Conscience: Bible Readings

Skim these Scripture passages. Pick one that appeals to you and

  1. summarize its main point,
  2. tell how it relates to the theme “Understanding Conscience”,
  3. list one or two thoughts that entered your mind when you read it.

Faith Reflection: Conscience

Saint Paul wrote that the difference between what we will know in heaven is as great as the difference between what we know now and what we knew when we were children:

When I was a child, my speech, feelings, and thinking were all those of a child; now that I am a man, I have no more use for childish ways. What we see now is like a dim image in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face. What I know now is only partial; then it will be complete – as complete as God’s knowledge of me.

Meanwhile these three remain: faith hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:11-13

As a child gradually emerges into adulthood during the period of adolescence, more and more opportunities arise to form – and test – a personally validated self. Deep within our human consciousness, God has implanted a hunger for the truth, for goodness, for love – all of which are at holy war with the unevolved beast in us, the Id. Human dignity lies in conquering that beast and discovering God’s law, written right into the way God made things and people.

All creatures deserve proper treatment simply because of the way our Creator made them. According to Vatican Council II:

By conscience, in a wonderful way, the law is made known which is fulfilled in the love of God and one’s neighbour. Through loyalty to conscience, Christians are joined to other [persons] in the search for truth and for the right solution to so many moral problems which arise both in the life of individuals and from social relationships. Hence the more a correct conscience prevails, the more do persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and try to be guided by the objective standards or moral conduct. The Church in the Modern World, 16.

What guides you in making important choices, such as the way you deal with your family, friends, and strangers? With animals, food, the environment? Do you treat each consistently or haphazardly: as the mood strikes you or by what you can gain or lose? Are you, honestly, more of an altruist or a utilitarian?

Gender Roles

https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf

 

Paragraph 286 from Amoris Laetitia

 

286. Nor can we ignore the fact that the configuration of our own mode of being, whether as male or female, is not simply the result of biological or genetic factors, but of multiple elements having to do with temperament, family history, culture, experience, education, the influence of friends, family members and respected persons, as well as other formative situations. It is true that we cannot separate the masculine and the feminine from God’s work of creation, which is prior to all our decisions and experiences, and where biological elements exist which are impossible to ignore. But it is also true that masculinity and femininity are not rigid categories. It is possible, for example, that a husband’s way of being masculine can be flexibly adapted to the wife’s work schedule. Taking on domestic chores or some aspects of raising children does not make him any less masculine or imply failure, irresponsibility or cause for shame. Children have to be helped to accept as normal such healthy “exchanges” which do not diminish the dignity of the father figure. A rigid approach turns into an overaccentuation of the masculine or feminine, and does not help children and young people to appreciate the genuine reciprocity incarnate in the real conditions of matrimony. Such rigidity, in turn, can hinder the development of an individual’s abilities, to the point of leading him or her to think, for example, that it is not really masculine to cultivate art or dance, or not very feminine to exercise leadership. This, thank God, has 216 changed, but in some places deficient notions still condition the legitimate freedom and hamper the authentic development of children’s specific identity and potential.

New Testament Study Guides

Yes, these files are free to download and use for your Bible study. These are provided as a supplement to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament.

Creation, Evolution, and Genesis

Judges 2:11-19
1Kings 11:1-13
2Chronicles 36:5-21
Baruch 1:13-2:6

Babylonian: The Enuma Elish

Quote:
It is a disgraceful and a dangerous thing for an unbeliever to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of scripture, talking nonsense on these topics. Many non-Christians are well-versed in Natural knowledge, so they can detect vast ignorance in such a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The danger is obvious– the failure to conform interpretation to demonstrated [“Natural,” or scientific] knowledge opens the interpreter, and by extension, Christianity as a whole, to ridicule for being unlearned.
– St. Augustine

Faithandreason.com

Justice

Not an option, justice is a mandate of Catholic faith. From the beginning, the educational mission of the church has been seem as participation in God’s saving mission. The divine edict of justice requires education for personal and social transformation.

The Catholic school, since it is motivated by the gospel message of Jesus Christ to proclaim liberty to the oppressed, is particularly sensitive to the call from every part of the world for a more just society, and it tries to make its own contribution towards it. It does not stop at the courageous teaching of the demands into practice, first in its own community in the daily life of the school, and then in the wider community.

Catholic schools aim towards a synthesis of faith and culture, of faith and life, syntheses that characterize mature faith. A mature faith will be able to recognize and reject cultural counter-values which threaten human dignity and are therefore contrary to the gospel.

Although all the problems of religion and faith will not be completely solved by academic studies, nevertheless, the Catholic school should be a privileged place for finding adequate ways to deal with these problems.

Strategies to incorporate the Justice Dimension of Catholic schools:

Glory Road Essay Question: What Does It Take to Change the World?

After viewing the film Glory Road write a 5 paragraph essay response to the question: What Does It Take to Change the World?

Pick and choose from the following six ideas to develop your own thesis and topic sentences. In your essay refer to specific detail from the film, your own experiences, and passages from Scripture to develop your response to the question: What Does It Take to Change the World?

One: Recruiting Strategies
(read Luke 14:15-24; 1 Corinthians 1:24-31; and John 3:16-18; John 1:12-13)

  • How does Coach Haskins change his recruiting methods after the traditional methods fail?
    In school, when a team “captain” was choosing up sides for a team — what determined if someone got picked or not?
  • Have you ever wanted to be part of something — knowing you could do well — only to be rejected? Or have you ever rejected someone because of their race, the way they talked, the clothes they wore, or where they lived? Describe your experience.
  • When Paul comments about “the wise” who do you think he is talking about? Who would represent the “wise” in Glory Road?
  • What kind of people does God “recruit?”
  • What does God use as His standard for who makes the team?

Two: Good Players Need Good Coaching
(read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; 2 Timothy 2:2-7)

  • Name some of the behaviors that players on the Texas Western team had to overcome in order to become winners.
  • What kinds of things did Coach Haskins do to discipline his team so that they would work together?
  • What does the Bible say about why some people might not work well together?
  • Name some roles Christians play in changing the world for Christ.
  • Describe a coaching or mentoring relationship you have or had in school. What effect did the coaching have on your performance? What characteristics did you most appreciate in the person who was helping you?
  • What does Timothy — and the rest of us — learn about playing on God’s team from each of the examples that Paul uses?
  • Where should we go to find out what we should do, what the rules are, and how to work hard?
  • Once we have learned how to change the world for Christ, what does Paul say we should do with that knowledge?

Three: Great Players Persevere
(read 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Peter 4:12-19; James 1:2-3, 12 and Romans 5:1-5)

  • What were some of the responses people had when the Texas Western team began to win — especially when they began to beat highly-ranked teams?
  • Once things got really bad, what happened to the team?
  • How was their internal conflict demonstrated outwardly?
  • Who is one of our opponents?
  • Why shouldn’t we be surprised that we face opposition?
  • What does it mean to be reviled?
  • What do James and Paul say we should do in the face of difficult opposition?
  • What is the end result of endurance and perseverance?

Four: Players Don’t Stand Alone
(read Romans 12:4-13, Philippians 2:1-11 and Hebrews 10:23-25)

  • When Coach Haskins announces his decision to his team — what is their response?
  • Some of the white players would never again get a chance to play in a championship tournament, so why do you think they agreed to sit out the game?
  • What lines of support did you see develop that helped Texas Western to prevail? According to the Bible, what are some ways we can show support for one another?
  • How does meeting together regularly contribute to the support of all members?

Five: All Players Triumph through Belief and Action
(read James 2:14-26)

  • What obstacles have you overcome in your life?
  • Can you give some examples of how action confirms belief?
  • What kind of actions can you take that will lead others to Jesus and help to change the world for Christ

Six: Go Play to Win!
(read 1 Corinthians 9:25-27)

  • What one thing will you change about yourself this week to help win the world for Christ?
  • What one thing will you commit yourself to do for someone else in this room to help them in their faith
  • Discuss what you can do to reach out to others and help them to join God’s team.

NRSV translation of the related Scriptures from http://bible.oremus.org/:
James 2:1-10
Luke 14:15-24
1 Corinthians 1:24-31
John 3:16-18
John 1:12-13
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
2 Timothy 2:2-7
1 Peter 5:8
1 Peter 4:12-19
James 1:2-3
James 1:12
Romans 5:1-5
Romans 12:4-13
Philippians 2:1-11
Hebrews 10:23-25
James 2:14-26
1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Studying God’s Finished Picture

Imagine spending 5 minutes trying to complete a 200+ piece jigsaw puzzle WITHOUT looking at the picture.

Now imagine looking at the picture and seeing how many pieces you can add in the next 5 minutes.

In what ways is putting the puzzle together like or unlike putting your life together?

In what ways is the puzzle like or unlike answering the question, “Who Am I?”

Choose one of the following passages to study:

  • read the passage
  • write about what you think the passage says
  • explain what you think the passage means in each of your lives today
  • describe what the passage says we are in God’s eyes

Passages:

  • Genesis 1:26-31
  • Isaiah 43:1-3
  • Colossians 3:5-17
  • Luke 4:18-19
  • Ephesians 5:15-16
  • John 6:21-40
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
  • Ephesians 4:1-32
  • Galatians 5:13-26
  • Psalm 139:1-24
  • John 14:12

What Does God Think About Us?

Read 2Corinthians 5:17-18 and Jeremiah 1:4-8.

As we try to answer the question “Who Am I?” we need to know what God wants for us. What does he think about us?

We also need to look at ourselves – our interests, abilities, weaknesses.

As we go about answering this question we also need to talk with other people. Hearing about our strengths and weaknesses from others often tells us things about ourselves that we overlook.

Try to keep everything you write positive – no jokes or putdowns.