I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds - Psalm 9:1
What Is Morality?
As a starting point, let us reflect on our own human experience of people and their actions.
In general, perhaps just as a starting observation, it seems that what we call good moral actions contribute to the happiness of the person doing the action as well as society. Whereas actions we call morally bad seem to have the opposite effect. For example, if I steal, I might have more money but somehow I feel degraded and a less worthy person.
According to Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, a good moral action is one that is in accordance with human nature and contributes to human flourishing. They both believed that humans have a natural inclination to do good, and that the ultimate goal of all human action is happiness (eudaimonia).
Aristotle defined happiness as “activity of the soul in accordance with virtue.” He identified two kinds of virtue: intellectual virtues, such as wisdom and understanding, and moral virtues, such as courage, temperance, and justice. Moral virtues are acquired through practice, and they allow us to act in accordance with reason and avoid vice.
Aquinas agreed with Aristotle that happiness is the ultimate goal of all human action, but he also believed that happiness can only be achieved in the afterlife. He argued that humans have a natural inclination to God, and that the ultimate goal of all human action is to unite with God.
Some specific examples of good moral actions according to Aristotle and Aquinas are:
- Helping others in need
- Being honest and truthful
- Acting with courage and self-control
- Striving for justice and fairness
- Developing one’s intellectual and moral virtues
Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher who lived before the time of Christ. He came to an understanding of things from a purely natural point of view. He did not know about God from revealed sources.
St Thomas on the other hand did. He was Dominican friar living in the 12th century. With the benefit of Revelation and the teaching of the Church he was able to take Aristotle’s insights to a higher level.
With the coming of Christ, we have become more aware that a man’s actions have a supernatural aspect. If man lives well, he will enjoy a supernatural blissful end, namely the vision of God’s essence. This is impossibly beyond our natural capability and is only possible by God’s special gift.
But God builds on nature. Everything He does, He does well and for a good purpose.
What God asks of us, for example, as set out in the Ten Commandments, is not against man’s natural happiness. On the contrary, morally good actions not only contribute to our natural happiness, but also to our supernatural happiness through an increase in sanctifying grace.
So morally good actions have two benefits, if you like, for an individual (leaving aside the social aspects for the moment):
- From a purely natural point of view, we are happier and stronger in virtue and more likely to repeat virtuous actions.
- From a supernatural point of view, we receive an increase in sanctifying grace. We draw closer to God and participate in His life. What exactly this means remains a mystery until we meet Him after death.
By far the most important aspect of a good moral life is the second point. The possession of sanctifying grace. We cannot overstate its importance. St Thomas says, “The good of the grace of one soul is greater than the good of the nature of the whole universe” - Summa Ia IIa, q.113, a.9 ad 2um.
Time to reflect.
From wondering, perhaps, whether it is worthwhile to be ‘good’, e.g. if I steal I might have more money, we see that the reward for a good moral life is absolutely amazing. It is like giving someone 10 cents (a morally good action) and receiving $1 billion dollars (an increase in sanctifying grace, however slight). It is that ridiculously a good deal!
As Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul.”
So a good moral life is the only life worth living!