Jesus' Moral Teachings
1. During this section, we spent a lot of time in class looking at Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Before we started discussing this important passage, we answered a few questions about ourselves and our actions. To answer these questions for yourself, click here.
Some of these answers came easy to me, but a few of them were much more difficult. In fact, Question 2 (what do you really want in life) still remains unanswered. I've never really thought about what I want out of life. For the most part, I've taken everything one day at a time, not planning much for the future or thinking about what I want. I suppose I could answer this question with the desire of all people: to be happy. But this answer is unsatisfactory and only raises more questions: What does happiness mean to me? What makes me happy? How can I achieve this happiness? These are all very tough questions, questions which I haven't completely answered yet.
Seeking Happiness
"How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you."
-Catholic CatechismAfter answering these reflection questions, we maked down which responses were moral and which were immoral. Many of my answers, after looking over them again, were indeed immoral, especially for Question 8 (Ever put others down? Make fun of others? Talk about others behind their back?). Not only had I done all of these things, but I had done them without even giving it a second thought. These actions came easily to me, even though I know that it is wrong. So then I asked myself, Why? Sometimes it was out of anger, sometimes it was out of impatience, and sometimes it was out of habit. All of these reasons are frightening to me, since there really is no excuse for acting in this way. After this reflection, I've realized some of my shortcomings and can now start to try and avoid them.
Next, we marked our original responses as either Christian or not-Christian. For someone who calls himself a Christian, I had many non-Christian responses. When we read Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He says to "Love your enemy," not avoid them like I responded. Jesus also said to reconcile with someone as soon as you become angry with them, and you should not act on this anger or dwell on it. Whenever I became angry or in some type of fight, I usually let the fight continue and try to "win." Neither of these responses agrees with Jesus' teachings. I now see that I have a lot of work to do to try and overcome my shortcomings.
Image from this section
(notice the similarities)
Two Key Ideas from this Section
Julio Diaz
Julio Diaz is a normal man who was mugged in the subway station in New York City. His story, however, is far from normal. When his assailant demanded all of his money, Diaz offered him not only the cash in his pocket but also his coat. Following this encounter, Diaz even treated his assailant to dinner at his favorite marketplace. For Diaz's full story, click here.
You have heard the commandment, 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.' But what I say to you is: offer no resistance to injury. When a person strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the other. If anyone wants to go to law over your shirt, hand him you coat as well."
-Matthew 5: 38-40Diaz's story really amazes me. I know that if I was in his situation, the last thing on my mind would be to help the man who is robbing me. Julio Diaz certainly lives up to Jesus' teachings to "love your enemy" and to "turn the other cheek." I have heard the story of the Sermon on the Mount many times, yet this story makes the Bible passage come to life and puts it into a modern-day scenario. It made the story real, and was a nice reminder that the teachings of Jesus in the Bible are forever, and really do apply to modern times.
This story also is astounding to me since Diaz did all of this without even thinking about it. He did it all It all came naturally to him, and my immoral responses to the above reflection questions came just as easily to me. I thought that this was an interesting comparison.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help."
-Julio DiazFive Precepts of the Church
Another key idea of this section in our text book is the Five Precepts of the Church.
1. Attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy days of obligation
2. Observe the days of fasting and abstinence set forth by the Church
3. Go to Confession at least once a year
4. Receive the Eucharist at least during Easter
5. Provide for the needs of the Church
I had never seen these precepts before, as my grade school had not taught them. This is part of the reason I would like to remeber these precepts, since I did not have the opportunity to learn them before. Also, I often have problems following these, usually because I forget. Sometimes I oversleep and miss Sunday Mass, forget not to eat meat on a Friday in Lent, or fail to add to the collection at Mass. If I can remember these precepts, perhaps I will be more likely to follow them. Also, I want to remember these because they are essentially the duties of every Catholic. These are simple rules, at least compared to other religions, and I feel it is my job as a Catholic to know and follow these precepts.
Question about this Section
Why did Jesus give us the Beatitudes?
The Beatitudes are the basic outline for the path to perfection. The Ten Commandments are the minimal requirements for a Christian who wishes to go to heaven, whereas the Beatitudes take the Commandments a step further. Essentially, the Beatitudes complete and perfect the Commandments.
When Jesus gives us the Beatitudes, he sets the bar for Christian Morality very high. These teachings of Jesus, like many of his other teachings, are the exact opposite of modern man's initial reactions to the world around him. Examples of this are everywhere: road rage, cheating, lying, and the list continues. It is rare for someone to be now to be humble, to actively work for peace, or to forgive someone who has greatly wronged them. Jesus, therefore, gave us the Beatitudes to overcome these immoral reactions to others around us and to outline the basic requirements fo teh "perfect" person.