Fundamentals of Christian MoralityChristian Law of Life-giving Love

Ric A. Cervera

St. Paul University Iloilo

Christian moral life is a free response to God’s calling.

• expressed in moral norms and precepts; and

Christian moral life involves:

• a basic moral vision,

• exercised in personal moral acts guided by conscience.

Motivation is the major problem in Christian moral living – how can we inspire ourselves and others to act consistently according to moral norms.

Jesus Christ is the basic norm who reveals God as our Father and who we truly are.

• inaugurating the New Law of the Kingdom.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law by:

• perfecting the Old Law by subordinating all its precepts to love God and of neighbor.

In his own life Christ taught and perfectly exemplified the two great Commandments of Love.

Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Christ’s “new” commandment of love:

- stresses the inner bond between love of God and love neighbor

Christ’s “new” commandment of love:

- gives new a radically new interpretation of the “neighbor”

- lives out the “heart,” “soul,” and “strength” of loving God through his example and teaching,

Christ’s “new” commandment of love:

Christ’s “new” commandment of love:

- summarizes and subordinates the whole law and the prophets to these two Commandments alone.