Understanding Happiness, Freedom, and Moral Choices
The Desire for Happiness
The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin. God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw him. The Beatitudes discover the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of human acts: God calls us to his own beatitude.
Basic Options: Six Dimensions of Man
The six dimensions of man are:
- Man is not an abstract kind, but a personal being who lives on the other.
- It is a being in time.
- Man is a being in relationship.
- The natural and supernatural.
- God and man.
- Eschatological dimension of man.
Definition of Key Option
The fundamental choice is the primary human attitude in which the person freely and gradually assumes the full reality of his own being, forming his own personality and human-moral character. This gives his existence a basic orientation, and inserts him effectively in a socio-cultural and historical evolution accordingly.
Elements Comprising This Option
- From a human point of view: The global perception, from a basic freedom, a deep and dynamic guidance of our lives.
- Perceive and accept God at the root of our being and our existence.
Sin and Fundamental Choice
When man ceases to be directed toward God, it breaks the structure of your very being, the end. This breaking up with the order may be partial and temporary, permanent and progressive and permanent.
Not every sin breaks the fundamental option, but can weaken it. This does not mean that a single mortal sin cannot break the fundamental action.
Freedom and Responsibility
Freedom attains its perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude. The more good works, man becomes more free. Freedom makes man responsible for his acts to the extent that these are volunteers. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to the slavery of sin.
Development of Moral Judgement: Opinion of Conscience
Conscience is a view of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he has done, is doing, or will do. In everything he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows is right and just. It’s called cautious man who chooses as the trial of consciousness.
The Formation of Conscience
The education of conscience is a lifelong task. Prudent education teaches virtue, cures fear, selfishness and pride, resentment feelings of guilt. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom and engenders peace of heart. In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path.
The Passions
The term “passions” belongs to the Christian patrimony. Feelings or passions are emotions or movements of the sensitive appetite that incline us to act or not to act in what is felt or imagined to be good or bad. They are the link between life and the sensitive spirit. Our Lord called man’s heart the source from where the movement of the passions.
Passions and Moral Life
In themselves, the passions are neither good nor bad. Are morally qualified only to the extent that rely on reason and will. Belongs to the perfection of the moral or human good that the passions be governed by reason. Passions are morally good when they contribute to a good action, evil in the opposite case.