THE HUMAN

PERSON IS
CALLED MAKE
MORAL
DECISIONS
How do we make good moral
decisions that are most pleasing to
God and best for our personal
growth and living with others in the
community?
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed
him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into
temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down
and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my
will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and
strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and
his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them
asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them.
“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Jesus’ distress is so great that He reaches the point of
wanting to die; death would have been welcome relief.
The possibility of the cup to be taken away depends on
His Father’s will.

The hour of destiny has come for His passage to the

Father through death and it brings with it the natural
disgust of humankind.
Even in the most difficult choices of His life, Jesus
remained courageous, faithful, and loving. For us, He is
the model of fortitude and authentic freedom, selflessly
offering His life to fulfill the Father’s will. Indeed, at the
crossroad of suffering and death, Christ chose to love.

As young followers of Christ, we are called to respond to

crossroads- to make decisions –as Jesus did. We look to
Christ’s example and indwelling Spirit in facing our own
moral decisions.
STEPS IN MAKING MORAL DECISIONS:
1. Investigate the Facts of the Moral Act
2. Inquire About the Moral Norms affecting
Your Act
3. Imagine Alternatives and Consequences
4. Introspect: Listen to You Emotions
5. Implore God’s Help in Prayer
1. Investigate the Facts of the Moral
Act
We have to remember when we
consider the intention of the act is that
a good intention can never give good
reason for or justify a way or a means
that is morally wrong. Though the
intention may seem to be “noble,” it does
not excuse the nature of a morally wrong
act.

Circumstances of the act do not

determine whether an is morally right or
wrong but they can, however, diminish
or increase a person’s responsibility or
accountability.
2. Inquire About the Moral
Norms affecting Your Act

Moral norms expressed in laws

and commandments must be
correctly applied in judging
whether our act us morally right or
wrong.

It is our duty as Christians to

understand and strive to creatively
observe these norms and
teachings of the Church.
3. Imagine Alternatives and
Consequences

When we analyze the effects of

our acts, we need to identify both
short- and long term effects.
We should resist the temptation of
making decisions because of its
short term effects.
We also need to imagine other
options in order to choose more
responsibly.
4. Introspect: Listen to You
Emotions

Our feelings help us be more

objective and responsible in
our decision making.
However, every so often we
need to reorient our emotion
to “love what is light instead of
darkness.”
5. Implore God’s Help in Prayer

As Christians, our prayer then

must permeate the whole process
of our moral decision making:
before the choice, while thinking
about it, and after finally making
our decision.

We fulfill this by reflecting and

praying the Bible, visiting the
Blessed Sacrament, and keeping
a personal prayer journal.
Summary:

- Authentic Christian decision-making is not merely

following a series of steps but it is making moral
decisions in relation to the person of Jesus
Summary:
The following elements have to be considered in making moral
decisions:

• Investigate the facts of the moral act: identify and understand its
object, intention, and circumstances;
• Inquire about the moral norm affecting your decision: consult the
wisdom of family and friends as well as the wisdom of moral norms;
• Imagine alternatives with their consequences, both- short term and
long-term
• Introspect; listen to one’s emotions
• Implore God’s help in prayer; and
• Implement the judgement od one’s conscience
REFERENCES:
• Afire with Gratitude: We live a life of love
pages 101-105