Handout

ReEd 3 – Our Restless Hearts: An Introduction to Doing Catholic Morality

Lesson: Morality in the Sacred Scripture

Introduction

Understanding morality in Sacred Scriptures can be complex. Each book gives different nuances. Much can be
said of morality in Sacred Scriptures but we will just focus on the broad theme of “mercy” that Scriptures offer
on what morality means and how this should be lived out.

Mercy is defined as the willingness to enter into the chaos of another, and of being able to accompany that
person in his/her journey.

Morality in the Old Testament

Torah

Morality in the Old Testament is always rooted in the “covenant.” The life of the Israelites always refers back to
the covenant and Exodus account when God delivered them from slavery and oppression in Egypt into freedom.
However, while most cultural renditions of this show a “happy ever after” ending, the rest of the Scriptures
showed that it was still a struggle to do the good. Time and time again, Israel would refuse to respond to God’s
love and invitation to relationship and the good: yet, time and time again, Israel would also ask for forgiveness
and God would forgive them.

Mercy in the Old Testament was often understood as God’s ‘hesed’. It describes the covenant of love between
Yahweh and His people that is gratuitous; meaning, that God freely gives this grace and human beings have not
and do not need to merit this gift. The God of the covenant is a Merciful God. Mercy is the Face of God.

The Prophets

Though the prophetic books are more associated with their social critique and emphasized on social justice,
mercy also plays an important role in the prophetic task – with incisive image of love on God’s part. The Lord
loves Israel with the love of a special choosing, much like the love of a spouse, and for this reason He pardons
its sins and even its infidelities and betrayals.

Mercy differs from justice but not in opposition to it. The prophetic task that is strongly concerned with justice
and repentance always end on a hopeful note of God’s mercy and restoration of Israel.

Wisdom Literature

Acknowledging God’s hesed is an important theme in Wisdom Literature. Examples: Psalm 92:2, Psalm 103:8-
12. In the prophetic books, time and time again, Israel turn away from God, yet God continues to accept Israel
back. Thus, when the Psalms sing praises of God, it is always in reference to God’s care and mercy for erring
Israel.
Morality in the New Testament

The Gospels

In the New Testament, mercy is an important theme in Jesus’ ministry. Examples: Mat. 9:13. Mercy is evident
in His healing of the sick and pardoning of sinners. Mercy was how early Christians witnessed to the Gospel and
is rooted in many of Jesus’ parables and actions – Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:25-37), Parable of the
Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32), Sermon on the Mount and on the Plain (Mt. 5:1-11, Lk. 6:17-49).

PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS (The Words of Jesus: The Beatitudes)

The Beatitudes are the syntheses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. They introduce not only Jesus’ famous
discourse but also summarize it. They present both demands and promises of the kingdom: a demand for us to
participate in the kingdom and to follow Jesus and a promise to lead us to the attainment of true happiness
which comes in knowing and meeting Jesus Himself who is the Truth.

The Beatitudes are also a set of values that we must cherish; they are, likewise, attitudes that we must cultivate
as Christians. Following them, we will feel “blest”, fortunate, happy, and joyful because the Beatitudes are
known as Jesus’ way to true happiness and towards finding true meaning in life. In the Beatitudes, Jesus
calls/challenges us to change our values and attitudes to those of the kingdom of God.

Matthew’s Version Luke’s Version

(Mt 5:3-9) (Lk 6:20-26)

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is 1. Blessed are you who are poor, for the
the kingdom of heaven. kingdom of God is yours.

2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will 2. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for
be comforted. you will be satisfied.

3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit 3. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for
the land. you will laugh.

4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for 4. Blessed are you when people hate you, and
righteousness, for they will be satisfied. when they exclude and insult you, and
denounce your name as evil on account of the
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that
shown mercy. day! Behold, your reward will be great in
heaven. For their ancestors treated the
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will prophets in the same way.
see God.
5. Woe to you who are rich, for you have
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will received consolation.
be called children of God.
6. Woe to you who are filled now for you will
8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the be hungry.
sake of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. 7. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will
grieve and weep.
 8. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for
their ancestors treated the false prophets in
this way.

Recipients Meaning Promises

They are people who trust and depend on God rather than
Poor in on human power and material possession; they recognize Kingdom of God
Spirit that every blessing comes from God and share what they
have with those who are in need.
They are people who welcome pains and misfortunes in life
Sorrowing with faith and hope in God and are sorry for their sins and Consolation
the sins of others as well as the harmful effects these sins
bring.
They are people who are patient and humble to accept both
Lowly criticisms and compliments; they appreciate their giftedness Inherit the land
and assert their rights in a polite way; they advocate non-
violent means in resolving problems and conflicts.
These people are always inspired to do
Hunger and
something more for God and neighbors. They are not Satisfaction
thirst for
satisfied with anything mediocre when it comes to serving
holiness
God and others.
They are people who are willing to forgive and honest
Merciful enough to admit that they need forgiveness; they can Mercy
sympathize with people who are in need and with those who
are suffering.
Pure of They are people who are faithful and loyal to God in good and
heart in bad times and have unselfish motives in serving God and Seeing God
(Single- neighbors.
hearted)
They are people who promote friendliness, truthfulness and
Being called
Peacemaker fairness. They advocate peace and reconciliation and work
children of God
towards these in an active non-violent way.
Persecuted They are people who are willing to risk everything, even their
Kingdom of
for holiness’ very lives, for a just cause.
Heaven
sake

Participation in or living the Beatitudes of Jesus does not mean that one is “already saved.” It means that God
congratulates his followers and dedicates the Kingdom of God to them and invites them to follow Him along the
path.

Pope Francis, in response to the modern day Catholics, proposes an additional six beatitudes:

1. Blessed are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others, and forgive them from
the heart.

2. Blessed are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and the marginalized, and show them their
closeness.
3. Blessed are those who see God in every person, and strive to make others also discover Him.

4. Blessed are those who protect and care for our home.

5. Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others..

6. Blessed are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.

All these are messengers of God’s mercy and tenderness. – a much needed example in our time, and surely will
receive from Him their merited reward.

Sapiential Writings

Mercy is understood as eleeȯ, similar to hesed… The theme of mercy is tied up with Jesus’ salvific act through
the cross and resurrection – the ultimate scandal and the ultimate mercy given to human beings (Titus 3:5, 1
Peter 1:3).

THE FOUR LEVELS OF HAPPINESS

Happiness is the one thing we desire in and of itself, everything else is desired for the sake of happines -- Aristotle

Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, says that there are four levels of happiness. The level that is dominant in our lives will
dictate our actions, choices, and ethics. Whichever level of happiness dominates our lives will determine the
depth and endurance of our happiness.

FIRST LEVEL—IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION

• Objective—pleasure, minimize pain

• Characteristics—obligation is to self alone; no desire for common, intrinsic or ultimate good; lack of self-
worth; fear of tangible loss/harm; boredom
• Gratification—immediate
• Level 1 represents my fundamental drives in life such as physical pleasure, immediate gratification, and
excitement.
• This may be manifested in seeking my favorite food, new clothes, or a nice car.
• The “happiness” that results from this satisfaction, however, is typically short lived, shallow, and impacts
no one else except me.
• Level 1 is not inherently bad, we all need to satisfy those basic pleasures like food and drink, but if we
get stuck in level 1 our lives become a roller coaster constantly seeking to satisfy our next desire. After
the food is consumed it isn’t long before I am hungry again.
• The Latin word for the first level of happiness is laetus: Happiness in a thing.
• Thus, "I see the lechon, I eat the lechon, it makes me feel good, I am happy."
• This kind of happiness is based on something external to the self, is short-lived.
• On reflection, we do not consider that it is all there is to human happiness.

LEVEL 2—COMPARATIVE/PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT

• Objective—Ego-centeredness; being better than others, gaining advantage over others

• Characteristics—Promotion of the self is primary; personal power and control are key; jealousy/envy;
fear of failure; contempt; isolation; loneliness; cynicism
 • Gratification: short-term
• Level 2 is most evident in the need to satisfy my ego.
• The universe exists to serve me.
• I need to be constantly achieving and winning in my life, for example, to be recognized at work, to get
that next promotion, or to make sure my project has top priority.
• In order for me to win, others must lose. I must keep my comparative advantage over others.
• My focus is on power and control.
• Like level 1, level 2 is not all bad. We all need to achieve in order to gain self-confidence, and credibility,
but if my life gets stuck in level 2 as my dominant source of happiness, I will be constantly obsessed with
seeking that next win, and paranoid that others are trying to keep me from it.
• This happiness is also not very pervasive, enduring or deep.
• The Latin term for the 2nd level of happiness is felix: The happiness of comparative advantage. "I have
more of this than X." "I am better at this than X."
• This kind of happiness results from competition with another person. The self is seen in terms of how
we measure up to others. It has been called "the comparison game."
• Such happiness is rather unstable and, if one fails, can lead to unhappiness and sense of worthlessness.
• Exclusive pursuit tends to oppress others. Most people would not imagine a world as satisfactory if it
was composed of only happiness #2 type people.

LEVEL 3—CONTRIBUTIVE

• Objective—Do good beyond self; make an optimal positive difference for others
• Characteristics—Principles include Love, Community, Justice; intrinsic goodness is an end in itself;
decisions are focused on the greater good
• Gratification—Long-term
• Level 3 is also somewhat about ego, but unlike level 2 it is turned outward.
• My skills and talents are aimed at serving others. It is still about winning, but it’s now more about
achieving Win-Win results rather than Win-Lose.
• My desire is in seeking meaning and purpose in my life. I want to make an optimal positive difference in
the world.
• My happiness is now growing in its pervasiveness because it impacts other people. It also lasts much
longer and is deeper.
• Level 3 is where true happiness begins.
• The Latin term for the 3rd level of happiness is Beatitudo: (Beatitudo = happiness or blessedness), the
happiness that comes from seeing the good in others and doing the good for others.
• It is, in essence, other-regarding action.
• Happiness #3 is, in some sense, at war with happiness #2. One cannot be at the same time in competition
with someone else and doing the good for and seeing the good in them.
• Most people would prefer a world (community, family, relationships) structured around the pursuit of
happiness #3 than entirely based on happiness #2.
• Happiness #3 is higher than happiness #2.
• The problem with #3 is that it is necessarily limited. We cannot be someone else's everything.
• For example, we or they, will die and if our happiness is contingent upon them, it dies with them. "There
must be more than this."

LEVEL 4—ULTIMATE GOOD

• Objective—Participate in giving and receiving ultimate meaning, goodness, ideals and love
• Characteristics—God is sought as an end; principles include ultimate Truth, Love, Justice and Beauty
 • Gratification—Enduring, Eternal
• Level 4 is what I ultimately seek in life. I fundamentally desire ultimate or perfect truth, beauty, love,
goodness, and being.
• But I have to recognize that this ultimate goal is not found strictly in the material elements of the world,
it is found in transcendence, what people of faith look for in God.
• Even if someone doesn’t subscribe to a specific religious faith, they still have the fundamental yearning
for perfect truth, beauty, love, goodness, and being. This happiness is the most pervasive, enduring, and
deep.
• The Latin term for Level 4 happiness is Sublime Beatitudo: (sublime = "to lift up or elevate").
• This category, the most difficult to describe, encompasses a reach for fullness and perfection of
happiness.
• The fullness, therefore, of goodness, beauty, truth and love.
• We recognize in this category, those things that are, in a sense, beyond what we are capable of doing
purely on our own.

Conclusion

The Sacred Scripture indeed serves an important role in deepening morality in relation to understanding mercy
as the component so rich in it. It generates knowledge on how to attain happiness by abiding in God’s mercy
and following Jesus’ instructions on Beautitudes.