Wednesday, March 18, 2015
John 21, 15-19 + CSDC and CV
John 21, 15-19 +
CSDC and CV
CV 18 a. Besides requiring freedom, integral human development as a vocation
also demands respect for its truth. The vocation to progress drives us to
“do more, know more and have more in order to be more”[41].
But herein lies the problem: what does it mean “to be more”? Paul VI answers
the question by indicating the essential quality of “authentic” development: it
must be “integral, that is, it has to promote the good of every man and of the
whole man”[42]. Amid the various competing
anthropological visions put forward in today's society, even more so than in
Paul VI's time, the Christian vision has the particular characteristic of
asserting and justifying the unconditional value of the human person and the
meaning of his growth.
Notes: [41] Ibid., 6: loc. cit., 260. [42]
Ibid., 14: loc. cit., 264.
CSDC 550 a. The Church's social doctrine is extremely
important for ecclesial associations that have pastoral action within society
as their objective. These associations represent a privileged point of
reference in that their presence in the life of society is characterized by
their nature as ecclesial bodies; this shows the importance and value of
prayer, reflection and dialogue for addressing and improving social realities.
One must keep in mind the distinction, in each case, “between the activities of
Christians, acting individually or collectively in their own name as citizens
guided by the dictates of a Christian conscience, and their activity acting
along with their pastors in the name of the Church”[1152].
Notes: [1152] Second Vatican Ecumenical
Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et
Spes, 76: AAS 58 (1966), 1099.
[15] When they had finished
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me
more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love
you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." [16] He then said to him
a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him,
"Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my
sheep." [17] He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do
you love me?" Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
"Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know
everything; you know that I love you." (Jesus) said to him, "Feed my
sheep. [18] Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress
yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out
your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want
to go." [19] He said this signifying by what kind of death he would
glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."
CSDC 548. Prudence makes it possible to make decisions
that are consistent, and to make them with realism and a sense of
responsibility for the consequences of one's action. The rather widespread opinion that equates prudence
with shrewdness, with utilitarian calculations, with diffidence or with
timidity or indecision, is far from the correct understanding of this virtue.
It is a characteristic of practical reason and offers assistance in deciding
with wisdom and courage the course of action that should be followed,
becoming the measure of the other virtues. Prudence affirms the good as
a duty and shows in what manner the person should accomplish it[1146]. In the
final analysis, it is a virtue that requires the mature exercise of thought and
responsibility in an objective understanding of a specific situation and in
making decisions according to a correct will[1147].
Notes: [1146] Cf. Catechism of the
Catholic Church, 1806. [1147] The exercise of prudence calls for a
progressive formation in order to acquire the necessary qualities: “memory”
as the capacity to remember one's own past experience with objectivity, without
falsification (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 49,
a. 1: Ed. Leon. 8, 367); “docilitas” (docility) that allows one to learn
from others and to profit from their experience on the basis of an authentic
love for truth (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 49,
a. 3: Ed. Leon. 8, 368- 369); “solertia” (diligence), that is, the
ability to face the unexpected with objectivity in order to turn every
situation to the service of good, overcoming the temptation of intemperance,
injustice, and cowardice (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae,
II-II, q. 49, a. 4: Ed. Leon. 8, 369-370). These cognitive dispositions permit
the development of the necessary conditions for the moment of decision:
“providencia” (foresight), which is the capacity of weighing the efficacy
of a given conduct for the attainment of a moral end (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa
Theologiae, II-II, q. 49, a. 6: Ed. Leon. 8, 371) and “circumspectio” (circumspection),
or the capacity of weighing the circumstances that contribute to the creation
of the situation in which a given action will be carried out (cf. Saint Thomas
Aquinas Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 49, a. 7: Ed. Leon. 8, 372). In the
social context, prudence can be specified under two particular forms: “regnative”
prudence, that is, the capacity to order all things for the greatest good of
society (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 50, a. 1:
Ed. Leon. 8, 374), and “political” prudence, which leads citizens to
obey, carrying out the indications of authority (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas
Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 50, a. 2: Ed. Leon. 8, 375), without
compromising their dignity as a human person (cf. Saint Thomas Aquinas Summa
Theologiae, II-II, qq. 47-56: Ed. Leon. 8, 348-406).
[Initials and
Abbreviations.- CSDC: Pontifical Council for Justice And Peace, Compendium of the Social
Doctrine of the Church; - SDC:
Social Doctrine of the Church; - CV: Benedict
XVI, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in truth)]
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