SCHOOLYEAR: 2021- 2022 THIRD QUARTER: MODULE 2

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN LIVING EDUCATION 9 “WE FORM OUR CONSCIENCE”

TERMINOLOGIES formation of conscience – can be achieved by doing the following:

(a) being led by the Word of God, received in faith and prayer, and lived out in daily life;
(b) examination of our conscience in penance and supplication; (c) with the assistance and advise
of others; (d) being guided by the teachings of the church
heart formative factors– pertains to reading and reflecting on Jesus’ teachings and actions, and
our affective prayer and sacramental life wherein we encounter the Risen Christ.
Mind formative factors – pertain to learning the teachings of the Church, which is to
authoritatively teach that Truth which is Christ Himself and also to declare and confirm those
principles of the moral order which have their origin in human nature itself.

REFERENCES: Live Your Faith Everyday Series in Responsible Freedom in Christ

Phoenix Publishing House
Efren Jone J. Oleden

INTRODUCTION: This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an
appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into
heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities and powers subject to him. 1 Peter
3:21-22

STANDARDS: At the end of this module, students will be able to:

Discuss how conscience is formed;
Analyze why conscience is formed; and
Realize the value of forming conscience.

TRANSFER: In the end of this module, students will be able to fill out words to complete the sentence.

TARGET PVMGO/ JUST, RESPONSIBLE and MORAL GOAL

CORE VALUE: To develop a sense of moral responsibility, to discern and choose what is right and true for
oneself, others and God’s creation.

ACTIVITY 1: When it comes to the issue of abortion, you have long known that your friends strongly oppose it.
They believe that it is totally evil, and that it should not be advocated. Let us assume that you
want to play the role of the opposer in this context. In order to challenge their position, even if all
along you are on their side, what will you write on your post in social media (Facebook/twitter)
of which you are sure they are going to negatively react and comment about? Write your post in
your paper.

DISCUSSION/SUMMARY

In this passage, St. Peter teaches us to keep our conscience clear by doing good in spite of opposition.

SUFFERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in
your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for
the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak
maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.  For it is better, if it is God’s will, to
suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring
you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.  After being made alive, he went and made
proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of
Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water
symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear
conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right
hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3:14 – 22

THE FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE

CCC asserts and clarifies the importance of the formation of our conscience:
1. As we are constantly subjected to negative influences and temptations, the challenge is to keep our conscience informed
and enlightened through the necessary education of it. This can be done by (a) formulating our judgment according to
reason, and (b) in conformity with the true good, willed by the wisdom of God.
2. This education of conscience is a lifelong task; from childhood, wherein we are awakened to this interior law, to
prudent education that teaches virtues and prevents or cures sinfulness, until the guarantee of genuine freedom and
attainment of a peaceful heart.

Teacher: Abigail F. Gumabay / 09752436791 | Page 1

3. Thus, formation of our conscience can be done by (a) being led by the Word of God, received in faith and prayer, and
lived out in a daily life; (b) examination of our conscience in penance and supplication; (c) the assistance and advice of
others; and being guided by the teachings of the church.
4. It is possible that our conscience remains ignorant and makes erroneous judgments on acts to be performed or already
committed; yet, to remain ignorant or not remains to be our personal responsibility; if one has not done anything to
remove it, he or she still is accountable for the evil act done out of ignorance.
5. The sources of erroneous judgment include the following: ignorance of the Word of God; being a bad example to
others; enslavement to one’s passion; assertion of an erroneous notion of conscience; rejection of the authority and
teachings of the church, and lack of conversion and charity.
6. If ignorance of conscience cannot be removed, or the person is not responsible for his or her erroneous judgment, the
evil committed cannot be held against that person; yet, the evil act still remains evil. Thus, one has to work for the
correction of the errors in one’s conscience. – cf. CCC 1783 – 1785, 1790 – 1794

CFC 704 – 711 contextualizes the notion of the formation of our conscience on the following points:
1. Our conscience, as God’s true voice from within, is not achieved right away. It has to be formed gradually
through many complex factors that facilitate our growth to Christian maturity, especially the relational factors that
involve countless interactions with parents, guardians, relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, religious and priests,
within the social groupings of family, school, parish, and community.
2. This formation of conscience takes place within the various circumstances and challenges in life by informing and
enlightening it, not according to our opinion, but in accordance to the authority of the church.
3. It is in living out the faith that we form our Christian consciences. Two types of formative factors are stressed; (a)
“heart” factors, such as reading and reflecting on Jesus’ teachings and actions, and our affective prayer and
sacramental life wherein we encounter the Risen Christ; and (b) “mind” factors pertains to learning the teachings
of the Church, which is to authoritatively teach that Truth which is Christ Himself, and also to declare and
confirm those principles of the moral order which have their origin in human nature itself.
4. There are moral norms which our consciences use in discerning good from evil. Traditionally, three dimensions of
every moral act have been highlighted; (a) the act chosen; (b) the intention; and (c) the circumstances, They must
always considered together to make an adequate moral judgment, for to focus only on the “act chosen” would
forget the doer of the act and the context. To stress only the “intention” neglects the objective nature of the “act
done” (a good intended goa does not justify using evil means). Finally, considering only the circumstances of the
act would be to close one’s eye to the objective nature of the act chosen, and the intention behind the act.

“Wala kang konsensya” (You have no conscience) is an ordinary Filipino expression that we blurt out to express disgust
or strong objection against a person who has done an obviously wrong act but finds no remorse for it. When we use this
statement, are we also admitting the one’s conscience has gone out of the window? Can that actually happen to God’s
interior law that is inscribed in the heart of every person, whose voice is ever calling us to love, and to do good and avoid
evil? If not, what has happened to the conscience of someone who has grown accustomed to doing evil deeds without
feeling sorry for them?

Sacred scripture, like some of the letters of Paul, or the first letter of Peter 3:14 – 22, attest to the fact that our conscience
somehow needs to be checked because it can be “good” (cf. 1 Tm 1:19), “branded” in relation to the “hypocrisy of liars”
(cf. 1 Tm 4:2), or “tainted” in relation to “those defiled unbelievers” (cf. Ti 1:15). If the previous lesson has taught us that
conscience is God’s interior law that is inscribed in our hearts, which calls us to do good and avoid evil, then why do
some biblical passages imply that it cannot be good at times? How can we resolve this seeming contradiction? Every time
biblical passages appear to be in conflict, this is the time when the official interpretation of the church authority becomes
necessary.

CFC 704 – 711 clarifies that our conscience as God’s true voice from within is not automatically heard or followed. We
are not supposed to understand the interior law exactly like programs encoded into the computer. The computer cannot
refuse to follow the program because it is not a person in the first place; it is an object without the capacity to choose for
itself. But since we are persons, we are free and our God respects this freedom. His interior law inscribed in our hearts, the
voice that calls us to do good and avoid evil, works in the form of an invitation, never an imposition, as opposed to
computer programs. As we gradually grow toward maturity, many complex factors came into play to facilitate this
process. With the countless interactions with people around us, in the different circumstances and conditions we belong
to, it is possible that listening and following the directions of our conscience as God’s voice from within may either be
made easy or “prevented.” In other words, His direction may become loud and clear as the person intends to form his
person along this way; or it may be dampened and distorted as he or she becomes lenient or irresponsible in this matter.

Thus, the “formation of conscience” that the Church Teaching speaks of does not pertain to what we have to do to the
objective truth of God’s interior law but to the manner of being open and accepting the aforementioned aspect of our
conscience. This formation of conscience takes place within the various circumstances and challenges in life by informing
and enlightening it, not according to our opinion but in accordance to the authority of the Church.

To practically do this, one has to take note of the two factors – namely, the “mind” and the “heart” factors. The former
pertains to learning the teachings of the church, and the latter involves praying over and reflecting on Jesus’ teachings and
actions in relation to one’s actions. In the case of discerning good from evil, our consciences can use moral norms that
guide us. We have to take note that there are three dimensions of every moral act: (1) the act done; (2) the intention
behind the act; and (3) the circumstances in which the act is done.

Teacher: Abigail F. Gumabay / 09752436791 | Page 2

CCC 1783 – 1785 and 1790 – 1794 affirm the points above on the explanation and need for the information of our
conscience by (1) formulating our judgments according to reason, and (2) in conformity with the true good, willed by the
wisdom of God. Yet, one important claim has to be put forward, that this education of conscience is a lifelong task. From
childhood to old age, we have to realize that it is a continuous duty. In the event that our conscience remains ignorant and
makes erroneous judgments on acts to be performed or already committed, we have to understand that to remain ignorant
or not is still our personal accountability. If we have not done anything to correct it, we are still responsible for the evil act
done out of ignorance or error. We need to know that there are sources of our erroneous judgment as previously
mentioned. However, if ever ignorance of or error in the conscience cannot be removed, or if and when the person is not
responsible for his erroneous judgement, the evil committed cannot be held against that person; yet, the evil act still
remains evil; so everyone still has to work for the correction of the errors in someone’s conscience.

All in all, it is necessary to attune oneself to the leading of the

objective aspect of our conscience as God’s interior law through “We need to keep our conscience and
education and formation of oneself in the Faith and its teachings. Thus, enlightened through the necessary formation
if it happens that a person has acted wrongly without feeling sorry for of it, by formulating our judgments
it, it does not actually mean that God’s interior law has gone away according to reason, and in conformity with
from that person. It has only gone to the point where His divine voice the true good, willed by the wisdom of God”
has been dampened or distorted according to free choices. On the other
hand, if we have attained a well – formed conscience, it does not mean to say that initially there has been a problem with
His interior law. On the contrary, it only means that we have gone to the point wherein we have intended and worked
toward becoming more open and obedient to His voice deep within. The values of obedience and faith are crucial then in
the education and formation of our conscience.

EVALUATION A. Match the items in column A with the items in column B. Write you answer in you paper.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. In 1 Peter 3:14 – 22, we are advised to make A. authority
sure that our conscience is _________________. B. automatic
2. According to CCC 1783, one way of making C. circumstances
our conscience enlightened is by formulating our D. clear
judgments based in ________________. E. erroneous
3. The education of conscience is a task that is F. heart
______________. G. interior law
4. Our conscience to remain ignorant or not is H. lifelong
our personal. I. mind
J. reason
5. Being a bad example to others is one source of
K. responsibility
a conscience that is _____________.
6. Our conscience, as God’s true voice from
within, is not ___________.
7. Informing and enlightening our conscience is
not according to our opinion but in accordance
with the church’s _____________.
8. The formative factors that pertain to learning
the teachings of the Church, which is to
authoritatively teach that Truth which is Christ
Himself, refer to the _______________.
9. The formative factors that pertain to reflecting
on and praying over Jesus’ teachings and actions
in relation to our own actions refer to
__________.
10. The three dimensions of every moral act
include the act done, the intention behind the act,
and the _______________.

B. Gospel Reflection:
Read the Sunday’s Gospel and reflect by following the pattern given below.
Gospel Scripture:
The gospel is all about (summarize the gospel in 2 – 3 sentences only).
I learned that (what you learn about the gospel, 1 to 2 sentences only)
I will live the gospel by (things that you want to do or practice after reading the gospel, 2 to 3 sentences
only)

Teacher: Abigail F. Gumabay / 09752436791 | Page 3