Apr 25, 2013

"There is no Authority except from God..."


Is it Illegal to give Legal Advice?

Well, here goes--Let's let God be the Judge--In the end, His opinion is the only one that matters. All authority comes from God, but just as the Lord gives, the Lord can take away.

So, here is my legal advice for anyone seeking peace:  Obey God, Who created you, loves you, and wants to give you the fullness of life.  Obey the divine Law, which is present in Nature, governing the created order of the universe, an order which is understandable by human reason and sheds light on the moral quality of human choices--obey the divine Law, which was gradually revealed to our Fathers in Faith, and made crystal clear in Jesus Christ and His Love for the Church.

Obey the Law, first and foremost, at its most fundamental level--as a reality that we receive, not as a reality that we would create--Consider that only God can create something from nothing, and while He does share with us the capacity to create things, we are limited in the use of this creative power--we can only create something from something else, respecting the nature of the things we started with, the things God gave us--Whether we are building something out of wood, or endeavoring to build a just and peaceful society, we must respect the integrity of the wood itself in such a way that it does not splinter or shatter, just as we must respect the Family, given to us by God, as the fundamental building-block of society.

Now, here is some more legal advice:  Obey all human laws out of respect for the divine Law, and heed, insofar as you are able, all reasonable requests from human authorities (Parents, Teachers, community Leaders at every level and branch of government and free association, and yes, your Spouse). But do not neglect to listen to God when He vindicates his Truth and Love through the Church and even whispers to you through your conscience--At the right moment, He will speak to your heart, prompting you to do for your neighbor what you would want him to do for you, what is good or necessary for his well-being, even (and especially) if he would be ashamed to ask you for it. This "Golden Rule" is at the heart of the Natural Law.

That said, here is my last bit of legal advice for those who truly seek peace:  Do not be afraid!  Obey God's Law at all costs, whether it is the Law of Moses and the Law of the Gospel, or the more subtle expression of the same divine Law inherent in Creation. Here is a summary, but please examine it for yourself with the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
  1. Seek the Truth ...............................................................(CCC 2104)
  2. Confess the Faith without Fear .......................................(CCC 2145)
  3. Sunday is a Day of Protest..............................................(CCC 2172)
  4. Family is the Foundation of Freedom ..............................(CCC 2207)
  5. Do not provide abortifacent drugs to women ...................(CCC 2272)
    Do not look the other way, and do not be silent, when the innocent sick or elderly receive a death sentence. Do not fail to give them nutrition and hydration, even by artificial means, if it is possible and safe for the patient. (CCC 2277) (Clarification)
    Yea--human life is sacred ...............................................(CCC 2258)
  6. ...and so is human sexuality .............................................(CCC 2361)
  7. Do your part to take care of Creation and the Poor...........(CCC 2443) 
  8. Bear witness to the Truth .................................................(CCC 2471)
    Do not allow the truth to be silenced by the powerful........ (CCC 2499)
  9. Modesty is decency......................................................... (CCC 2522)
  10. The Poor will see God......................................................(CCC 2547)
Keep in mind that any human law that does not respect the divine Law is actually an act of violence, and is therefore no law at all, and that any unjust request by human authority must not be obeyed, insofar as doing so would [clearly and] objectively violate God's Law [and not just be perceived as a "lesser good"].  In such a situation, God permits those in authority to abdicate their own authority by the very act of issuing an unjust law or command, but only with respect to that particular law or command.  However, they abdicate their authority entirely [their authority "breaks down completely" and is regarded as "null"] when there is a certain, grave, and prolonged abuse of their power. We must be very careful here--The HHS abortion mandate has now been clearly identified, both by the bishops and by the faithful, as such a "grave" and "sustained" abuse...What's next?  I don't know--It is like [riding with poor Dorthy] in a house that has been ripped off its foundation.  [But let us be patient. When the house finally lands on its proper foundation, Jesus Christ, the wicked ways of the West will lie squashed under His feet!]

Now is the time to Pray--and to pray earnestly for an increase in Faith.
Now is the time to Examine our Consciences--accept the forgiveness and mercy of Jesus Christ, and with the grace of the Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation, make concrete amends.

God Bless You.

P.S.--As a reference in support of what has been said here, You may also want to read:

In the Bible, the Book of Acts and the Book of Revelation
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Paragraphs 1897-1904, but especially para. 1903)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Paragraphs 2238-2243, but especially para. 2242)
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (paragraphs 393-399, but especially para. 399)
The Gospel of Life (paragraphs 68-74, but especially paragraph 74)
Peace on Earth (paragraphs 48-52, but especially paragraph 51)
The Long-Continued and Most Bitter War (Paragraph 15)
The Service of Authority and Obedience (paragraph 5, etc.)