The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines virtue as such:
- 1803 A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good.
Further, it describes two kinds of virtue:
- Human (or moral) Virtues (Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance)
- Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope and Charity)
The human or moral virtues are “are stable dispositions of the intellect and the will that govern our acts, order our passions, and guide our conduct in accordance with reason and faith.” (CCC 1834)
While they are grouped around the 3 Theological virtues, they require our will and our effort to achieve them. We must practice them. We must deliberately master ourselves to possess the moral virtues.
That is the subject of my pondering today. I am asking myself how I’ve been doing. Well, if you give this just a little bit of thought, you will probably realize that if I’m asking about it, it’s probably because I need to fix something.
I am not sure that there is anything even remotely close to mastering the virtues completely. I think they need to be practiced for life. If I don’t practice them, deliberately, they will slip away little by little. If I take for granted that I’ve become, say, prudent, and don’t deliberately form my will to master and keep it, I will find I am less and less prudent as time passes. Our parish priest has this saying that convicts me every time I hear him say it. He says:
We are either holier than we were last year,
or we are less holy.
There is no such thing as staying the same.
Slowly and by degrees, my attempts at virtue have all but ceased! I have found that when I neglect my part in mastering these virtues, the fruits of the Holy Spirit diminish in me as well. I think I’m a mess!
So, now for the what to do about it part.
What do I do about it? I think, quite simply, I have to begin to deliberately tackle them, one by one. I think I need to go to confession more frequently… I’m thinking weekly here.
I cannot model virtues that I do not possess. If I don’t model it, who will? Who will impart it to my kids? Their dad, of course, but he does not spend the hours upon hours with them that I do. My influence, due to that alone, is greater.
I am now on a quest to learn the virtues. Again. Maybe this time I’ll progress further. I seriously need some grace. God, help me. Please.
Filed under: Catholic Family Life, Catholic Homeschooling, Catholic Mothering
I found your blog through my blog’s stats and referrers–I love it. Can I link to it? Also, this post hits home. I’ve not been a good model of virtue (my children model it right back at me *blush*). Thanks for the reminder.