How Seemingly Small Decisions Can Have Big Consequences

Departure of the Prodigal Son by Murillo

Editor's note: Every now and then I repeat a post from the past. The Catholic faith is being lost in many places. How many parents lead their children out of the Church for one reason or another? How many children, brought up by faithful parents, spurn the treasure and embrace another god? I'm reflecting on all this today and praying for the faith to grow in the hearts of all people. Christ is knocking at the door. Will anyone answer?

How Seemingly Small Decisions Can Have Big Consequences

I once had a neighbor, a wonderful Lutheran Christian. We used to walk together around our neighborhood chatting about anything or nothing. One day (I don't remember how it came up.) he mentioned that his father was a Catholic. "Oh Marvin," I said, "You should have been a Catholic."

How Seemingly Small Decisions Can Have Big Consequences

I once had a neighbor, a wonderful Lutheran Christian. We used to walk together around our neighborhood chatting about anything or nothing. One day (I don't remember how it came up.) he mentioned that his father was a Catholic. "Oh Marvin," I said, "You should have been a Catholic." 

On another occasion two women from the Jehovah's witnesses knocked on my door.

Sincerity...important, but not enough in moral decision making

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, pray for us.

I recently read a great article on sincerity by Dr. Dennis McInerny, a professor at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Lincoln, NE. [N.B. I could not find it online.] His article reminded me of another I read several years ago which began by examining the derivation of the word sincerity which comes from two Latin words, sine cera, "without wax." Odd eh? 

Not really. In Roman times sculptors sold all kinds of statuary for rich people's homes and gardens. The honest ones sold statues that were exactly what they appeared to be. The dishonest ones sold statues that were flawed, but they filled the flaws with wax. When the statue stood in the sun, the wax melted and all the flaws appeared. So the word sincere came to mean something that was what it appeared to be, honesty, or freedom from duplicity.

A sincere person speaks without deliberate deception according to his understanding. He tells you what he believes to be the truth. However, one can be sincerely wrong. So sincerity is not enough in the realm of moral decision making - which is were Dr. McInerny's article comes in: