Source: https://www.bertha-dudde.org/en/proclamation/7432

7432 Sense of good and evil....

October 19, 1959: Book 78

Everyone is able to distinguish right from wrong if he only considers the effect on himself, if he considers what serves his own well-being or creates open discomfort for him.... quite apart from those procedures which obviously cause damage or great suffering. The human being will always know what serves him for the best, what he wishes for himself or what he would ward off if he were the target of attacks or also of good actions by a fellow human being. The human being knows quite well what is right or wrong, which is why he was also given the commandments of love which once again require him to do what is quietly hidden in the human being as a feeling but which he does not always pay attention to. Therefore, the divine commandments of love should make him aware of his duties towards God and his neighbour.... He should learn to live consciously, always with the measure of the divine commandments in his conduct of life. Emotionally he knows that his neighbour demands the same from him as he demands from himself: loving accommodation and respect for what belongs to him.... as well as help when his neighbour needs it, because in the same situation he would also be grateful for the same, for the same consideration he finds in him as well as for the understanding for his own needs. Man need only ever put himself in his neighbour's place, and then he will know what is right in every case. But now the degree of self-love which still controls the human being is decisive, for although he knows what he should do and what is good in God's eyes, his self-love can nevertheless be so strong that he is incapable of making a sacrifice for the benefit of his neighbour.... Then he must use great force to overcome his self-love in favour of the neighbour, but it cannot be said that he is incapable of distinguishing good from evil, that he does not know that he is obliged towards the neighbour.... but precisely his knowledge increases the sin of omission he commits when he does not relieve his neighbour's distress, although he is capable of doing so.... For only his excessive self-love prevents him from carrying out a work of help, but he knows that he should do it according to God's will and His commandments of love. He knows what it is like to be in need himself and is then grateful for every help. And so he should also think of his neighbour in his adversity and not deny him help, even if it costs him a sacrifice of overcoming.... But the more his work of love will be valued and he will be rewarded for what he has done out of love for his neighbour. Every person will therefore be able to understand the divine commandments of love, for the feeling for right and wrong, for good and evil, is present in every human being, just as he will therefore not be able to 'sin with impunity' because he will always recognize his wrongdoing towards his neighbour.... Therefore, love for his neighbour should first prevent him from sinful actions against him, he should fight unkindness.... then the path to practicing love for his neighbour will not be far away. For the spark of love is within him and will also easily ignite if the person is of good will.... which he proves when he refrains from all sinful actions against his neighbour and thus wants to protect him from all kinds of harm. Then it is no longer far to render him services of love, because he puts himself in the place of the neighbour who is in need and now also wants to help him.... Good and evil, right and wrong, must be consciously separated.... fight the one, strive for the other.... Then the path is no longer far to unselfish activity of love, for then the human being is of good will and will act according to God's will.... he will act, think and speak according to the commandments of love for God and neighbour....

Amen

Translated by Doris Boekers