Monday, March 18, 2013
449. What is perjury?
(Comp 449) Perjury is to make a promise
under oath with the intention of not keeping it or to violate a promise made
under oath. It is a grave sin against God who is always faithful to his
promises.
“In brief”
(CCC 2163) False oaths call on God
to be witness to a lie. Perjury is a grave offence against the Lord who is
always faithful to his promises.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 2152) A person commits perjury when he makes a promise under
oath with no intention of keeping it, or when after promising on oath he does
not keep it. Perjury is a grave lack of respect for the Lord of all speech.
Pledging oneself by oath to commit an evil deed is contrary to the holiness of
the divine name. (CCC 2153) In the Sermon on
the Mount, Jesus explained the second commandment: "You have heard that it
was said to the men of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to
the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not swear at all.... Let
what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from the
evil one" (Mt 5:33-34, 37; cf. Jas 5:12). Jesus teaches that every oath
involves a reference to God and that God's presence and his truth must be
honored in all speech. Discretion in calling upon God is allied with a
respectful awareness of his presence, which all our assertions either witness
to or mock.
Reflection
(CCC 2154) Following St. Paul (Cf.
2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20), the tradition of the Church has understood Jesus' words
as not excluding oaths made for grave and right reasons (for example, in
court). "An oath, that is the invocation of the divine name as a witness
to truth, cannot be taken unless in truth, in judgment, and in justice"
(CIC, can. 1199 § 1). (CCC 2155) The holiness
of the divine name demands that we neither use it for trivial matters, nor take
an oath which on the basis of the circumstances could be interpreted as
approval of an authority unjustly requiring it. When an oath is required by
illegitimate civil authorities, it may be refused. It must be refused when it
is required for purposes contrary to the dignity of persons or to ecclesial
communion.
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