A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. If he were deliberately to act against it, he wold condemn himself. Yet it can happen that moral conscience remains in ignorance and makes erroneous judgments about acts to be performed or already committed.
- CCC No. 1790
Reflection: The Church insists that we must follow our conscience but it never says that our conscience is always right. Without a mastery of our will and cultivation of our reason and intellect, the judgment of our conscience can be wrong.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help us to know the truth.
From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)
It IS important for every person to be sufficiently present to himself in order to hear and follow the voice of his conscience. This requirement of "interiority" is all the more necessary as life often distracts us from any reflection, self-examination or introspection.
- CCC No. 1779
Reflection: The ability to "be present to ourselves" is especially difficult in today's society. True silence is rare, and solitude is usually avoided, and yet the saints have always held up solitude and silence as the surest paths to union with God.
Prayer: Jesus, lead us to know our true selves.
From: Day by Day with the Catechism (Catholic Book Publishing Corp., New York)
