THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Seventh Sunday after Pentecost 7 July 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

All that God has created is good. Actually, when we look at all things we must likewise see that they are good. Somehow, we also see much evil in the world today. This presents a dilemma for us, as we try to discern the moral from the immoral.

Today’s gospel presents us with a key to aid us in unraveling this dilemma. “By their fruits you will know them.” Everything is good, but what makes some things sinful is the disordered will of men. When we take something good and use it badly or for an evil purpose, then we produce evil fruit. The fault does not lie within the material object itself, but rather in the will of man.

We have heard that: “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Too often, men hear or read this and falsely conclude that it is the money (coins and paper) that is evil. This is the farthest thing from the truth. Money is good and useful when it is obtained and used as it was created to be used. The inordinate love of it causes people to hoard it or to use evil means to obtain it. This inordinate love of money causes great suffering and injustice in the world. However, the fault is in the wills of inordinate men and not in the money.

We hear that “power corrupts” and this also, is not quite right. Power only comes from God and it is good. The inordinate pursuit of power or the inordinate use of power is what is evil. Many false religions inspire people to reject authority because authority exercises power. Everyone has seen the evil that those in power have or are capable of performing. What is too often overlooked, is the good that comes from authority and power. When we see with the eyes of faith we discern that all power and authority come from God and is good. Even when evil men use power and authority in a malicious way, those who are subject to them can still benefit by their obedience for the love of God. The lives of the saints testify to us over and over again that in humble obedience all turns out well even if those in authority act immorally. In all humility, they obeyed and suffered great persecution for their loyal and faithful obedience to all that was not sinful or against their consciences. The fruit was manifestly good. “Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt 5. 10)

There is another good that God has created that is commonly abused and put to use for evil purposes and ends. It is our own physical bodies. Beauty is a gift from God, but it soon becomes repulsive when it is vain and proud. Too often, we forget that our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. God lives within us when we are in the state of grace. His joy is to be with us physically. The devils hate our bodies and seek every opportunity to entice us to defile it and thus chase the Holy Ghost out and away from us. We see the increase of “body art” defacing and defiling the God given beauty of the human body everywhere in our daily lives. There is no doubt that some of the “art” has aesthetic merit, but that is not the point we should be focusing upon. The art of man as good as it may be has no comparison with the art of God. The cause of such almost universal defilement of the human body seems to be the result of defiled consciences. When God is driven out of our lives our souls are no longer beautiful and in an attempt to hide the evil that lies within the soul people deface their own bodies with “art.” Needless to say it is quite ineffectual; and it is because of this that many people keep adding more and more until their entire bodies are covered. Their souls become more and more corrupt, and they perceive this and in an attempt to hide it they defile their bodies even more; and as many have seen they are completely repulsive now both inside and out.

Human reproduction is closely linked to the body and this process is also good in itself. But, it is the inordinate use of our reproductive faculties that turn this good into an evil. The act of reproduction is physically the same in either the married or the unmarried state. The difference is in the will. In the married state there is conformity with the will of God; this act is engaged in for the love of God and the desire for children. In the unmarried state, this act of reproduction is engaged in for very selfish reasons (lust) and this act excludes the love of God and most often even the logical purpose of the very act itself, the conception of children. The sin is not in the act itself, but in our wills.

May we learn from today’s Gospel to observe the fruits of everything and discern good from evil. But, let us always remember that all that God has made is good, the evil lies in the perverted use or actions that men perform with God’s good things and this is what renders the fruits evil. When God’s gifts are displayed and used to entice one another to sin it is not the thing that is evil but the will of men that lead and follow in this evil presentation of what is good. Let us not fall into the trap of declaring the human body evil because nudity abounds and leads many into sin and evils abound because of human flesh. Rather let us always remember that all beauty is from God. May we not be enticed by bodies to sin and defilement, but work to make our hearts and minds lift up to God and see His work and know that it is good. Also, let us condemn the evil use that men have made of it. Out of compassion for our fellow men, may we ever strive to assist in lifting their hearts and minds so that this evil abuse may no longer abide in us or in them.