Listen now | From the audiobook Explanation of Catholic Morals - Chapter 56, "Filial Respect," emphasizes that the honor owed to parents stems from their divinely appointed dignity, requiring a deep, instinctive reverence that transcends mere politeness. This fundamental respect for their superiority is a non-negotiable obligation, rooted in natural rights that remain even if parents themselves are sinful or "unworthy." While love, obedience, or assistance might vary based on circumstances, respect for parents can never be lacking without serious guilt, as its opposite, contempt, is a mortal sin that invites divine wrath and often results in poetic justice, with children mirroring their parents' undutiful behavior.