Sep 1 Tue
How will I be able to judge wisely?
A young man came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"
Like us, that man wanted to know clearly the principles on which to base his personal behavior.
The young man was not wise or generous. He chose to keep his riches, which he could go on enjoying for a period of years, but he lost his opportunity to have Jesus, whom he would have had forever.
To be truly wise, it is not enough to know many things. To choose well, one needs a supernatural outlook, prudence, and a readiness to study conscientiously.
This supernatural outlook sets the fundamental principle that should guide our whole life: to keep the commandments. It is an outlook which surpasses human knowledge and experience.
We must think clearly about the things of this world, and compare them with the riches of life with Christ. Thus, we do not lose the sense of the supernatural when evaluating things, making a decision, or giving advice.
A supernatural outlook enables us to apply Christian principles, with prudence and deliberation, to everyday situations. To fulfill God's Will in everything, do not judge by appearances, but judge rightly: it is essential always to be impartial, to have a good grasp of the facts, to distinguish facts from matters of opinion, and to know how to apply the principles of Catholic teaching to the matter in hand.
Forming our critical faculties correctly is a task that requires years of study and prayer. Our presence in the world is another factor contributing to our formation. At the same time, interior life demands a constant battle against opponents from within and without, and we therefore need to be on guard.
Incorrect attitudes can slip in through gradual consent to our own mistakes or those of others. That is when we have to rectify, clarify our ideas, and be humble. It could happen that, through weakness, we occasionally make mistakes. But we must have clear ideas and a clear conscience. We cannot allow ourselves to do things that are wrong and say they are holy.
“On other occasions the atmosphere around us may infect us with its false criteria or its excessively materialistic outlook. Many individuals deliberately set out to darken men's minds and obscure their consciences. They do what the devil has always done: appear in disguise. Sometimes they appear with feigned expressions of respect and understanding and even piety, hiding the mortal poison underneath. But there is nothing new about this ploy: it is clear that the devil has run out of ideas and keeps repeating himself. "
We need purity of doctrine, and certainty and firmness in our judgments. “We have to ask God always to inspire our minds with that faith and supernatural outlook which will confer an objectively correct order of values on our ideas, affections and actions. That soundness of judgment is something we have to ask for as a gift from God."
Moderated by charity and in the presence of God, we will help others avoid being led astray by deceptive influences or those that may lack objectivity.