You’re Not Above the Law
One
Morality begins with the object
The Catholic moral system understands that we have to consider a lot of factors when we look at a particular situation. We have to consider personal motives. We have to consider likely outcomes. We have to consider the relationships involved.
The first thing we have to look at is the moral object, that is, the nature of the act in itself. Because looking at the nature of the act will tell us whether it can be harmonized with the nature of the human being. And the nature of the human being, the human nature that we all have in common, that is the starting point for all Christian morality.
Two
Don’t jump to the specifics of the situation
All of us want to believe that we’re special. We all want to celebrate that we’re unique. And we are, and that’s fine. But actually what’s most fundamental about us is that we are all people. We are all human beings. We all have intellect and will, we all have feelings, we all have complicated biological systems. And we were all made for Heaven.
In a real sense, that’s the most important thing about us. Not how we’re different, but how we’re the same. It’s that sameness, that common nature, that gives us our basic moral framework.
Three
Morality isn’t Fundamentally about Your Uniqueness
People often want to bend the rules of morality for special circumstances. They want to say, “Listen, my situation is unique.” Or even, “I’m unique.”
In the famous novel, Crime and Punishment, the main character Raskolnikov convinces himself that he’s special and so ordinary morality doesn’t apply to him. So he murders an old woman for her money. Very quickly, his guilt, horror, and psychological deterioration kick in, and he realizes that evil has the same destructive effect on him as on everyone else.
Or look at the transgender movement today. These poor people are trying to let the world know that they’re special, they’re unique, that the normal rules of logic and biology don’t apply to them. But the astronomical suicide rate among those who have transitioned shows that actually, their humanity can’t take it. They can’t just go around violating the laws of their nature and remain unaffected.
No, the first question for morality isn’t ‘How am I different? How are my circumstances unique?’ The first question is, what are the universal laws that apply to me in virtue of that humanity I share with everyone else? “After I’m clear on being true to those laws, then I can explore my own unique path.
Four
Jesus and the Rich Young Man
The Gospel tells us a story of someone who wanted to be special. Who wanted a tailor-made program for his specific situation.
A young man came to Jesus and said, “What should I do? What must I do to have eternal life?” And Jesus says, “Keep the commandments. Honor your parents. Don’t kill, or steal or commit adultery.” In other words, “What do you mean, what should you do? You should do what everyone else should do.”
So Jesus starts with the universal demands of our common humanity. But that wasn’t enough for this guy. He wants more. He wants a program designed particularly for him. He says, “Yeah, I’ve done all that. What else?”
And then Jesus gives him a particular program. He shows that, even though we do have a common human nature, he does have a unique and surprising plan for each and every one of us. And his particular plan for this rich young man is, “Go sell everything you have, give it to the poor, and then come follow me.”
Wow! Talk about special! Talk about elite! Jesus, God almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, is offering this young guy a spot in His inner circle. The man wanted a special, unique assignment. He wanted something tailor-made. And he got it.
But he refused it. He turned Jesus down! Why? Because he was too attached to his wealth and his stuff. In other words, he had the most common problem of them all. Despite imagining himself to be so exceptional, it turned out he was just like everyone else, addicted to money and comfort. And he lost his special call. He walked away from his unique vocation. Because he couldn’t resist the ordinary urge, he passed up his extraordinary opportunity.
Five
Worry About What’s Common – Leave What’s Special to God
So many people, especially young people, are trying to find their unique identity. They’re trying to build a life based on what makes them special. But the Church tells us to focus our lives on what’s common to everyone.
Do what everybody needs to do: Avoid intrinsic evils. detach from stuff, from praise, from self-indulgence, pray and fast and give alms. It’s the same basic program for everyone. Because we’re all human.
God knows what’s unique about you. And He knows how to use it. If we just follow the basic, universal program, we’ll be that much more likely to do something really special when God presents us with the opportunity.