Fr. Robert J Carr is the editor of this blog

Catholicism is not a system of morality. It is a way of being. Atheism, ironically, is a system of morality. Daniel Dennett, who is a world class atheist at Tufts University, teaches that one does not have to believe in God to determine how to do the right thing. In many ways that is true. For example, how many atheists do you know who proclaim that since they don’t believe in God, they can kill anyone they want? Probably none. However, such a view comes from seeing religion as a moral system. Catholicism is a way of being, that does clash with other moral systems.

In today’s gospel, we see the disciples on the way to Emmaus. They are confused; they invested three years of their lives to follow Jesus whom they figured was the messiah. Suddenly, after all that time of enduring  the pain of people calling them crazy, of opposition, and probably some of their own self-doubts, they see this man dead as a criminal. Three days later they hear from reliable sources that He has been raised and now they are completely confused. It was then that Jesus, in the guise of the stranger encounters them. Let’s go back three years and look at his life.

Jesus in His ministry does talk about morality, but often, he talks about something else. Notice, for example, when Jesus calms the storm. He then asks the disciples why they were afraid. The answer was obvious. Jesus, however, is actually teaching them a whole knew way of thinking, of trusting in God and living in a whole new way. It is from this that our morality comes. When He walks on water, notice the parallel in that story to today’s gospel. In both, he was planning to continue walking and He is pressed to come with the disciples. What does Jesus teach: Act in faith and believe.

Jesus, as the stranger, is showing the disciples, through explaining the scriptures, this new way of being. It culminates with the Eucharist where they comes to see him fully. This is the central message of Catholicism. We have a whole new and different way of looking at the world through the reality of a new way of being. We are focused on the resurrection, on eternal life. On an understanding of our universe that is beyond the simple materialism of those who reject us. This orients our life in new and different ways in service to God and neighbor.

We can see this clearly in the syllogism that Peter gives us in the first chapter of his second letter in which he calls us to begin with faith, then supplement our faith with virtue, which is supplemented with knowledge, that is supplemented with self-control, which is supplemented with care for our neighbors, which is supplemented with love.

Notice how Peter begins not with morality, but faith, and then the morality which he defines correctly as the pursuit of virtue supplements the faith. The fruits lead us to love. This is the Catholic vision. It culminates in the Eucharist; in our forming our lives on the new vision—the new way of being.

God Bless You,

Fr. Robert J Carr

Fr. Carr is an alliance member of the New Song Community (Canção Nova). He is the pastor of St. Benedict Parish in Somerville, MA and is the editor of this blog. You may also find his videos in English at Gloria.tv. He also has a regular radio program on  WebRadio Canção Nova. Which he podcasts on the Canção Nova podcast website and on Catholicismanew.