Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 <inaudible> the Holy spirit before I get started, everybody's always welcome to record my, my sermons. That's no problem, but I've been told by my general superior, I'm not allowed to publish or have anyone publish, uh, this term. So for my part, I'm happy to have a curling merit, but you want to pray for the superiors because they have to answer for everyone who could be helpful. So keep them in your prayers. As usual quotes have been cut and pasted, and there's too many sources to cite them without making, not very tedious, be not drunk with wine name of the father, the son, Holy spirit. Now temperance is the virtue. Now remember sure is a good habit advice. Is it a bad habit temperature because the virtual, which moderates our sense appetites in regards to the satisfactions and pleasures that are associated with our instincts for self preservation for procreation paragraph 2290 of the catechism of the Catholic church speaks of this virtue, the virtue of temperance, and tell us the quote, the virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess, the abuse of food, alcohol, tobacco, or medicine close quote.
Speaker 0 00:01:27 The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of access or abuse of food and alcohol, tobacco or medicine. So today we're going to spend some time talking about one of the parts of temperance, the virtual, which helps us avoid every kind of excess with respect intoxicating substances. And that is the virtue of sobriety sobriety. The virtue that helps us avoid every kind of excess in the use of intoxicating substances. Now, why would we need a special issue with regards to in confiscating subs? One basic principle on base. The truth of the moral life is that wherever there's a special danger of sin, there is need of a special virtue. And that certainly applies to the virtue of sobriety. The virtue of sobriety is needed for the use of substances, such as alcohol, the cousin quote, the rapidity with which they make the call, the loss of the use of breeds and the ease with which one can you form the habit of drinking to access close call.
Speaker 0 00:02:36 So that's why we need a virtuous surprise. It's because of the rapidity with which stuff alcohol can cause loss of. And because of the ease, which one you can form a habit of drinking to excess. In other words, because intoxicating substances have their very nature. That's what they call it intoxicating that can easily cause the loss of use of lazy. And because they're addictive because of time constraints, we're not going to speak to them in any depth about addiction. I've heard acknowledged that there's a very great danger here, and we all know that we're going to speak largely a philosophy of reasons. So what's the problem. What's the loss. Some reason at the level of nature, our greatest natural KIPP is the use of reason. The use of reasoning, the use of his greatest lifts us up into a whole beautiful thing. Universe. It's different.
Speaker 0 00:03:33 Since we have an intellect in a wheel, we can know that true and the good and the beautiful we can know right from wrong. Even on a natural level, we can recognize that there's one God and so on and so on. So in this sense, we're completely unlike the brute animals who cannot and never will be able to know right from wrong, but true, the good or the beautiful, and paranthetically, uh, this is one point on which there's plenty of it, but at one point in which they are, people are just completely out of touch with reality, right? Animals don't know right from wrong and they don't raise it and they never will. They don't. I mean, I'm from Montana. It's way, way more cattle up there and human beings. And at every followship and Rusk, and they haven't figured it out yet, and they're not going to either.
Speaker 0 00:04:23 They're just fugitives from a hamburger and they don't know that. And they never will. If they had a reason, I think they could gang up on us, but is it going to happen? They don't have the use of the reason sometimes when you hear these animal rights people. Well, anyway, I digress. The point here is that brute animals don't have use of reason. And we do it's our greatest gift. Well, once we see that, once you understand them, it's easy to see why the virtuous sobriety is so important because the loss of reason we're not talking about getting knocked out here by a coconut, falling off a tree or something. But by the loss of reason, we, the deliberate loss of reason without a very serious reason is an evil. That's actually an act by which a man is deliberately depriving himself of his greatest natural gift.
Speaker 0 00:05:13 It's actually an act by which man actually deliberately lowers himself to the level of a brooding animal. The difference of course, is that an animal cannot lower himself to a level below his nature, but a man can Pope Pius. The 12th explains his very point to appreciate the lawfulness of the suppression for lessening of consciousness. One must consider that reasonable and fairly controlled activity is the characteristic Mark of the human being. The individual would be unable to carry out. For example, his daily work, if he remains habitually plunged in a Twilight state, moreover, he has an obligation to relate all his actions. According to the demands of the moral order, since the natural energies and applied instincts left to themselves are incapable of guaranteeing a regulated activity. It follows that the usage, the higher faculties is indispensable, both perceive clearly the precise terms of obligation and for applying them to particular cases, hence derives the moral obligation of not depriving oneself of this consciousness without true necessity close call the whole Pius, the 12th reasonable and freely controlled activity is the characteristic Mark of the human beings who has an obligation to relate all this actions according to proper morals.
Speaker 0 00:06:44 Therefore it falls into the use of reason is indispensable for both seeing clearly the precise terms of moral obligations and for applying them to particular cases, hence derives at the moral obligation of not depriving oneself of this consciousness without true necessity. Since we have a moral obligation of not depriving ourselves of the use, right reason without true necessity, we'll get to those two necessities shortly. Since we have a moral obligation of not depriving ourselves of the use of right reason without true necessity. And since intoxicating substance can easily and quickly do that, it's easy to see why we need a virtue like sobriety. No, all of this is not to say that drinking at all cause somehow bad or evil in itself when moderated by the virtue of sobriety, the use of intoxicating drinks and I quote from moral manual is quote, not only awful, but even virtuous, for example, for the health of the body, for lifting one spirits or fricking Trinity into greater sociability at a gathering clothes. When moderated by the virtue of sobriety, the use of intoxicating drinks is not any lawful or human virtuals. For example, for the health of the body, like giving a hot Tawny to someone who's sick, for example, lifting one spirits or fricking Tridion in greater sociability at a gathering, what was our art's first miracle at our lady's request, it was making it a lot of water into wine at a wedding.
Speaker 0 00:08:16 We continue to quote the use, going to talk about skinny beverages is not able, nor is it unlawful, but it may become evil by raising of some special circumstances. For example, if the person is easily influenced by intoxicating drinks, if one drinks for access or for one kid's scandal to others by drinking clothes. Well, that's just common snips drinking alcohol is not evil nor is it unlawful, but it can become evil because of circumstances. If you're really easily influenced by alcohol, if you drink to excess or you give scandals, Oh, there's blood drinking. You know, if you're from a family of diabetics, it's probably a idea to just constantly shout out on sweets. Not because sweets are bad in themselves, they may be very in a particular way, particularly dangerous to you because of your health because of your circumstances. It'd be similar if you're from a family that struggles a lot and has a lot of alcoholics in the family, it's probably not a good idea for you to drink.
Speaker 0 00:09:17 You know, why risk? We continue on account of the greater spiritual ills that result from there in sobriety, the virtue of sobriety is more imperative in certain individuals, less. There are some who greater spiritual harm to themselves about intoxication. For example, the young whose passions are more easily inflamed and females are more readily taken advantage of enhancing. First Timothy three 11 and Titus two six st. Paul recommends sobriety the women and young men, particularly there are also some who do greater harm to others by intoxication, such as those who should instruct others as Saint Paul makes clear Titus two, two, or should give good example, which st. Paul addresses it in first Timothy three through three, three, or her rulers over the people is a state of Proverbs 31 for close quarter calls. Of course, all of those would apply with special force to print.
Speaker 0 00:10:14 Excellent advice from a moral manual, the carnal principle in regard to the use of these drinks, it's no both one's needs and capacity. And then to observe that measure, some people are capable of drinking, greater quantities and others without showing any evil effects. Again, it maybe happened because of physical weariness, emotional fatigue, excessive hilarity person is the more quickly affected by intoxicants. The individual must always be aware of his condition at any given time so that he will be able to apply the rule of reason and moderation. Temperance requires that an individual observed moderation itself control before, during and after parte fever, intoxicating drinks. Okay. So as we've heard Paul past 12 times, the use of reason is necessary for men since he has obligation to regulate all his actions, according to proper morals. And she has a moral obligation of not depriving themselves of can't this kind of consciousness without trauma-sensitive.
Speaker 0 00:11:15 So what sort of serious raisings will be more like several for Amanda depriving yourself of the use of right reason. Everybody knows it's easy to understand the moral theologians. The answer to this can be lumped into it, basically under the notion of medical reasons. For example, it's morally acceptable for a man to deprive himself of the use of right reason for the purposes of anesthesia or for the relief of very serious pain. That's just common sense. We've seen it Pope past taught that man cannot morally to and stuff the use of reasonableness and necessity because no reason is necessary to regulator our actions according to proper morals. He also proved the medical use of intoxicants for, for the purposes of anesthesia and serious pain. Now, the Pope addresses the immoral. Haven't talked to Kim cool quote from Pius the 12th, one confused consciousness, or suppress it with a soul obligating pleasurable sensations by indulgent drunk, Munis and injecting poisons intended to secure this state. Even if one is seeking only a pleasant state of wellbeing, close quote, Pope Pius, the 12th one may not confuse consciousness or suppressive. The soul of gaining pleasurable sensations by indulging drunkenness and injecting drugs intended to secure this state. Even if one is only seeking a pleasant state of wellbeing. So what is the Pope saying? Plant English? He's saying it's immoral to get you're drunk or get high.
Speaker 0 00:12:46 Well, sum up the tea, the moral manuals here in regards to alcohol, and then we'll turn to drug use. As we've seen in regards to its use can be virtuous it's meant for nourishing mankind and use moderation in accordance with the virtue of surprise. It is quote not only lawful, but even virtuous. And as we saw the circumstances for health of the body lift you on spirits or contributed greater sociability. Again, we also saw that because of circumstances, such as the case of one would get scandals with others by drinking, drinking could be evil. But now let's talk about the lines morally speaking, and the consumption of alcohol itself, where are the moral boundaries? It's easy to keep these in mind. If you think of it as a simple beverage where it's being consumed in a moral fashion and as a drug where it's being consumed in an immoral fashion as a simple beverage, without clause, not central it off, all it produces is a good feeling.
Speaker 0 00:13:46 The boundary here, so to speak is described by one moral manual as a spirit of moderate hilarity. And talkativeness close cool in modern terms, depending on where you're from, that would translate into something like that. The buzzer is life, a very slight bus anyway, depending on the person, because it's very slight. In other words, up to that point, I'll call adds a touch of conviviality and it doesn't impair the use of reason and the absence of other circumstances. There are no sin here. And one of the circumstances we driving that would privately, you know, since it's now based on ketones and your breath drunkness has nothing to do with drunkenness. It has to do with your breath. So there's no relationship to behavior. This would probably be illegal. Some certainly, you know, if you're going to drive some, not recommending that, but I'm just saying, this is where the moral boundary is morally speaking.
Speaker 0 00:14:35 So in the absence of other circumstances is a very slight plus is no sin. The idea is roughly analogous to the use of caffeine in coffee. It's generally there. Uh, you you're drinking coffee as a pick me up and to make the joint are more alert. You're not taking a whole handful of little white pills to do something crazy and just be ricocheting off the walls. That would be immoral. That's clear enough. Again, this is the absence of other circumstances before we go on, just as a note, um, because the weakness of human nature, obviously wouldn't be the brightest thing to shoot for that line every time someone drinks. So anyway, that's the use of alcohol is a simple beverage. Again is a simple beverage. There's no sin at all. If all it produces a good feeling. And again, the bonder hears is slight a very slight buzz, depending on a person.
Speaker 0 00:15:20 In other words, up to that point, it adds a touch, a computer. It doesn't impair the use of reason. There's the key point. It doesn't impair the use of reason, reason it hasn't been impaired. And so in the absence of other circumstances, there's no sin. Now let's turn to the use of alcohol. When it's consumed in an immoral fashion, the use of alcohol is a drug. There are two possibilities here. What the moral is called imperfect drunkenness and perfect drunkenness, imperfect drunkenness and perfect drunkenness. So first imperfect drunkenness, imperfect drunk, and his quote, the sin of imperfect drunkness is a voluntary. So it's not something accidentally happened or somebody, uh, poured a really stiff drink that you didn't know. So it's everywhere when we're talking to we're talking about volunteer, it's an accurate will to do this. So sin of imperfect drawing, this is a voluntary excess intoxicants carried so far.
Speaker 0 00:16:13 That one is somewhat confused in mind, but does not lose the use of reason close clothes, the sin of imperfect drug. And this is a voluntary X and intoxicated Hoskins carried so far, at least somewhat confused. I just did mine, but doesn't use the Louis of reason. So that's what somebody made himself deliberately tipsy quote, imperfect drunkness is a venial sin because in the absence of other circumstances, the harm done is not considerable for tipsy. Man usually suffers nothing more than slightly fuddled brain in steadiness of body close quote, perfect dryness. It's related to reason. This is what we're talking about here. Perfect drawing is quote the sin of perfect ground. This is a voluntary, excess and intoxicants carried so far. That one loses temporarily the use of reason. This does not mean that one must become insensible or fond a stupor be unable to walk, but only the one loses the metal part of direct oneself.
Speaker 0 00:17:08 Morally, even though one could still retain them enough judgment to direct oneself physically, for example, across the street, ascend the stairs safely to find one's cores without hell indications of perfect drunkenness or the detox kit, a person along and distinguishes between right and wrong perpetrates evils to do before in his right mind, either in speech or behavior and frequently cannot remember on silver, not the chief things that he said or did welds wrong clothes. So the sin of perfect drunkenness is a voluntary excess, and it talks into carried so far that one of those is temporarily reuse. The reason we continue to quote perfect dryness is a mortal sin because it is grave disordered to pride oneself of moral judgment. And that's exposed myself to the danger of perpetrating serious crimes and injuries. Moreover, it is a monstrous thing to despoil oneself unnecessarily from reason the greatest natural good of man and make oneself for the time being a maniac, more like a beast than a human being close.
Speaker 0 00:18:10 Cool. So as you can see, it's all related to reason. There's no up to very slight buzz at that level cause there's no impairment of reading. Imperfect drunkenness has appeared impaired region to some degree, and that's why it's a big and perfect drunkenness has made a person not, not acting according to right reason their, their judgment is gone. So we've considered the moral and the immoral use of alcohol. Let's turn to drug use by this. We're not speaking of the legitimate medical uses of drugs. We're speaking of what is commonly called creational drug use. We've already, I heard the teaching of Paul POS at 12th at one may not confuse consciousness or suppressive with a sole operative gaining pleasurable sensation, but indulgent and drunkenness and injecting drugs intending to secure this state. Even if one is only seeing a pleasant state of wellbeing.
Speaker 0 00:19:07 So you have all the principals there vote will continue. We can get some idea of the morality of recreational drug use by considering a word fond to places in sacred scripture in Galatians five 20 and in the park clips, 1823 inspire in their word of God, used the word, which is usually going to be translated sorcery in the sense of witchcraft or spells. But that same word used by God. Isn't inspired word is pharma kid can also be translated drug use and the sense of recreational drug use. So scripturally speaking, recreational drug use can be seen as equivalent to soar through the catechism of the Catholic church directly addresses this moral problem with various strong words in paragraph 2291. And I quote the use of drugs and flicks it, very grave damage on human health and life, their use except on strictly therapeutic grounds. Is it grave offense, clandestine production of and trafficking drugs are scandalous practices.
Speaker 0 00:20:18 They constitute direct cooperation evil since they encourage people to practice is greatly contrary to the moral law close call. So the use of drugs inflicts a very creative damage on, he went off in life. They're used except on strictly therapeutic grounds is a mortal sin. Clandestine production of a trafficking and drugs are scandalous practices, making it daily drugs, constant direct cooperation, evil since they encourage people to practice gravy contract and more love. And by the way, this includes marijuana. I don't know why people think. I mean maybe because, Oh, the last, you know, I've lived in port in Oregon and Alaska where it's just sort of the background of the community that doesn't have anything to do with the fact that people are walking around with a joint in their mouth all the time. It has no bearing on whether it's more like it's immoral.
Speaker 0 00:21:09 It's immoral. So it's not like there's some kind of, well, this drug is no, except for strictly therapeutical use that's the teaching church. So the use of recreational drugs is a mortal sin. In other words, the catechism of the Catholic church tells us the use of recreational drugs has the same world. Gravity has using alcohol to reach perfect drunkenness, but is it too hard to understand the first thing to know about this category of toxicants is that unlike alcoholic beverages, they have absolutely nothing to do with nourishing us. That means that when drugs they use recreational, they're used for one thing and one thing only, and we all that you don't actually need the praise to point that out. Why do people take recreational drugs to get high, to get a good feeling, to medicate themselves in order to deal with reality to party, to have a pleasant state of wellbeing, et cetera, et cetera, recreational drugs, all of them are substances, which have their very niche toxicants of various types.
Speaker 0 00:22:11 And morally speaking, their use is analogous to perfect drunkenness. You don't need me to go down a list of all the evil fruits for law breaking their purchase and the consumption and their manufacturing, the points made by the catechism. The clandestine production of trafficking and drugs are scandalous practices and by scandal leads to other people and just making, dealing drugs, constant direct cooperation, evil to say, encourage people to practice directly contrary to the moral law, the corruption of the youth, the sins and crimes of theft. The sense of against purity of addictions, the phenomenon, the burnout, other psychological and physical damage to longtime users, the destruction of families and communities. Those are just a few other evil fruits of this scourge from hell and it's impacted every one of us here. Every one of us has Pope pots at 12 o'clock in 1957. That's a full 60 years ago.
Speaker 0 00:23:13 Cool fact showed that the abusive drugs leads to the complete neglect of the most fundamental demands of personal and family life. It is therefore entirely reasonable for the public authorities to interview, to regulate the sale new use of these drugs. So as true, remove them from movement society, serious physical and moral law close called Pope Pius the 12th. And what are we doing over here in state, after state, after state decriminalizing. Now, does it ask you to just ask, let's close with a story about a Catholic who really struggled with this problem, a Chinese man in Margie 10, she was an opium addict at the time of his death. He's raised a Catholic family, 19th century China, and it's a well off dock for, to serve the poor for free, had been a leader in the Catholic community, but he became ill with a violent stomach ailment.
Speaker 0 00:24:13 He treated himself with opium and unfortunately Sunni became addicted to it. Mark went to confession frequently, but he kept using the opium and he didn't amend his life. He kept using the OPM. Now that situation is similar to that of a penitent keeps confessing using contraception, but doesn't want to keeps confessing to having relationships outside of marriage, but keeps living with a woman, not as way when creeps confessing sends him impurity, but doesn't get to filter on this phone when it keeps kids confessing, since it drunkness, but won't keep away from a bar where he keeps a bottle of whiskey stashed under his bed. Now each one of those cases, a punishment like that could honestly make that to contrition. Why? Because he has to be resolved to avoid the sin and the near occasion. Huh? And since true contrition is part of the matter of confession and true confession.
Speaker 0 00:25:09 Isn't feeling that it isn't like I feel really bad. It's not a feeling of sorrow. It's a firm resolve to avoid the sin and the near occasion sin. Then in each one of these kinds of cases, confessions, wouldn't be valid. Now Potter PO typically would refuse to resolve about a third of his patents. And we know that from the pensions themselves. Um, and this was the reason why he could see cause Potter, you could see things with the rest of us can, he could steady with lack and true Patricia and the shock of having a Saint like that refuse to absolve it, penitentiary reform his life. Usually shut these guys up so much. They'd finally get serious about contrition and start making confessions. And they loved him because he refused to it's really a meditation anyway. So without a firm resolve to avoid sin, the mere Cajun sin confessions and fell.
Speaker 0 00:26:05 So it happened that after some time Mark's confessor told him to start coming back until he could actually make a good confession because he was still using all. Now at this point, instead of recognizing such professional, not only as, uh, their eternal salvation and eternal salvation. Now, some people might've stormed out in church, you hangar see, instead of recognizing their confessor like that only had her salvation at heart. Some people might just come by the church in anger, blaming the priest for driving away. And it'd be fair if the price was rough and bought all of that and didn't jam explain why the painting wasn't yet ready to be absolved. It could easily make a horrible situation. Almost unbearable. That is true. But Mark didn't give up. Even though he kept on using opium, he also kept on going to mass. He didn't let that stop.
Speaker 0 00:26:59 In fact, he kept that up for 30 years, the whole time, which he was unable to receive the SAC for 30 years, he kept going to mass. He knew he had to go to mass and he knew he could receive the sacraments because he had kicked the opium habit. So for those 30 years, he kept praying for the grace of Mark, pray for the grace and wire him, since it seemed pretty clear to him, that was the only way that he was going to be safe in 1900. When the box rebellion Rose up and went after 400 Christians, Mark was rotted up with dozens of other Christians, including his son, six grandchildren, two daughters, no thread could shake and know torture making waver.
Speaker 0 00:27:59 He was determined to fall over. It would never be handed to him. So his Marcus family dragged to prison away. Their execution. His grandson looked at it. Grandpa, where we going, Martin said, we're going home. He begged to be killed. So none of his family have to dial. So he stood behind <inaudible> and in the end he was he's a, can I say st. Mark teach any singing speech days on July 9th, because one author notes, Saint Mark, J st. Jane is a beautiful witness to the grace of God, constantly at work I'm most headway to God's ability to make sense out of the most unlikely among us. Another grace poured out upon those who remain faithful. Even if it may seem like the trip herself was driving them away. Close. Cool. Let's ask for <inaudible> to receive the sacraments. They'll have that base, the courage to faithfully. Keep coming to mass. Even when they can receive the sacraments, then at least at the end, the receive the grace of the Hadley dad, Saint Marchesa and pray for us. The name of the father and the son and Holy ghost. Amen.
