The origin, motive, and object of the theological virtues are God himself. Today, we dive into the theological virtues, beginning with the virtue of Faith. Fr. Mike unpacks the meaning and purpose of the virtue of Faith and emphasizes that Faith is deeply rooted in trust in God. Lastly, Fr. Mike reminds us that Faith should be lived out along with Hope, and Love, and also professed to those who do know yet know God. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1812-1816.
Meet Andrew Whitmore, a theology professor, husband, father, and author of Ascension’s Saintly Habits: Aquinas’ 7 Simple Strategies You Can Use to Grow in Virtue. In this blog, Andrew shares his perspective on virtue, why living a virtuous life is worth pursuing, and how to be virtuous in a sinful world.
Q: What is virtue and why is virtue worthwhile to pursue?
Virtue is a perfection of our character, a human excellence, that we attain by doing what we were made for. Who doesn’t want to be excellent? Virtues are character traits that enable us to act with ease, promptness, creativity, and joy. Virtues are deliberately cultivated habits of choosing what is best for us which ultimately transform us into better people.
When we practice being good and push ourselves to be good more perfectly, the virtues become second nature. Rather than fretting over what to do, we will quickly intuit it and make choices with ease. Rather than appearing boring and predictable, we will be creative and bring true life to our activities and encounters. Rather than begrudgingly carrying out our responsibilities, we will be filled with a sense of fulfillment and contentment.
Q: Why is virtue relevant to us today?
While virtue isn’t a popular topic today, the virtues are always relevant because all of us seek happiness. The human excellence that comes with virtue is that which helps us to live satisfied lives. Whereas sin causes us to act against our purpose, become frustrated, and feel empty, virtue helps us to become what God planned for us to be from eternity. As St. Augustine says, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord.” Virtue is the most direct path to attaining true happiness.
“Virtue is the most direct path to attaining true happiness.”
Andrew Whitmore
Q: Do we need virtue in a modern world? Is virtue passé?
Virtue is timeless because human nature has not changed. As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Certainly, much is new in our world: new technologies, new challenges, and new opportunities. But what made people excellent a thousand years ago makes us excellent today—and will continue to make us excellent in another thousand years. So, virtue is always relevant.
Q: Virtue is hard, so why bother?
As Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty.” How true this is today when seeking to raise responsible children, maintain good health, pursue higher education, and serve the impoverished. Pursuing virtue can be added to this list!
Q: Is it even possible to be virtuous in a sinful world?
Absolutely. With God, all things are possible (see Matthew 19:26). Fortunately, virtue is not an all-or-nothing proposition but admits of degree. What does this mean? It means that we can make incremental progress in growing in virtue through daily prayer, studying the Bible, receiving the sacraments, participating in Mass, and reading stories of the saints who are role models and teachers for our own pursuit of virtue. Virtue is possible. It is a process of self-discovery that is fun and exciting. You will be amazed at the progress you have already made!
In this new year, now is a great time to be resolute in your resolutions. If you like to read and are interested in building habits of virtue, check out Saintly Habits: Aquinas’ 7 Simple Strategies You Can Use to Grow in Virtue. This book is complete with anecdotes, practical suggestions for living virtue every day, and relatable analogies for Catholics seeking to grow in holiness.
Saintly Habits is available now at www.AscensionPress.com/SaintlyHabits.
“Where there is no obedience there is no virtue, where there is no virtue there is no good, where there is no good there is no love, where there is no love, there is no God, and where there is no God there is no Paradise.” — St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
Humility is the hallmark spiritual virtue of letting go. It’s an open-minded, openhearted, openhanded way to move through the world. To be humble is to make room for life as it comes, without the need to grasp too tightly, even (and especially) to certainty. This kind of attitude is what keeps your vision from clouding up and occluding. No one manages this perfectly, of course. That’s why life seems all too willing to deal us periodic humiliations that knock down our towers of Babel and drop us back onto the ground of our being: the truth that we are held in divine and loving hands, without being able to do anything to deserve or ruin it.
“Do not suppose that after advancing the soul to such a state God abandons it so easily that it is light work for the devil to regain it. When His Majesty sees it leaving Him, He feels the loss so keenly that He gives it in many a way a thousand secret warnings which reveal to it the hidden danger. In conclusion, let us strive to make constant progress: we ought to feel great alarm if we do not find ourselves advancing, for without doubt the evil one must be planning to injure us in some way; it is impossible for a soul that has come to this state not to go still farther, for love is never idle. Therefore it is a very bad sign when one comes to a standstill in virtue.”— St. Teresa of Avila, p.99
“We must beg God constantly in our prayers to uphold us by His hand; we should keep ever in our minds the truth that if He leaves us, most certainly we shall fall at once into the abyss, for we must never be so foolish as to trust in ourselves. After this I think the greatest safeguard is to be very careful and to watch how we advance in virtue; we must notice whether we are making progress or falling back in it, especially as regards the love of our neighbor, the desire to be thought the least of all and how we perform our ordinary, everyday duties. If we attend to this and beg Our Lord to enlighten us, we shall at once perceive our gain or loss.”— St. Teresa of Avila, p.98-9
“I’ve appointed the Devil to tempt and to trouble My creatures in this life [St. Catherine of Siena reports that Our Lord said to her]. I’ve done this, not so that My creatures will be overcome, but so that they may overcome, proving their virtue and receiving from Me the glory of victory. And no one should fear any battle or temptation of the Devil that may come to him, because I’ve made My creatures strong, and I’ve given them strength of will, fortified in the Blood of My Son. Neither the Devil nor any other creature can control this free will, because it’s yours, given to you by Me. By your own choice, then, you hold it or let it go if you please. It’s a weapon, and if you place it in the hands of the Devil, it right away becomes a knife that he’ll use to stab and kill you. On the other hand, if you don’t place this knife that is your will into the hands of the Devil—that is, if you don’t consent to his temptations and harassments—you will never be injured by the guilt of sin in any temptation. Instead, you’ll actually be strengthened by the temptation, as long as you open the eyes of your mind to see My love, and to understand why I allowed you to be tempted: so you could develop virtue by having it proved. My love permits these temptations, for the Devil is weak. He can do nothing by himself unless I allow him. So I let him tempt you because I love you, not because I hate you. I want you to conquer, not to be conquered, and to come to a perfect knowledge of yourself and of Me.”— St. Catherine of Siena, p. 159-60
