For two thousand years the Catholic Church, the visible voice of God on earth has been and will always be the world's beacon of morality. Down through history, the signs and symbols of this reality have been perceptible and discernible to all open-minded, non-bias nations and people.

In the first century the Apostles taught that murder was wrong, including abortion and euthanasia, that sexual promiscuity was wrong, including fornication and adultery, that ignoring the needs of your fellow man was wrong, including coveting and stealing. The Didache (or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) was written between 75 and 125 A.D. Listen to its thoughts on morality. "Now, the Way of Life is this: first, love the God who made you; secondly, your neighbor as yourself...Abstain from gratifying the carnal [and bodily] impulses...Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not practice pederasty; do not fornicate; do not steal; do not deal in magic; do not practice sorcery; do not kill a fetus by abortion, or commit infanticide." (Pederasty is homosexual activity between a man and a boy.)

Today, in the 21st century, the Church continues to speak out against murder, sexual promiscuity, and ignoring human needs. Read any large metropolitan newspaper or national magazine. Watch cable and network news programs. What do you see and witness? The Catholic Church speaking out against artificial contraception, abortion, euthanasia, homosexual marriage, divorce, and neglect of the poor and disenfranchised.

Since the Catholic Church is the truth detector on morality, let's listen to its definition of morality. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states, "Morality refers to the goodness or evil of human acts. Human freedom makes a person a 'moral subject' or agent, able to judge the morality (goodness or evil) of the acts which are chosen. The morality of human acts depends on the object (or nature) of the action, the intention or end foreseen, and the circumstances of the action."

In the last ten years, it has become commonplace for Catholic Schools to implant within the conscience of their students the phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" I've never been a strong proponent of catchy phrases, but sometimes they serve a valid and admirable purpose. I think this phrase is a good example. The elementary school years, especially those of junior high school students, are usually the first and the best opportunity for boys and girls to develop good social skills, to develop an understanding of their Catholic faith, to develop clear verbal and written communion skills, to learn about mathematics and the sciences, and to mature in their understanding of morality. When young children start school, they step into the real world and for the first time encounter lots of other children, parents, teachers, and administrators, all with different backgrounds, beliefs, and morals. If Catholic parents have fulfilled their obligation as the first educators of their children in their Catholic Christian faith, this catchy phrase (What Would Jesus Do?) will serve as a quick reminder that Jesus is the foremost teacher of moral right and wrong. Jesus, the Blessed Mother, and the saints are symbols of the Church's moral teaching. Catholic hospitals and nursing homes, if they are faithful and obedient to Catholic teachings, can also be effective symbols in our struggling world.

Our God is not a master; he is a loving and caring Father who has confidence in our ability to make decisions. He will not force us to do His will. CCC 1730 reveals, "God created man a rational being, conferring on him the dignity of a person who can initiate and control his own actions." This paragraph goes on to tell us why God gave us free will. "God willed that man should be 'left in the hand of his own counsel,' so that he might of his own accord seek his Creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to Him." [Emphasis added.] The Early Church Father, Saint Irenaeus in his writing, Against Heresies, wrote in the late 2nd century, "Man is rational and therefore like God; he is created with free will and is master over his acts."

It is human to seek freedom. God planted that desire within us. True freedom and moral truth are not adversaries, if we are faithfully obedient to both. Nurturing the development of Catholic morality within children and young adults is not merely the means to achieving a better world, but the vehicle for doing God's will. True freedom and moral truth lead us to choose right over wrong, good over evil as discerned through Christ and His Church. CCC 1733 tells us, "The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to 'the slavery of sin.'" When Catholic clergy over the last 30 to 40 years chose to ignore the moral teaching of Christ and His Church, they not only sexually and physically abused their victims but they abused their God given freedom to choose good over evil.

The Didache warns us, "Two Ways there are, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the Two Ways." The moral teaching of the Church shows us the way to Life. If we are truly free, always trusting in Christ and His Church, educated in His and Her moral teaching, we will not only help to make our world a better place, but even more importantly, will please God by freely choosing to do His will.

"What would Jesus do?" is a tool that adults should borrow from the children. Jesus would never lead us astray. If God wouldn't do something, then our answer is, "Don't do it."

For more insight read CCC paragraphs 1691, 1696, 1707, 1711, 1730, 1733, 1749, 1755-56, 1758, 1762-70, 1780, 1794, 2420. Also, pull out your "Catholic" Bible and reference Deut 30:15-20; Ps 84:2; Sir 15:11-20; Mt 7:13-14; Lk 10:41-42; Jn 14:15; 15:12-14; Acts 24:16; Col 1:27; Jam 1:16-18.