Grace Thompson
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines virtue as an habitual and firm disposition to do good. It is a habit that makes it easy to do good and difficult to do evil. Growing in virtue is challenging, as it requires effort and self-denial. However, it is possible to strengthen one's moral muscles through consistent practice, just like building physical muscles. The Church offers wisdom on practical ways to grow in virtue, such as examining one's weaknesses and vices and imitating virtuous individuals. Recognizing the difference between virtue and vice is crucial, as vices are bad habits formed through repeated sin. By practicing the opposite virtues, individuals can overcome their sinful tendencies. This transformation is aided by Christ's gift of salvation, which empowers believers to persevere in their pursuit of virtue and love supernaturally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Consistency | Doing good deeds regularly, not just when in a good mood |
| Firm disposition to do good | Performing good acts and giving the best of oneself |
| Identify vices | Recognize weaknesses and sins, and practice the opposite virtue |
| Imitation | Learn from virtuous people and imitate their habits |
| Practice | Exercise virtues like a muscle to strengthen them over time |
| Prayer | Receive the sacrament of reconciliation and practice daily examination |
| Humility | Recognize one's true self and lower oneself |
| Sacrifice | Give up something enjoyed out of love for Christ |
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What You'll Learn
Recognise the difference between virtue and vice
Recognising the difference between virtue and vice is a crucial step in growing as a Catholic. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a virtue is a "habitual and firm disposition to do good". It is a habit that makes it easy to do good and difficult to do evil. Virtues allow a person to perform good acts and give the best of themselves.
On the other hand, vices are bad habits formed through repeated sin. They are the opposite of virtues and can be identified by examining our lives and relationships. For example, if we are struggling with the sin of pride, we should practice the virtue of humility. If we are impulsive and rash, we need to cultivate prudence.
The history of Christian spirituality has provided various categorisations of virtues and vices. For instance, courage and perseverance, chastity and purity, distributive justice and commutative justice. However, it is important to note that all virtues stand in the middle, with vices on either side. For example, having too little courage can make one cowardly, while having too much can lead to rashness.
We can grow in virtue by imitating virtuous people and inculcating their habits. This takes time and effort, just like strengthening our physical muscles. We can also turn to God and Jesus Christ for supernatural help, as they are the perfect model of virtue. Through prayer, confession, and sacrifice, we can receive grace and grow closer to God, enabling us to live virtuously.
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Identify your vices and practice the opposite behaviour
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, virtue is defined as "an habitual and firm disposition to do good". It requires consistency, ease, and joy in doing good deeds and acting in a kind and patient manner.
Vices, on the other hand, are bad habits formed through repeated sins. They are dispositions towards evil, leading us to shun good and indulge in evil. Identifying and overcoming these vices is crucial for spiritual growth in Catholicism.
To begin, it is important to examine your relationships and identify the vices that are hindering you from loving others more. For example, you might recognise selfishness in your marriage, impatience with your children, or a lack of dedication to prayer. These vices can be conquered by cultivating their opposing virtues. For instance, the vice of pride, which is the excessive love of self and a desire to be superior, can be counteracted by practising humility. Humility allows for an accurate view of oneself and one's relationship with God, recognising that all gifts and achievements originate from Him. Similarly, the vice of lust, which is concerned with disordered sexual desires, can be overcome by practising chastity. Through chastity, one can exercise self-control and use their sexual desires in the way God intended, bringing joy and purity of mind.
Another approach to overcoming vices is to imitate virtuous individuals. By observing and emulating the behaviour of virtuous people, you can learn to inculcate virtue into your own life. For example, if you struggle with liberality, or generosity, reflect on individuals known for their generosity and strive to emulate their behaviour. This can help you develop a more virtuous disposition.
It is important to remember that growing in virtue takes time and effort. Just as an out-of-shape individual would find it challenging to start jogging, you may experience difficulty when first battling your vices. However, with persistence and prayer, you can weaken the grip of vice and strengthen your character through the practice of virtue.
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Exercise virtue consistently and habitually
To grow in virtue, one must exercise virtue consistently and habitually. This is because virtue, as defined by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is "an habitual and firm disposition to do good". This means that a virtuous person consistently and easily chooses to do good and gives the best of themselves.
However, exercising virtue consistently can be challenging as vices, or bad habits formed through repeated sin, can hinder one's progress. To overcome this, it is important to identify your vices and actively work against them by exercising their opposing virtues. For example, if you struggle with the sin of pride, you should regularly practice humility. Similarly, if you struggle with lust, you should strive for the virtue of chastity, and if you drink excessively, you should aim for sobriety.
It is also important to note that growth in virtue takes time and effort, just like strengthening your body's muscles. You may experience difficulty and failure when battling against your vices, but with consistent practice, it will become easier to choose virtue over vice.
In addition to your own efforts, you can also rely on God's grace to help you grow in virtue. Msgr. Swetland explains that "God can infuse virtues in us" and that we should pray for these supernatural gifts. By seeking God's help and striving to live as Jesus did, you can make progress in your journey towards virtue.
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Seek God's grace through prayer
Seeking God's grace through prayer is a powerful way to grow in virtue as a Catholic. Prayer is an essential act of asking for proper gifts or graces from God and presupposes faith in Him and hope in His goodness.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines virtue as "an habitual and firm disposition to do good". This means consistently doing good deeds and acting with kindness, patience, and generosity, even when faced with challenges. However, growing in virtue is not always easy, as it requires effort and self-denial to remove ingrained sinful tendencies.
Recognize Your Vices and Virtues
Start by examining your life and identifying your vices, which are the bad habits formed through repeated sin. Consider your relationships and ask yourself how these vices are preventing you from loving others more. For example, you may struggle with selfishness, impatience, or not making time for prayer. Recognizing your vices is the first step towards seeking God's grace and growing in virtue.
Pray for God's Grace
Through prayer, ask God to infuse you with virtues. While you can build virtues through natural means, God's grace can help you grow in a supernatural way. Pray for virtues such as temperance, fortitude, justice, and prudence. Recognize that there are also theological virtues, including faith, hope, and love (or charity), which can only be fully attained through God's supernatural gift.
Pray with Humility and Purity
When you pray, approach God with humility of heart, purity of intention, and a sincere desire to please Him. This attitude of humility and devotion will immediately cause you to grow in grace. Treasure your prayer life as the highest reality and make time for prayer each day, seeking to deepen your communion with God.
Pray for Daily Bread and Grace
In the Our Father, we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread...". Consider if God is challenging you to aim for daily Mass and Holy Communion to grow in grace. The Eucharist is a powerful source of grace, as it is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Receive the Eucharist with faith, love, humility, and a desire for deeper conversion to His love.
Pray for a Hunger for God
Ask God to give you a daily hunger for Him, so you may constantly grow in grace and draw closer to Heaven. Pray for the intercession of saints like Saint Gertrude, who experienced God's grace through her devotion to the Hail Mary.
Pray for Guidance and Wisdom
Ask God for wisdom and guidance to understand Him better and to discern His will. Pray for the intellect to understand Him, reason to discern Him, diligence to seek Him, and a spirit to know Him. Pray that your ears may hear Him, your eyes may behold Him, and your tongue may proclaim Him.
Pray for Forgiveness and Salvation
Growing in virtue through God's grace is a lifelong journey that requires dedication and perseverance. Remember that you are not alone in this journey, and God is always ready to pour out His grace and transform your heart through prayer.
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Imitate virtuous people
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a virtue is "a habitual and firm disposition to do good". It is a consistent and joyful commitment to performing good deeds and living in accordance with God's will.
Imitating virtuous people is a natural way to cultivate virtue, as Aristotle and Msgr. Swetland suggest. By observing and emulating those who embody virtues such as patience, kindness, and humility, we can internalize and habituate these virtues. For instance, a child learning to be virtuous will mimic the behaviour of virtuous people in their life, gradually adopting these virtues as their own.
In the Catholic tradition, the ultimate virtuous figure to emulate is Jesus Christ. Christ's gift of salvation offers the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of virtues. By following Christ's example, we can strive for sanctifying grace, allowing Christ's divine love to transform our hearts and enabling us to love supernaturally.
Additionally, St. Paul's teachings encourage Christians to imitate him as he imitates Christ. This concept of mutual example and imitation extends to all personal beings, who are meant to exemplify divine perfections for those beneath them in the hierarchy, as explained by St. Thomas Aquinas. Thus, by imitating virtuous people, we can ascend toward moral goodness and happiness, reflecting God's perfections.
However, it is important to recognize that possessing a virtue is a matter of degree, and true virtue is rare. Even those who are considered virtuous may have blind spots or areas where they fall short of perfect virtue. Therefore, when imitating virtuous people, it is essential to be discerning and aware of potential limitations or vices.
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Frequently asked questions
A virtue is a habit that makes it easy to do good and difficult to do evil. Virtues are habits that are part of our character.
Recognise the difference between a virtue and a vice. Identify your vices and work on the virtue that is the opposite of the vice. For example, if you struggle with pride, work on humility.
Virtues stand in the middle, with vices on either side. For example, the virtue of fortitude or courage makes it easy to deal with difficult things. However, too little courage makes one cowardly, and too much makes one rash.
Receive the sacrament of reconciliation once a month or more. Make a daily examination of conscience. Practice humility. Do your duty well. Make little sacrifices.
