An elective course in college changed my life. The year was 1969, and the course was Christian Ethics. My professor made it a course in “Situation Ethics.”
Situation Ethics taught that whether something was right or wrong depended on the situation. Divorce might be wrong in one situation—but right in another. So might abortion, sacrificing to care for an aging parent, have many children or none. It all depended on the circumstances of the situation—and the individual’s assessment of that situation.
The choice of right or wrong was subjective. It was up to me. Young as I was, I had seen enough people do things they said were right when their effects proved them wrong that I did not want to take personal responsibility for judging rightly. I was not wise enough! I was disturbed.
In the class we read Joseph Fletcher, Harvey Cox, and Paul Tillich–theologians who taught situation ethics. But we also read some Catholic theologians who disagreed. They were the “bad guys” who were stuck in the past with Objective Moral Standards. I don’t remember the Catholic authors we read, but they made a great deal of sense to me. I sought more, ran into some of the work of Frank Sheed and Bishop Fulton Sheen at the public library—and started my journey into the Catholic faith.
Objective Moral Standards
The Catholic Church teaches there are Objective Moral Standards. These standards are based on what God has taught in Scripture. Some of those primary standards for how we treat other people are contained in today’s readings. The first reading comes from the book of Leviticus. Leviticus fills out the 10 Commandments. It gives the details for how God’s chosen people are supposed to act. These standards are objective. They apply, no matter what your personal, subjective circumstances, feelings, or opinion. For example:
“You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor.
You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf,
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but you shall fear your God.
I am the LORD.
“You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment.
Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty,
but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin;
nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake.
I am the LORD.
These are specific. They are objective. Pay wages daily for workers who may not be able to eat at night if they do not have their money from the work of the day. Do not defraud or rob also includes not putting something in the way of someone—such as putting a stumbling block in front of the blind, so they might fall. Rendering judgment including honesty, impartiality between the weak and the mighty. It includes telling no lies that would damage a person’s reputation and a requirement to take an active role when failure to intervene might cost a person his life.
Today’s Gospel
Today’s Gospel has more than once in my life called me back to awareness of those Objective Moral Standards. Jesus taught this story to his disciples during Holy Week, the last week of his life. I remember a homilist once calling this Gospel “Jesus’ Final Exam.” It says, literally, that we will be judged by how we treat people whom we see as less than ourselves or who do not have what we have—the poor.
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
The Objective Moral Standard here is that we treat the least as if they were the best—as if they were Jesus. The Objective Moral Standard here is also that Jesus also sees what we don’t do. A sin of omission is a sin.
This Lent
This Lent began for me on Ash Wednesday morning by being guided by the Holy Spirit to read this from Michael Quoist’s book, Prayers.
“This evening, Lord, I am afraid. I am afraid, for your Gospel is terrible. It is easy to hear it preached, But it is very difficult to live it. I am afraid of deluding myself, Lord.
I am afraid of being satisfied with my decent little life, I am afraid of my good habits, for I take them for virtues; I am afraid of my little efforts, for I take them for progress; I am afraid of my activities; they make me think I am giving myself. I am afraid of my clever planning; I take it for success.
I am afraid of what I give; it hides what I withhold; I am afraid, Lord; there are people who are poorer than I; Not so well educated, housed, heated, fed, cared for, loved.
I am afraid, Lord for I do not do enough for them, I do not do everything for them. I should give everything.
I should give everything until there is not a single pain, a single misery, a single sin in the world.
I should then give all, Lord, all the time. I should give my life.
Lord, it is not true, is it? Your command is not for everyone–
I am exaggerating; I must be sensible!
Child, there is only one commandment, For everyone: You shall love with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.”
(Michael Quoist. Prayers. Translated by Agnes M Forsyth and Anne Marie de Commaille. New York: Avon, 1975 p 106-107)
Prayer:
Lord, as Lent begins, You have convicted me. Now convert me. Your Word, Your Objective Moral Standards, are hard. They are strict. Before Lent You guided me to read all of Life in Christ, the part of the catechism that tells what your Objective Moral Standards are. I have studied the 10 Commandments part in the past. But there is more that I’m reading now. Lord, your Gospel is terrible when I compare my mostly comfortable little life to it. Lead me and guide me through this Lent, through your Scriptures of Your standards and through the catechism day by day. Show me what to turn away from and show me where to grow toward . Give me the grace to say “yes” to You and to be better conformed to Your standards when Easter comes.
