License to Sin One More Time

I loved this comment from Onion Boy of the Luminous Miseries. He is a former evangelical pastor who Crossed the Tiber recently.

"Misinterpretation and situational justification is easy when we are left to interpret things on our own and make up the rules according to the misshapen pattern of our own hearts, ever inclined toward sin. ..... Am I glad that there is a Church that has helped bring understanding and set moral and faith standards and been faithful to deliver the sacraments? Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. "

I too have experienced the damage done when I chose to "make up my own rules according to the misshapen pattern of my own heart."

Catholics talk about having a well-formed conscience. Sin is deceptive and many of us, due to a mistaken sense of "freedom in Christ", become enslaved to sin. As the book of Jude states, sadly we can use our grace and freedom as a license to sin.

Some thoughts from The Catholic Catechism on Conscience:

Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel, bad example given by others, enslavement to one's passions, assertion of a mistaken notion of autonomy of conscience, rejection of the Church's authority and her teaching, lack of conversion and of charity: these can be at the source of errors of judgment in moral conduct.

A good and pure conscience is enlightened by true faith, for charity proceeds at the same time "from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith."

The more a correct conscience prevails, the more do persons and groups turn aside from blind choice and try to be guided by objective standards of moral conduct.