Concerning the natural law Saint Paul says, “the demands of the law are
written in their hearts” Romans (2:15). Natural law is right conduct imposed
upon man by the Creator. In its ethical sense it is more than just the laws
of nature, the instincts and emotions of all animals. Man’s human nature
with its manifold relationships is subordinated to it such that any action
taken must take into consideration the universal good of all mankind. The
highest good is a total conforming of our will to that of God’s. Saint
Thomas Aquinas says that natural law is simply the seeking of the good and
the avoidance of evil.
We know the natural law through reason by way of our formed (virtuous)
conscience. It is through supernatural revelation that we move by our free
will to an ever-greater good in life, avoiding all evil. Natural law is
unchangeable, not abrogated or dispensed with even by God. Human law is
simply designed (in the highest sense) to support and compliment divine law.
Human laws are valid only if they conform to natural law and are null and
void if they conflict with it. The United States equity court system, as
opposed to the common law system, is designed around natural law. When
legislation conflicts with it the equity court system demands that it be set
aside or corrected.
It is by passion, prejudice, and other desires that the conscience is
subverted to a much lower goal; that of our own selfish will and desires.
The higher, more virtuous, good; that of conforming our will to that of the
will of God’s, is set aside. The natural law is antecedent to all of human
society; customs and cultures of man cannot change or override it.
There seems to be a problem understanding natural law when we look at laws
such as “thou shalt not kill”. While it seems natural to defend ourselves,
it seems unnatural, even repugnant, to kill another human being (or more so,
oneself). However, the higher good of all may call for us to give up our
very lives for others. John (15:13) “No one has greater love than this, to
lay down one's life for one's friends.” The taking of life to protect others
can also even be obligatory. It is the unjust taking of life that is void of
any virtue, being as it often is, subordinated to evil intent. Simply put:
it is the natural law that is written on our hearts that tells us the right
way to go and helps us to appropriately form our consciences.
JAMES J. FOX The Catholic Encyclopedia New Advent
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