A Clear Conscience
Bible in a Year :
I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. —
After Ffyona Campbell became famous as the first woman to walk around the world, her joy was short-lived. Despite the adulation she received, something troubled her. Guilt overtook her and pushed her to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
What was bothering her? “I shouldn’t be remembered as the first woman to walk around the world,” she finally admitted. “I cheated.” During her worldwide trek, she broke the guidelines of the Guinness Book of World Records by riding in a truck part of the way. To clear her conscience, she called her sponsor and confessed her deception.
God has given each of us a conscience that brings guilt when we do wrong. In Romans, Paul describes our conscience as “accusing or else excusing [us]” (2:15). For the obedient follower of Christ, care of the conscience is an important way of maintaining a moral compass despite moral imperfection. Confessing sin, turning from it, and making restitution should be a way of life (1 John 1:9; Lev. 6:2-5).
Paul modeled a well-maintained conscience, saying, “I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man” (Acts 24:16 NIV). Through confession and repentance, he kept short accounts with God. Is sin bothering you? Follow Paul’s example. Strive for a clear conscience.
Reflect & Pray
Pope Francis tells Americans who they should vote for in November
Pope Francis on Friday slammed both U.S. presidential candidates for what he called anti-life policies on abortion and migration, and advised American Catholics to choose the 'lesser evil' in the upcoming U.S. elections.
'Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants or the one who (supports) killing babies,' Francis said. 'Both are against life.'
The Argentine Jesuit was asked to provide counsel to American Catholic voters during an airborne press conference en route back to Rome from his four-nation tour through Asia. Francis stressed that he is not an American and would not be voting.
Neither the Republican candidate Donald Trump nor the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris was mentioned by name.
But Francis nevertheless expressed himself in stark terms when asked to weigh in on their positions on two hot-button issues in the U.S. election - abortion and migration - that are also of major concern to the Catholic Church.
Francis has made the plight of migrants a priority of his pontificate and speaks out emphatically and frequently about it. While strongly upholding church teaching forbidding abortion, Francis hasn´t emphasized church doctrine as much as his predecessors.
Francis said migration is a right described in Scripture, and that anyone who doesn´t follow the Biblical call to welcome the stranger is committing a 'grave sin.'
He was also blunt in speaking about abortion. 'To have an abortion is to kill a human being. You may like the word or not, but it´s killing,' he said. 'We have to see this clearly.'
Asked though what to do at the polls, Francis recalled the civic duty to vote.
'One should vote, and choose the lesser evil,' he said. 'Who is the lesser evil, the woman or man? I don´t know.
'Everyone in their conscience should think and do it,' he said.
It´s not the first time Francis has weighed in on a U.S. election. In the run-up to the 2016 election, Francis was asked about Trump´s plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border. Francis declared then that anyone who builds a wall to keep out migrants 'is not Christian.'
In responding Friday, Francis recalled that he celebrated Mass at the U.S.-Mexico border and 'there were so many shoes of the migrants who ended up badly there.'
The U.S. bishops conference, for its part, has called abortion the 'preeminent priority' for American Catholics in its published voter advice. Harris has strongly defended abortion rights.
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