimplications|of the ThirdCommandment?How should
one make the day of the Lord holy? Is this done only in the
chapel orchurch?Some peopleattendthe HolyMassbutafter
theirparticipation,theygo back to theirusual lifestyle which
isoftennot consistentwithChristianliving
So aside from worshippingGodinthe church, do people also
make the dayof the Lordholyintheirhomes,intheirdealings
with others, and in their dealings with nature? The Second
Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP-II) stresses that all of
life is worshipor the whole of life must be an act of worship
as St. Paul also pointed out in his letter to the Romans (167-
168). Worship should not be separated from the totality of
life.
There shouldbe nodichotomybetweenthe two.
Fourth to Sixth Commandment
RECALL:
In the first three commandments, we received the gifts of
God's self-revelation to humanity. We also learned what
constitutes a proper response to this self-revelation and
thereby a proper relationship with God. The final seven
commandments are gifts that primarily reveal God's will for
us inour relationshipswitheachother.
After the first three commandments prescribing our duties
toward God comes seven others laying downour obligations
toward ourselvesandour fellow humanbeings.There isfirst
a special commandment regarding the important duties of
children toward their parents, and of parents toward their
children.Thisisthe FourthCommandments.Commandments
5th, 6th, and 7th are concern with actions, 8th is concerned
withwordsand 9th and 10th are withour desires.
Fourth Commandment
Honor your father and your mother: That your days
may be long upon the land which the Lord your God has
givenyou. (Exodus20:12)
Family as the Most Fundamental Unit of the Society
The fourth commandment underscores the imperative of
respecting and honoring one's parents or elders with a
guarantee of individual blessings. God reveals that after one's
moral responsibilitytowardsGod,anindividual isalsocalledto
show respect and to honor others, having one's parents as the
foremostpeopletowhomhe/she accordssuch.The familyisthe
most fundamental agent of socialization within a society. The
strength of the moral fabric of the family, mutual respect
betweenparentsandchildren,reverberatesandbringspositive
effecttosociety.
The moral dutytowardsparentsisnotlimitedtofullysubmitting
to them when they are still providing for one's needs and
education,butit extendsevenuptotheirold age,especiallyin
times of illness and distress. This support is an
acknowledgementanda gesture of gratitude toparentsforthe
life, love and effort given by them. The material and moral
support is a manifestation of a back to the parents the
immeasurable love andsacrificestheyhave unselfishlygivento
theirchildren.
The commandmentimpliesthatparentsare innatelygoodthat
they are primarily concerned for the wellbeing and welfare of
their children. Their actions and decisions are geared towards
the holisticdevelopmentof theirchildrenandaresponse tothe
growing needs of the society. The parents are always n
continuous search for the good of their children, and that as a
simple gestureof gratitudeforthese unselfishacts,childrenare
bound to obey their parents. However, modernity has been
contributingtothe corruptionof the moral fabricof the family,
including the parents. Sometimes, there are parents who are
notmindful of the needsof theirchildrenandworse,doallsorts
of abuse towards their children. Some children scorn their
parents and show no apparent trace of respect towards them.
However, the Commandment calls for respect and honor for
parentsby virtue of theirstature asparents.
Honoring our parents is geared towards active obedience.
Children are encouraged to listen to the wisdom of parents on
issues pertaining to their lives. In case of conflict of ideas, the
lines of communication should be made open to properly sort
out the issues and draw a win-win resolution to the problem.
Obedience does not mean blind, entirely following the whims

9. and desiresof parents,butlearninghowtocommunicate one's
views and opinions to further resolve the issues without
strainingthe relationshiporharborill feelingstowardsparents.
Most of rebelliouschildrenemergedfromfamilieswhichfailed
to communicate with one another. Hatred builds up until each
memberof the familygetsfedupwitheachother.
The song “Anak” reminds Christians on the indispensable roles
parentsplayinthe livesof theirchildrenthatdespite the lackof
respect and gratitude of the children towards their parents
sometimes, parents endure all the pains and sufferings and
alwaysseekwhatisgoodand beneficialfortheirchildren.They
stickwiththeirchildrenintheirmostdifficulttimesandshelter
them with love and security with the many challenges life can
offer.
Pointto ponder:
How do many young people and students violate this
Commandment?Reflect on this question in relation to the
relationshipof the youngpeoplewiththeirfellowyouthand
theirstudies.
FifthCommandment
You shall not kill.(Exodus 20:13)
The Primacy of life
The fifth commandment emphasizes the importance and the
dignityof humanlife.Noone has the innate rightto take this
awayfromhis/herownself orfrom others.Neitheritisaright
that can be bestowed on anyone. The primacy of life is
anchored on the fact that human beings are created in the
image and likeness of God, thus, must be accorded full
respect. The inherent value of human life impliesthat in any
dealings,onedoesnothaveanyentitlementstotakeawaythe
life of others. It reminds individuals that even in hatred and
anger, there is a need to consider the value of life and must
make continuous effort to respect and honor it. God is the
giver of life and He alone is entitled to end the life He has
given.
Violations against the Fifth Commandment
Murder and willful abortion are the direct violations of this
commandment.PCP-11stressesthe crimeagainstthe unborn
who can neither defend their God-given life nor cry out in
even the feeblest or cries for help. Their cries do reach the
heart of the Creator (382). It further stresses the Church's
condemnation of directlywilled abortion (585). Any action
that deliberately takes away the life of other people is
completelyagainstthiscommandment.
Regarding euthanasia, debates have spurred questions on
whetheritis justifiedandacceptable or not. It is understood
as an action that aids an ailing person to die. It connotes for
survival is considered to be too slim and the best option to
alleviate the pain is to shorten the life of the patient.
Therefore, death is the only foreseen solution to ease the
sufferingof the ailingindividual.
God is the giverof life and He alone isentitledtoendthe life
He has given. The act of euthanasia actually degrades the
dignityof peoplewhoare sick,vulnerableand disadvantaged,
since theyare alreadyregardedasburdenanddifficulttobear
ratherthan people toendure itinthe name of love,hope and
faith. The Church upholds that as life is a gift from God, thus
sacred, must strictly adhere to the Natural Law, allowing
nature to take its course inendingthe life of aperson.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly mentions
human acts that completely run contrary to the
commandment.These are directand intentional murderand
the cooperationinit,directabortion,euthanasia,andsuicide.
God places primacy on the value of life, thus must be
respectedandprotected.Directlyabortingafetusandending
the life of those suffering (or in near-death situation) are
direct violations of the commandment.Suicide,on the other
hand, is considered a grave offense that completely
disregardsthe loveof Godandthe dignityof humanlife (470).
Sixth Commandment
You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus20:14)
Family and Marriage
The Sacramentof Marriage bringstogetherhusbandandwife
into the bonds of everlasting love, with a promise to stay
together “in sickness or in health, till death do us part.” The
importance placed upon marriage, especially on remaining
faithful toone'spartner,isrevealedinone of Jesus'teachings
duringHispublicministry.Jesussays:
...have younot read that at the beginningthe creatormade
themmale andfemale anddeclared,forthisreasonaman
shall leave hisfatherandmother and cling to his wife, and the
two shall become one? Thus, they are no longer two but one
flesh.Therefore,let no man separate what God has joined.
(Mt. 19:4-6)
This commandment also portrays that the expression of love
is not merely limited to sexual intimacy, but more on
companionship, shared vision to build a family founded on
Catholic faith, and respect for the dignity of the spouse.
However,inorderforarelationshiptowork,the spouseshave
tounderstandandloveeachotherdespitetheirimperfections
and weatheringthe hardtimes together.
True love is founded on mutual trust and contentment of
partnerstowardseach other,witha commitmenttobe there
for eachotherthroughthick andthin;a commitmenttofulfill
theirmarriage vows
Violations against the Sixth Commandment
Adultery appliesonly to married partners. It happens when
one or both of the couples have sexual relations with other
partners. The sexual intimacy shared within the context of
marriage must be continuallyreservedas the expression of

10. affectionandthe deepestunionthatonlybelongstomarried
people.Bothmanandwomanmustgrowinchastity,enjoying
sexual intimacywithinmarriage.
Adultery, aside from its impact on the relationship between
an individual and God, is also an action that harms society
especially the family as the most fundamental unit. Those
who commitadulteryhave brokentheir commitmentsinthe
sacramentof marriage,injuringthe covenantof the marriage
bond. Moreover, they offend the dignity and rights of the
otherspouse andunderminethe social institutionof marriage
by breakingthe contracton whichitis based(CCC,2335).
Moreover, there are other violationsof this commandment
which include divorce, polygamy, free unions (cohabitation,
concubinage),andsexual actsbefore or outside of marriage.
Marriage isbestdescribedinHebrews13:4– "Let marriage be
honored among all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for
God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” The
commandment explicitly disallows sexual relations outside
the bounds of marriage. Both married couples must be loyal
to each other,cherishingandvaluingeachother.
SEXUALITY AND MARRIAGE
Sex orSexualityreferstothe wholecompositionof thehuman
person whether male or female, and this is wholly good and
sacred. Sexual Love is willed by the creator, a human value
and it is wholly good. The purposes of sexuality are
procreation (Genesis 1:28,29), companionship (Genesis 2:18,
Tob 8:6), and Education/formation of Children/welfare of
family.God'swords"and the two shall become one”strongly
mandates that monogamy is really the intended nature of a
family. With this, sexual love (sexual intercourse) is only
properbetweenhusbandandwife.
There are manyviolationsof the SixthCommandmentinline
with the holistic concept of sexuality or with the re-
appropriation of the application of the Sixth Commandment
in our present time. These are also found in the Bible if we
search them one by one. Generally, thisis calledfornication,
but let's enumerate them one by one. Premarital-sex,
masturbation, rape, bestiality, paresthesia, pornography,
homosexuality, prostitution, lesbianism, annal sex, adultery,
extra-marital sex, concubinage, polygamy, polyandry and
Incest.
With the many ways of how people today violate the Sixth
Commandment and how they abuse their sexualityand the
sexualityof others,there isaneedtoconsistentlypractice the
values such as modesty, and chastity and to master our
sexuality. Modesty is the sense of shame or respect in the
realm of sex, while chastity is cleanliness in one's sexual life
whether one is single, married or whatever gender one has.
Mastery of sexualitydoesnotmeansuppressingone'ssexual
life butfindingthe properdevelopmentandchannel of sexual
energysuchas sports,physical work,dance,andthe likes.
7th
to 10th
Commandments
The Seventh and Eighth commandments are concerned
primarily with our duties toward two possessions of our
neighbor - their material goods and their good reputation.
Since human beings have the tendency to be self-centered
and neglectful of the rights of others, God considered it
necessarytolaydownthe explicitcommands:"Thoushaltnot
steal" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbor".
Like the other commandments, these two commandments
prescribe more obligations than those which they explicitly
assert. The seventh commandment forbids not only stealing
but every type of dishonest dealing; the eighth forbids not
onlyfalsehoodbutalsomanyothersinsof the tongue suchas
gossiping,the unlawful revelationof secrets,andthe likes.
The NinthandTenthcommandmentsare closelyrelatedwith
the Sixth and Seventh. The Ninth forbidding interior sins
regarding matters of purity, while the Sixth forbids external
acts; the Tenthforbiddingthose internalsinsandthe external
performance of which is forbidden by the Seventh
commandment.
In our days there is much dishonesty, due largely to the
excessivedesire of peopleforrichesandluxuries.Inbusiness,
inpolitics,evenathome,manypeople are soanxiousonhow
to enrichthemselvesthattheyare entirelyunconcernedwith
the rights of their fellow humanbeings. Moreover, crimes of
theft and robbery, often accompanied by violence or even
murder,are becomingprevalent.
SeventhCommandment
You shall not steal. (Exodus20:15)
Respecting one's property
The commandment recognizes sense of decency regarding
one'smaterial possession,beingcontentedwithwhatone
has, and not coveting others' goods. This commandment is
a reminder of the Christian virtues of temperance, justice
and solidarity.
First, Christians must learn to discern that excessive
attachment to material possession instills greediness and
viciousattitude of continuouslydesiringformore eventothe
point of stealing and fooling others. Jesus taught His people
to putto moderationthisattachment.Worldlygoods,though
important, must remain subordinate to the spiritual and
intimate relationshipwithGod.
Secondly,justice encouragesChristianstoaccordrespectand
dignity to what rightfully belongs to others. When people
need to be compensated, any form of stealing from their
compensation is not acceptable. Justice requires people to
recognize thatothersare workinghardfor whattheyare and
have. One should not violate the decency of their hard work
and propertybyunjustlystealingthese awayfromthem.

11. Violations against the Seventh Commandment
How do some students commit the sin of stealing? Stealing
may come in various forms, such as: cheating during exams,
tampering documents, working poorly asking additional
allowance forarequirementthatisnotreallyaskedinschool,
and others.
The violationsagainstthiscommandmentinclude kidnapping
and many forms of exploitation such as exploitation in food,
housing and clothing. Violation against this Commandment
alsoincludes stealingfrompublicproperties,social structures
and conditions which should serve the common good (CFC,
901-903). This iswhere the attentionandconscienceof some
of our present-day government officials who practice graft
and corruptionandperpetuate sinful socialstructuresshould
be called to. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
mentions in detail the different actions that amount to
violationagainstthe commandment.
In general terms,theftis consideredasthe takingor usingof
another's property against the reasonable will of the owner.
CCCenumeratesvariouscircumstancesthroughwhichtheftis
committedindifferentcontexts,suchaspayingunjustwages,
speculation on the value of goods in order to gain an
advantage to the detriment of others, forgery of checks or
invoices, tax evasion, business fraud, willful damage of
properties, usury, corruption, private abuse of common
goods, and work deliberately done poorly (508).
slidesmania.com
Since the commongoodisessential forthe survival of all,CFC
further stresses the need for respect of the dignity and
integrityof creation(906).
Eighth Commandment
You shall not bear false witnessagainst others.
(Exodus20:16)
Upholding the Truth
This commandment reminds us of the moral imperative of
accordingrespecttoothers;the valueof integrityandhonesty
towards others and the decency of speaking the truth about
others and not discrediting and dishonoring them through
rumor-mongeringorbaselessgossips.
The commandment prohibits altering the truth and
discreditingthe integrityandhonorof otherpeople.Since we
Christians worship and honor God who is the truth and who
wills the truth, expectedly, we must also speak truthfully of
others as a clear indication of our respect to God. Speaking
againstothers,andeventually,againstthe truthisaninfidelity
againstGod.
Violations against the Eighth Commandment
According to the CCC, one is guilty of slander if she/he
discloses another's faults and failings to other persons
without valid reason, and one is guilty of calumny (a
misinterpretation intended to harm another's reputation)
who harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for
false judgmentsaboutthembyremarkscontraryto the truth
(2477).
Moreover, gossips and slander also are violations of the
commandment. Gossips pertain to spreading baseless
accusationsorstatementsagainstothers.Slanderisrelatedto
gossip, but it is with the intention of discrediting others
towardstheirprejudice ordisadvantage.
One concrete example of speaking falsely against
others is lying. One lies when he/she speaks or acts against
the truth in order to lead someone into error, thus the
presence of deceit. Lyingweakens the fundamental relations
towards God and towards others. Failure to reveal the truth
affects others' ability to know, which is a precursor to every
judgmentanddecisiontheyneedtomake.
Studentsare susceptible togossiping.Thisusuallyhappensin
their circle of friends when they talked about someone they
dislike orhate.Whensomeone commitsamistake ordoesnot
conform to what others are doing, they ostracize that
individual, saying all unpleasant remarks about him/her. In
some cases,whentheyenvyothers,theyare more vulnerable
to bearingfalse witnessagainstthe others.Peerpressurewill
also force them to connive withtheirpeerin lyingjustto get
away fromthe troublestheirmembersare in.
NinthCommandment
You shall not covet your neighbor'swife.(Exodus
20:17)
In the Gospels, Jesus taught about controlling one's sexual
desiresornot allowingsexual appetite totake complete hold
of one's reason that will eventually cause him/her to be
lustful. Jesus, in His public ministry, emphasized that our
thoughts and attitudes determine the commission of lustful
behaviors.He imploredHisdisciplestolivenotonlytorespect
othersinexternalmanner,butalsoininternally,throughtheir
mindsandintentions.
The CatechismforFilipinoCatholicssaysthatChristperfected
thisteachinginHissermononthe MountwhenHe said:“You
have heard the Commandment, "You shall not commit
adultery.WhatI say to you is,anyone wholookslustfullyata
woman has already committed adultery with her in his
thoughts/heart”(Mt5:28). St.Paul alsoexhortedhisconverts
saying, “Put to death whatever in your nature is rooted in
earth:fornication,uncleanness,passion,evildesires,andthat
lustwhichisidolatry”(Col.3:5).
To the Ephesians,he wrote,“make no mistake aboutthis: no
fornicator, no unclean or lustful person-in effect an idolater
hasanyinheritance intheKingdomof ChristandofGod”(Eph.
5:5) (868).

12. The commandmentrecognizesthatsometimes,the desire of
the flesh overpowers right reasoning and the will. The
commandmentremindsChristianstomake aconsciouseffort
to continue to fight against the desires and the lust of the
flesh.ThroughGod's grace,Christiansovercome these lustful
desires through 1) chastity, 2) purity of intention, words and
emotions,and3) prayer.
The commandment calls upon Christians to embrace the
virtue of modesty.ModestyguidesChristianstolookat
others and to behave toward others in complete accord
with the dignity of the human person - and not looking at
others lustfully.
Violations against the Ninth Commandment
In reality,the spiritual fabrictolookat otherswithmodestyis
slowly disintegrating with the onset of mass communication
which continuallyexposes the society to liberality in relation
to purity,faithfulness,andmodesty.
The entertainment industry has drastically changed
the moral norms pertainingtorelationships.Itseemsnatural
to see celebritiesswitchingpartners,withinashort periodof
time. This has unconsciously changedthe notionof marriage
and true love, convincing others that casual engagement in
sexual pleasureisthe fad,anddoingitis normal.
The mostvulnerabletothe influenceof the negativenotionof
marriage andlove are youngpeoplewhoare mostexposedto
mass media.Perhapsforthem,it iseasy to enterand leave a
relationship; thus, faithfulness and stability which are
characteristicsof true love are seenas lessvaluable.
Pointto ponder:
Who will suffer gravely if the family is broken? For young
people,whichisbeingshatteredor destroyedif theyare into
sexual promiscuity or even into early and unwanted
pregnancy?
Tenth Commandment
You shall not covet your neighbor'sgoods.(Exodus
these two commandments depend the whole law and the
Prophets." (Matthew22:35-40)
THE SEVEN THEMES OF THE SOCIAL TEACHINGS OF
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Ten Commandments laid the norms and standards that
Christians must follow to live a moral life. It straightens the
paths of the Christiansto ensure that theylive inaccordance
with their faith. The Catholic Church responds to the
Commandments in one way by the articulation of its Social
Teachings.
20:17)
The tenth commandment forbids the lust of the eyes to the
excessivedesireformaterial possession.It prohibitsgreedand
envy which can lead to stealing. The desire to own excessive
material possessions compels others to steal or defraud
others.
The greedy and enviousdesiresfor material possession serve
as precursorto the commissionof othersinslike violenceand
injustice. Greedpertains to the desire for earthly possessions
and goods without limit, completely disregarding spirituality
and growth most of the time. The tenth commandment tells
us to be contented with what we have. Sometimes, people
feel jealous of what others possess or achieved. Envy and
sadness over others' success and possessions violates the
value of loving one's neighbor which is the core of the 4th to
10th Commandment.
Covetousnessisthe root of many evils.Whenpeople
feel enviousof others,theycommitcrimesin order to be like
othersorownwhatothershave. Stealing,murder,andall sorts
of evil tale place because of the insatiable desire of human
beingsformaterial wealthandpossessions.
Inmoderntimes,violationsagainstcovetingothers'goodsare
clearly manifested in stealing money, illegal cutting of trees,
vote-paddingduringelections,usingsubstandardmaterialsin
construction,payinglaborersunjustly,andothers.
Men and women have to fulfill their physiological needs,
however, the desire to meet this must be within the bounds
of acceptable norms.Modestyandcontentmentare therefore
necessaryforall Christians.
When they see others improving, they shouldlook at it as an
inspirationandnotas a threat.
The Christian faith reminds people to embrace modesty and
contentment and recognize that God is the source of
everythingandthatHe graciouslyprovidesforHispeople.
The Ten Commandments are sum up in the words of Jesus
when He said, "You shall love the Lord your God with your
whole heart,and with your whole soul,and withyour whole
mind.' This is the greatest and the first commandment. And
the second is, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On
The Seven Themes of the Catholic Social Teachings 1. Life
and Dignity of the Human Person
The Commandmentsclearlyarticulatethe prohibitionagainst
violating the dignity and worth of human life. The
commandment against killing reflects the strong sense of
worthGodplacesonhumanlife andthe dignityof thehuman
person. This dignity calls for mutual respect among people.
as enunciated by Jesus Himself, we must do to others what
we want others to do us in return. This also calls for
respectingthe propertyofothersandnotbe enviousof them.
2. Call to Family,Community,and Participation
The Church places importance in maintaining the bonds
within the family. God established this in His fourth

13. commandment - of honoring parents. God recognizes the
importance and role of parents in the formation of the
moralityof everyindividual.Christiansare expectedtoaccord
all necessary honor and respect that rightfully belongs to
parents.
This will eventually lead to strengthening the bonds within
the communityof faithandthe Christianstakingpartinevery
endeavor that will deepen their belief in Jesus Christ. This
sense of community is further reflected in the different
commandments of God pertaining to our responsibility
towards others. When Christians faithfully follow these
commgrowincommunionwiththeircommunityandthiswill
laterleadto a peaceful andharmonioussociety.
3. Rights and Responsibilities
The sanctityandsacrednessof lifeaffirmsthat eachindividual
has natural rightswhichothersmust faithfullyandpositively
respond to. For these rights not to be abused, they must
always be coupled with responsibilities. These rights bring
with them duties and responsibilities towards self, others,
familiesandthe largersociety.
4. Option for the Poor and the Vulnerable
The Commandments primarily aimsto create a community
where people respect the innate beauty of humanity.
Fairness and justice must be apparent and enjoyed by every
member of the society. The poor, weak and the vulnerable
mustbe protectedagainstthe abusesandsocial injusticesby
the elite andthepowerful.Whoare the vulnerableinsociety?
These are the children, the young, women, aged, sick,
laborers, poor and illiterate. These are the usual victims of
abusesandexploitations.
Pointto ponder:
Who are the ones being always entertained first in offices,
establishments,occasions,andeveninhospitals?Whatdoes
it reflect about the society which these people belong?
5. Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
The Commandments of not stealing and coveting others'
goods clearlyshowsthat people mustlearnthe value of hard
work, to make a living for themselves. When one works
productively, it reflects his/her continuing participation in
God's creation. On the other hand, the Third Commandment
reminds us not to abused others by letting them work
excessively withlittle time to rest and much more if they are
notpaidjustly.Workmustbeforthe bettermentof thehuman
person.Itisnotsinful tobecome richandtogainfame solong
as people'srightsanddignityare notabused.
6. Solidarity
When every individual responds positively to his/her moral
responsibilitytowardsothers,itcontributestothe attainment
of a harmonioussocietywhere justice,love andsolidarityare
mutually shared. Responding to these moral responsibilities
shows that everyone belongs to one human family, that
everyone is a keeper of his/her brother or sister. It portrays
one's commitment towards others to ensure that the society
isfree fromviolenceandconflict.Thissolidaritywilleventually
promote authentic societal progress and human
development.
7. Care for God'sCreation
The abundance and bounty of nature reflects the
magnificence and greatness of God. Humanity's care and
protection for God's creation express how people should do
their mission as stewards of creation. The care for the
environmentisveryvital in the sustenance andpromotionof
life and health. Destruction of nature will eventually leadto
people'sextinction.
CFED QUIZZES
In correct conscience, the person becomes rigorous in everything that he she does -
FALSE
Consequentconscience judgesanactbefore itisdone
-FALSE
Extreme Relativism is a drive towards one's own satisfaction while disregarding other people -
FALSE
Otherfieldsof science like psychologyandcivil lawsare consideredinformingone'sconscience.
-TRUE
Lax conscience is a case where a person keeps on pointing the blame to other people from every mistake he committed -
FALSE
Conscience isattachedwithone of the humannaturesof personand thatis hisIntellect.
-TRUE
In CertainConscience,the personalwaysmakesitsure thathe will notcommitanymistake.

14. -TRUE
Proximate Normof Moralityissubjective innature.
-TRUE
Conscience is Gods voice that echoes in the heart and mind of an individual -
TRUE
False Conscience isalwaysafraidof committingerrors
-FALSE
1. Ordinancesof a certainplace or the constitutionof acertaincountryfallsunderthiscategory.
- HumanPositive Law
2. This referstothe lawswhichare universallyappliedregardlessof people's conditions.
- Normative Morality,Normative
3. This isthe Law on whichall otherlawsshouldadhere to.
- Eternal,Eternal Law
4. It is a characteristicof a Natural lawwhichisapplicable toall creatures.
- Universal
5. Thisreferstothe applicationof alawwithrespecttotime,place,andotherconditionsaffectingacertaincommunityorsociety.
- Descriptive Morality,Descriptive
6. What is the term thatis usuallyusedtorefertothe law of the government?
- Civil,CivilLaw
7. This lawisdiscoveredbythe humanpersonthroughreasoningandexperiences.
- Natural Law,Natural
8. Who shouldenactor author a humanpositive Law?
- CompetentAuthority
9. What characteristicof Natural Law transcendsall time,place andotherboundaries?
- Immutable
10. How doyou call lawswhichare promulgatedbythe leadersandmembersof the Church?
- Ecclesiastical,Ecclesiastical Law
Mastery of sexuality meansuppressingone's
sexual life and finding the proper
development.
-FALSE
Euthanasia is an action that can aid an ailing
personto die.
-TRUE
Murder and willful abortion are direct
violationsof fifthcommandment.
-TRUE
Sixth commandment is ample to sexual
intimacy,companionship,andsharedvision.
-FALSE
The fourth commandment emphasizes the
importance andthe dignityof humanlife.
-FALSE
Chastityis cleanlinessinone'ssexual life
whether one is single, married or
whatevergenderone has.
-TRUE
Honoring our parents is geared
towardsactive obedience. -TRUE
Violations to the Sixth commandment is not
onlyapplicable tomarriedpeople.
-TRUE
The purposes of sexuality are procreation,
companionshipanddiscord.
-FALSE
The family is the most fundamental agent of
socializationwithinasociety.

15. -TRUE
Greedpertainstothe desire forearthlypossessionsandgoodswithoutlimit.
-TRUE
The eightcommandmentisaboutthe desire of the fleshthatoverpowersrightreasoningandwill.
-FALSE
If I choose tobe silentintellingthe truth,Ialsochose to lie.
-TRUE
Calumnyisa misinterpretationintendedtoharmanother'sreputation.
-TRUE
Slanderisthe unintentional damagingof someone'sreputationtowardstheirprejudiceordisadvantage.
-FALSE
Temperance encouragesChristianstoaccordrespectanddignitytowhat rightfullybelongstoothers.
-TRUE
The seventhcommandmentrecognizessense of decencyregardingone'smaterial possession.
-TRUE
Modesty,chastityandcontentmentare whatcommandantnumbernine wantsusto remember.
-TRUE
Worldlygoodsmustremainsubordinate tothe spiritual andintimate relationshipwithGod.
-TRUE
Covetousnessisthe rootof many evils.
-TRUE
Alerryparticipatesinher son's familyday whereintheyplayand spendtime withthe children -
Call to Family,Community,andParticipation
Everyworkerreceivedtheirbonusandwere able tocelebrate Christmaswiththeirfamily
-Dignityof Workand Rightsof Workers
Jenmakes sure that in everydecisionshe makes,itwouldnot violate the honorof her name and otherpeople -
Life andDignityof the Human Person
No one hasthe rightto endhislife andthe life of others.We mustrespectlife andcherishit
-Life andDignityof the Human Person
We are all stewardsof God'screation,therefore we mustprotect treasure it.
-Care for God's Creation
Everyqualifiedcitizenare giventhe capacitytovote for theirowncandidates
-RightsandResponsibilities
Linodidnot allowhisemployeestoworkeverySundayandmake sure thattheywouldalsohave time torest.
-Dignityof Workand Rightsof Workers
The war in RussiaandUkraine may be thousandsof milesfromusbut theirconcernisalso ourconcern
-Solidarity
The LIFE Organizationof USLwenttoGattaran to teachandprovide school materials,face mask,anddailynecessitiestothe Agta
people
-Optionforthe Poorand the Vulnerable
Isa makes sure that every morning, she waters the plants and cleans her backyard -
Care forGod's Creation

16. WEEK 1: INTRODUCTIONTO CHRISTIAN MORALITY IN OUR TIMES
God created all things, (world and the human persons). They were in “paradise” which means, there was harmony,
justice, peace, and joy. Despite the very good conditions of life that they were
in, the first human beings (“Adam” and “Eve”) still committed sin.
ief Historical Background of the Church
Sacrament: means channel, representative, visible sign ofan invisible reality
God → Jesus → Church
The Sacrament of God is Jesus and the Sacrament ofJesus is the Church (John 20:21,Acts 1:8)
The Church started as a religious renewal “movement”/group in Jerusalem, Israel by no other than Jesus Christ. Jesus
grounded the Church on the foundation of the Apostles and it spread from Jerusalem to the Roman Empire world until throughout
all the earth.
The first “name” of the Church was The Way (Acts 9:2). The members of the Church were called Christians in
Antioch (Acts 11: 26). The Church was persecuted by the Roman Empire (which was still pagan) until the Conversion ofthe
Emperor Constantine in 313 AD which paved the way for Christians to infiltrate Rome until Christianity was declared as the
official religion ofthe Roman Empire in 380 AD by Emperor Theodosius.
Way back in 45 AD,the first apostle who went to Rome and started the Church there was no other than Peter. Later,
reflecting on the mission of Jesus which He passed on to the Church, the Church’s official “name” or title evolved into: One (John
17:21), Holy (Ephesians 1:4, 5:27, I Peter 2:9), Catholic (Matthew 28: 18-20, Acts 1:8, Gen 12: 3, John 3: 16-17) and Apostolic
(Ephesians 2:20 )
From the Church developed the Hierarchy (Bishops, priests, and deacons – with the Pope as the overall head for the sake of
division of work and maintaining the unity of the Church while it spreads the Kingdom of God on earth.
From the Church comes the different “kinds” of priests according to spirituality or mission area.

17. a. Diocesan is a term use for priests serving their local places;
b. Monks:started in the 3rd century AD in Egypt and in Syria with a life of simplicity or asceticism. Monks who are composed
of sisters (not priests) only came out later. Example of few monks in
Cagayan who are sisters are those at the St. Claire monastery in Iguig
c. Missionaries are group/community ofpriests who really want to go to serve remote places not yet evangelize.
Examples of missionaries are the following:
1. The Dominicans who was founded by St. Dominic in Prouille, France in 1216. (Dominic was a Spanish priest).
2. The Augustinians which started in 1244 in Italy (group or no specific founder).
3. The Jesuits or called Society of Jesus who was founded in 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola, formerly a Spanish soldier who
became priest.
4. The CICM and other missionary groups only came out later.
The CICM was founded by a diocesan priest Theophile Verbist in 1862 in Scheut, Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium.
So what is CICM?
So what is a CICM? It is just one of the missionary groups which is an arm of the Church for evangelization.
One of the strategies for missionaries to evangelize people especially the youth to prepare them to become also evangelizers in
the future is to establish schools. With this, the missionary schools and even in the schools established by the local Church, the
core of the curriculum is the Christian Faith Education of the young (children to college). In a wider sense,the Christian formation
of the Community who are in the school. The CICM established schools for such purpose. Here at the University of Saint Louis,
our motto for us to always remember this is “Mission and Excellence” and among the core values of our University’s Vision-
Mission, the first is Christian Living.
CM-Philippines School Network: Vision-Mission
At the initiative of the Father,
Sent by the Son, Guided by the Spirit,
Inspired by Theophile Verbist our founder,
Who heard the call of the Lord
And left his country
To proclaim the Good News in China,
Enlightened by those who preceded us
And who – like our founder-
Left their familiar surroundings
To follow Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word
By integrating themselves into a foreign culture,
And by living in solidarity with another people,
Enriched by those we serve,
Especially the poor who reveals to us the sin of the world
And who help us discover the true meaning
Of God’s plan of love,
We CICM missionaries
Of different races and cultures
Live and work together as brothers
In order to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ Wherever it is most needed.
We achieve our mission
When we facilitate
The encounter between Jesus Christ and the ‘nations’.
Our mission includes
Enabling people
To experience the coming of the Kingdom
-proclaimed by Jesus Christ-
In their own God-given context

18. SL’S VISION, MISSION, AND CORE VALUES
VISION
USL is a global learning community recognized for science and technology across all disciplines, strong research,and
responsive community engagement grounded on the CICM mission and identity for a distinctive student experience.
MISSION
USL sustains a Catholic academic community that nurtures persons for community, church and society anchored on
CICM’s Missio et Excellentia.
DUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND CORE VALUES
The University of Saint Louis upholds the philosophy that education is for building of self and persons for the Church and
the Society. Wisdom builds. To these ends,the following are the core values of University of Saint Louis; integral in the formation
of every member of the Louisian community.
1. Christian Living. We are witnesses to the Gospel values as taught and lived by Christ thus making God’s love known and
experienced by all.
2. Excellence. We seek and maintain uncompromising standard of quality in teaching, learning, service, and stewardship of
school resources.
3. Professional Responsibility. We are committed to efficiently and responsibly apply the learned principles, values and
skills in the chosen field of discipline, taking initiative and command responsibility in one’s professional advancement.
4. Social Awareness and Involvement. We engage ourselves with society by listening to the prevailing issues and concerns
in the society, thereby initiating and participating in constructive and relevant social activities for the promotion of justice,
peace and integrity of creation and for people’s wellness and development consistent with the CICM charism.
5. Innovation, Creativity and Agility. We keep ourselves relevant and responsive to the changing needs of our stakeholders
by being flexible, solution oriented, and having cutting-edge decisions and practices.

19. ASIC ASSUMPTIONS ON CHRISTIAN MORALITY
What is Morality?
The Descriptive title of our course is Christian Morality in Our Times. First, we have to ask what is Morality? Basically,
Morality is connected with norms. So, the next step is to ask what is a norm?
Norm is a fundamental concept in the social sciences. It is commonly defined as rules or standards that are socially
enforced. In the ancient times, when there were no formal social structures such as government and the Church; or when
the different religions were not yet organized as they are now, norms often come in the forms of customs, rituals, and
traditions. This was so since people would easily follow these standards if it becomes part of their lifestyles until it
becomes part of their way of living. In the Philippine context, respecting one’s parents would be taught by saying “po”
or “opo” to them, or by the practice of “pagmamano”.
Norms would only come in the forms of rules, regulations, or technically called law when society became more socially
organized in their government systems. When different societies mature or develop, their moral standards would also
become more organized, more so when they realized how important is the laying out of the rules to govern human
actions for the sustenance of the peace and order in society which will pave the way for more social progress and further
developments. So, what is morality in a more technical definition?
Morality is a science that deals with the “quality” (goodness or badness) of human acts/actions. “Science” generally
means a field of study. So, morality will judge whether a certain act or action is good or bad. How does morality judge
human act/actions? Morality needs basis/bases which are the rules or standards or technically called Law. In general,
these rules or standards or laws are called norms.
Our next question is, how did morality arrive with these norms? If the human person came up with these norms or
found these norms by thinking deeply/reflecting or so, called philosophizing, then the process or the science is called
Moral Philosophy. In other situations, if the norms or rules were given or revealed by God or the Divine Being, the
science is called Moral Theology.
What is the difference between the two?
Moral Philosophy found out the norms or rules by using purely human reasoning or called philosophizing, while in
Moral Theology, these rules or norms were given or revealed by God. An example of norms in Moral Theology is the
Ten Commandments. So Moral Philosophy relies on pure reasoning/deeply thinking while Moral Theology would
depend on God’s revelation and faith. Aside from Philosophizing and God’s Revelation, let us try to find out how others
come up with norms for the human person.
Source of Norms:
Three Bases in coming up with a good/right norm for human act/human life. Knowing the Origin, Nature and the
End/Destiny of the human person.
The concepts of the Origin, Nature, and the Destiny of the Human Person and their serious implications in coming up
with moral norms.
1. The Concept of the Origin of the Human Person and all things that surround him/her.
Origin: God (man is a creature of God
: Apes (man came from apes)
Most if not all religions would strongly believe that all creation and the human person came from a creator which we
call "God" whether you call that God YHWH, Allah, Brahman, Bathala, Kabuniyan or what so ever term which would
indicate being all-powerful and other traits expected of a supreme being.
Outside the realm of beliefs, some would strongly propose other theories for the origin of the human person such as the
theories that the human person evolved from other creatures or animals or even product of purely natural happenings.
Serious Implications to Morality:
If you believe that the human person originated from a supreme being called person. An example of this is the 10
Commandments in the case of Judaism or Christianity. The moral laws will greatly respect the dignity of that "God"
and the human person whom He also created. There is what you call "fear of the Lord" as part of your moral norms.

20. For the second concept of the origin of the human person which suggests that we evolved from other animals or just
product of purely natural events, its moral norms will just depend on the nature of the human person which will just be
purely animal. With this, there will be no higher dignity for the person to be respected and there will also be no fear or
respect for a higher being or higher authority which is called "God" So, you can just do whatever you want such as
easily manipulating others even to the point of killing fellow human persons since you may think that man is the highest
authority on earth.
2. Human Nature / Natural law (since man is part of the whole nature or Creation)
The same with the concept of the origin of the human person, one's concept/view of the nature of the human person will
also dictate what set of moral norms is being set to be followed or lived by us humans.
Serious Implications to Morality:
As being explained above in the concept of the origin of all things, if you believe that we are both bodily and spiritual
beings since we are creations of God, then our moral norms will flow from such concept, and if you just believe that we
are purely animals, then our moral norms will also flow from such view like treating us as purely animals.
3. Destiny / End / or the Ultimate Goal of human life
Different religions commonly believe that as we were created by a higher being or called Supreme Being, we also have
a good destiny prepared for us. We commonly believe that there is a life after the death of our physical aspect. This is
called "heaven" in Christianity, and other religions have also their own terms for such a destiny for the human person.
On the other way around, other people who do not believe in beings that are higher than the human person will just say
that there is no such thing as life after death. Death is the ultimate end of the human persons.
Serious Implications to Morality:
The same with the case of the concept of the origin of all, the view for the end/destiny of the human person will also
dictate what set of moral norms is being laid for us. If you strongly believe in the life after death and going there at the
end of life requires good moral life, then we have to do good in our lives to be able to attained such destiny. On the
other hand, if there is no noble end/destiny for the human person, then there are no such thing as moral norms. There
will be norms but they will greatly depend on the concept of the people who can manipulate the others.
With the presentation of the different sources of moral norms, I hope it now clear to us why there are norms or laws
which we find not compatible what we believe especially with our views on the origin and the destiny for the human
person. There are also norms/laws which we find not compatible with our basic nature as human persons. These norms
which we strongly believe as not good for us are what we call misconceptions on morality. So, coming up with wrong'
norms is a product of one's misconceptions of morality. The misconceptions on morality are just product of the wrong
concept of the origin, nature, and the destiny for the human person.
Summarizing what is being discussed above morality is centered on norms use to judge human acts/actions or other
practices of society whether they are good or bad. The nearest and best basis to come up with moral norms is the nature
of the human person and his/her surroundings/environment since for some people the origin and destiny for the human
person is still unclear or for them others' belief on those matters is unacceptable.
As stated in the beginning of this discussion, for us Christians, the two basic ways on how we arrived with our moral
norms are Philosophy (Moral Philosophy) and Theology (Moral Theology) Formally defining the two will be as follows:
Moral Philosophy studies the goodness and badness of human actions in the light of the highest principles based on
human reason alone While Moral Theology studies the goodness and badness of human actions in the light of revelation
(in the light of Christian' faith to attain his final goal).
Our course, Christian Morality is based on both Moral Philosophy and Moral Theology.
Christian Norms are product of these two fields of science.

21. UMAN NATURE / THE HUMAN PERSON
Introduction
In our discussion last week, we mentioned the three bases on how morality came up with the norms for the human person
which are: the origin of all things, nature, and the destiny of all. Among these three bases, the closes or nearest from
which morality derived norms for the human person is Nature. Nature in its totality refers to our environment as a
whole, and since we are living on earth or connected to mother nature/earth, we are essentially part of nature. With this,
we will discuss first the characteristics of the nature of the human person based on nature, after which is his/her traits in
a theological view and the last part will present some views about his/her ultimate end/destiny.
Human Nature / The Human Person
Who or what is the Human person based on Nature?
Since the actions of the human person flows from what he/she is, we need to discuss his/her nature by enumerating its
essential characteristics.
1. Rational Being - The human person has intellect/mind/reason. She/he discovers things by reason, and she/he is
the only animal who knows the she/he knows. He/she thinks, rationalize, reflect and other activities of the
intellect.
2. Has Free-will. The human person is free/has freedom which means he/she has two or more options or choices
and also has will which is the power to act or not to act on his/her choices. Will is the power to do or not to do
or to act or not to act.
3. Has Conscience - is the practical judgement of the intellect on what is good or what is bad, and is prompting the
person to always do/follow what is good.
4. Loving being - Aside from the love between opposite sex which is designed for the continuity of the human
species, generally, loving means desiring the good of others.
5. Body - Person - We have a flesh (physical part), which connects us to the material world. Our bodies (physical
part) is dependent on nature/earth. Our bodies use the elements of the earth. The death of mother earth will also
be the death of our bodies.
6. Sexual - refers to being male or female which is intended for companionship and procreation.
7. Unique Though Social - We are individuals and need independence but we are also social being: live with
others. These two are inseparable. We are individuals and need independence but we also need the presence of
others to complete ourselves.
8. Historical. We have continuity with the past.
9. Transcendental: We always aim higher, to surpass our achievements, since we are longing for Completeness or
total satisfaction/contentment. This also means that human person has Metaphysical (meta = beyond) aspects
such as intellect, emotion, conscience and others.
What is the Implication of the Human Nature to Morality?
Going direct to the point, what does your nature has to say to your actions? As we have stated above, our actions flow
from our nature. Example, if you are historical beings, then you must learn from your past experiences; if you are a
loving being, you must always desire what is good for others; if you are a rational being, then you think before you act;
if you are transcendental, then you are not satisfied with your present achievements, or it will lead us to ask and reflect
that if we are transcendental, are we heading to a certain destiny?; if we are body persons, do we need to take care of
mother earth? and the likes. Among these traits of the nature of the human person, which should regulate the others and
his/her human actions/decisions?
Among the nine traits stated above, the one which should always regulate the others or human actions which proceed
from the other traits is Conscience. This is because using the other traits like intellect or freewill alone without the

22. intervention of Conscience can lead to misuse, or abuse of human actions. Example is thinking, if you are problematic,
you can think of some bad actions as a solution to your problems which in the end is not the case, but it will just add or
complicate your problem.
Since we are Christian who strongly believe in the existence of a Creator (Theos or God) as the origin of all and the
proper destiny which this Creator prepared for us, we also need to look at the other traits of the human person based on
this perspective.
Who/What is the human person in a TheologicalPerspective/View?
1. Masterpiece of God (God’s Image and likeness): If we are the image and likeness of God, means we reflect
some of the important characteristics of God such as goodness, loving, just, compassionate and many others. So,
if God is good, then basically we are also good; if God is just, we are also basically just, and others.
2. Fundamentally/innately good or moral being: No human person is bad or evil, only our wrong actions are bad
or evil and not the human person.
3. God’s partner/“co-creators” of God. God created the world and us as “incomplete” or imperfect so our mission
is to develop or bring ourselves and our world to perfection. This is why we are called stewards of God’s creation.
Part of our being “co-creators” of God is our being sexual (male or female) which is design for pre-creation.
4. Rational being - has intellect or reasoning or mind.
5. Free-will - has freedom and will which he/she can use to act or not to act.
6. Brother’s keeper(social, and communal): we need to take care of others aside from ourselves.
7. Weak/has fallen nature/“brokenness”: This is called original sin in Theology. In other terms we may call this
being “incomplete”, or “unfinished”. From this being incomplete comes your mission which is to finish or
complete yourselves. Point of reflection: What if God created us as perfect beings, what will you do?
8. Graced: this means we are aided/being assisted by God in our journey of bringing ourselves to perfection. In the
Catholic Church, God’s grace will come to us through the Seven Sacraments and our other ways of connecting
with our Creator.
9. Transcendental: this pushes us to look for the ultimate meaning of life and ultimately to our God.
10. Children/family of God. We belong to the family of God, formally through Baptism.
11. Destined for the Kingdom. We have our destiny which we commonly call “heaven” or
“paradise” or in Jesus’ words called the Kingdom of God.
Basically, most of these traits of the human person in this Theological respective are the same with those traits based
on Nature since these are parts of the basic nature of the human person. There are just other traits which are rooted in
our connectedness with our Creator. So, for its relevance to Morality, we have to ask the same question, what do these
traits of the human person in the Theological view say in how he/she should act or live?
The same answer, that these traits of the human person should strongly influence how he/she acts or live his/her life. In
the formulation of specific norms for the human person, these traits should be strongly considered since these are
the ones which will help direct the human person to perfection/completeness or to his/her proper destiny which we call
the Kingdom of God.
The same clarification also that why do we need to formulate norms/rules/laws for the human person if his/her
nature should influence his/her actions? Well, there are many people who abuse their other faculties like
mind/intellect, freedom and others, and they also ignore the very basic and immediate norm which is Conscience.
This is why there are many norms or set of norms laid for the good of the human person and one of the very basic set of
norms is the Ten Commandments.
With this, we hope that the sources of the norms of Morality is now very clear to us. For a kind of widening of horizon,
let us look on the other views in the destiny for the human person since we also said earlier that the concept of the destiny
is also one of the sources of the norms of morality.

23. Some views in the Ultimate End/Destiny of the Human Person
Most if not all of these other views or concept of the destiny for the human person are just product of philosophizing
(Philosophy).
a. Hedonism
For this Philosophy, the ultimate goal for the human person is Happiness, and this happiness is found in pleasure
(“sarap”). So, “kung saan ang masarap, dun ang kasiyahan”. This pleasure is sensual.
Therefore, for this certain philosophy, the norm for human action is to look for pleasure/pleasurable things.
b. Marxism: A philosophy by Karl Marx which looks at the human person as purely material being or from mater and
there are no such things as metaphysical aspects such as souls and also God. This view just focused on the way of
governance since it was more of a reaction to the abuses of the democratic and other forms of governing people.
For Marxism, the ultimate goal of people is to have a Classes Society (no rich, no poor). This was achieved in a
communistic form of government. Development or progress must always be for the common good/not individualistic.
Norm: Do everything for the common good. Never mind individual goals or individual progress, set aside yourselves.
“all for one, one for all”.
c. Nihilism:
For this philosophy, the human person and his/her life has no ultimate meaning, no ultimate value. If the human person
and life is meaningless or no value at all, what is your norm for life and for your action? Aside from having no definite
norm, you reflect on the danger of this kind of philosophy.
d. Christian view:
For Christianity, the ultimate goal/destiny for the human person is to enter the Kingdom or to have eternal
union/happiness with God.
Norm: Follow the teachings of God such as the Ten Commandments.
As you may have noticed in our discussion, the view of the nature of the human person and his/her ultimate destiny
plays a very crucial role in laying out norms for human actions or for his/her way of living. As we have said in our past
discussions, “wrong” concept of the nature and the destiny for the human person cause a lot of misconceptions about
morality and produces a lot of wrong principles or norms. Examples of these wrong principles/norms of morality are the
following:
a. Morality is a matter of opinion. This means that moral norms are subjective; depends on the person.
b. All opinions about morality are equal and correct. Therefore, all opinions should be followed.
c. Morality is outside the world of practical people. Whatever impractical is not good.
d. Morality develops guilt and moral obligation which makes life unhappy. So, we need to
set aside moral norms.
Point for reflection: What are the possible or even probable things that will happen to people and to society if all these
wrong principles about morality are correct?
After discussing all the sources of norms for the human person and their serious implications if there are misconceptions,
our next question is, what should we really judge as good or bad? Is it the human person or his/her qualities or traits or
his/her actions? Reflect on this for our discussion next meeting.
ASIC CONCEPTS IN MORALITY
What is Morality?

24. Morality is an encompassing concept that serves as the underlying force for every action of an individual and of a
society. Morality takes the crucial role of formulating, establishing and setting ethical norms of conduct that govern
behaviors and actions of an individual or group of individuals in order to achieve harmony, unity, and order within a
society.
Purposes of Morality:
Why do we need to follow certain standards or set of norms? In our past discussions, we answered this by saying that
we need norms since some of the faculties of the human person like freedom and is/her passions can be exercised in an
abusive manner or even destructive to the person himself/herself and to others. Going deeper, why do we need to use
our faculties in a wise or good way? Will it lead us to a higher end? This will tell us that there are noble reasons why
we need to follow set of norms which are the following below:
A. For the Fullness of freedom – for the human person to be totally free
God created the human person as a rational being, conferring him/her dignity of an individual who can initiate and
control his/her actions. God willed that man/woman should be ‘left in the hand of his/her own counsel’ so that she/he
will, of his/her own accord, seek his/her Creator and freely attain his/her full blessed perfection. Man/Woman is “rational
and, therefore, like God. He/She is created with free will and is master over his/her acts.” So, norms are not prohibitions
or imprisonment for the human person but are guide for him/her to be totally free.
To clarify this, what will happen to you if you do whatever you want? This is the young’s perception of freedom. If I
will do whatever I want, like I will just steal others’ property or even kill someone, what will happen to me? It is either
I will end up in the prison cell or I will go hiding. Doing whatever I want will make me unfree. So, freedom does not
mean I will do whatever I want, but I will always do anything so long as it is good for me and for others. Freedom is
aimed at the perfection of the human person.
B. A guide to the Fullness of Human Development
Moral development is part of human development. Moral development is the process through which children develop
proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms, rules, and laws.
Moral development is a concern for every parent. Teaching a child to distinguish right from wrong and to behave
accordingly is a goal parenting.
So, developments whether scientific, social, economic and others should always follow norms of morality or else, they
are aimed for destruction of many things as mentioned above.
C. A Guide towards Reality(truth ofthings, life)
Morality is a guide for the human person to discover reality or the truth of things, and of life. This will lead the human
person to discover the hierarchy of values until the ultimate value of life and of all things. So, this will help the human
person to set his/her priorities in life until her/his attainment of the ultimate goal which is the eternal union and happine ss
with his/her Creator.
E. The Entrance of Eternal Life into the Life of the Human Person
After following the moral norms, discovering the truth and real value of all things, and bringing himself/herself to
perfection, the human person will be able to reach his/her final destiny which is to enter the kingdom of God. Morality
reveals and leads the human person to his/her ultimate end/destiny.
After finding out the purposes of MORALITY, let us go back to the causes why there is morality, although, there were
implied in the discussions above, we will enumerate and briefly explain them for clarification purpose.
MORALITY PRESUPPOSES the following:
1. The existence ofGod
Morality points us to the existence of the Creator of all things who is totally good and perfect and whom we call
“God”. Since this creator is totally good or perfect, He/She also gave us am guide to attain total goodness or
perfection.
2. Intellectand Free Will
Intellect, freedom, will, and passions needs moral norms so for them not to be abuse, misuse or overuse.