An essay published on March 29, 2025, by Rev. Courtney of st-peters-santa-maria.

Key Themes

• The Common Good vs. Autonomy: Explores the tension between personal desire for autonomy and the social expectations of the community. While sometimes a necessary compromise, the "common good" can also force painful, "Damocletian" choices.
• Pastoral Dilemmas: Illustrates this with a practical example of choosing between delivering the Eucharist to a housebound person and the risk of exposing them to illness when unwell.
• The Prodigal Son: Examines the parable's characters—the father (compassion and inclusion), the younger son (self-interest to repentance), and the older son (duty leading to resentment)—as examples of how we navigate choices that impact others.
• Baptismal Covenant: Challenges believers to choose the path of Christ, keep baptismal promises, and love neighbors as themselves even when the common good does not align with personal good.