The Basics of Virtue
Merriam-Webster defines virtue as “conformity to a standard of
right” or “a particular moral excellence.” The dictionary goes further
to state that virtue is “a beneficial quality or power” or “manly
strength or courage.” All of these descriptions are true, but much more
detail is necessary if we are to find the Christian and Catholic
understanding of virtue.
Virtue comes from the Latin word, virtus, which means “manliness” and, more importantly, “virility.” If something is virile, it has life that is sturdy and strong; it has purpose and direction; it is not swayed off its course. Virtue is the very thing that animates and galvanizes those men and women who pursue holiness.
Holy thoughts, words, and actions emanate from within virtuous people because those things dwell deeply (from the Latin habitus) within their souls. One of the great teachers of virtue, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, makes exactly that point: “Virtue, therefore, is more than a series of good deeds. It exists in a person’s depths. … I think that there is something beyond the physical, not perceptible to scientific comprehension–an aspect of virtue that rises from the depth of the soul.” [1] Something that dwells in the depths of a person’s soul and rises from that point is not going to be taken from him or her.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, in paragraph 1803: “A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.” [Emphasis added.]
So, rather than simply being a characteristic of one’s personality, a virtue is a habitual disposition of a person, body and soul, to choose what is good. Virtue is the concrete action by which a person elevates his or her “positive” characteristics toward something higher, and by which he or she masters those “negative” character traits. As Josef Pieper wrote: “Virtue is the utmost of what a man can be; it is the realization of the human capacity for being.” [2]
In an age of secular humanism and moral relativism, such an idea is met with much disdain by the culture that pervades America and the West. The culture often uses the word “values” and seeks to impose its definition of “tolerance” (i.e., accept any idea or action as valid presented by anyone or any group; all ideas and actions have equal merit). It is difficult to find solid footing for growth and movement in a culture that accepts and affirms changing values on a daily basis; that tolerates all ideas and lifestyles (save objective truth and Catholic Christianity) regardless of their intellectual or practical merit. In such a culture, the objective judgment of activity is called unnecessary, intolerant, and even “sinful.”
Yet it is precisely these “ism”s and the “inscrutable reign of tolerance” that virtue combats. By its very nature, virtue is something that is strong, unchanging, and objective; it moves us toward some attainable goal. A life of virtue allows us to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pt. 1:4). Through a life of virtue, we find communion with Jesus Christ who walked the earth, fully human and fully divine and lived a life of perfect virtue. Further, we enter into communion with the Father, who anxiously waits for us to choose His will for our lives and then bestows an abundance of grace upon us to choose Him over and over again. Indeed, God is our creator! He IS the strong and unchangeable objective standard, and eternal life with Him is “the realization of the human capacity for being.” That is why St. Gregory of Nyssa was right to proclaim, “The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God” (CCC 1803).
Virtue is a revolutionary thing, especially within a culture that is plagued by relativism, pride, and self-indulgence. Virtue is the antidote to all of the negative aspects of our modern age.
As a whole, our culture seems to have lost its understanding of objective truth, beauty, and goodness. There are a number of reasons by which this trend can be explained and understood: the work of the evil one, developments in the academic discipline of philosophy, specific historical periods and movements, modern media, and others. A life of virtue, however, is the way that individuals can transform themselves, the communities around them, and the culture as a whole.
This apostolate, A Life of Virtue, is dedicated to spreading that very message of personal transformation. When more people hear the message of virtue and begin to change their habits and actions, they will naturally bring those changes into the public sphere. And so the “message” will be spread by individuals who choose good and right actions on a daily basis, in every situation.
Why lead a life of virtue? To answer that question, one person might reply with the “cookie-cutter” answer, the one that seems most “appropriate” when dealing with a religious topic: “Because it’s what God expects me to do,” or even the less demanding “Because it’s what God wants me to do.” These are certainly correct statements, but they may not be the most comfortable or accessible to a person whom has not lived virtuously, or whom is just beginning to try.
Rather, it may be necessary to begin with the “selfish” answer, an answer that shows inquirers the benefits to themselves. One whom answers this question might also reply, and equally correctly, “Because it makes me feel good,” or “Because it makes me happy.” The prize of personal satisfaction creates a much better motive for one to begin cultivating virtues in his or her life.
It is essential to remember that virtue, by its very nature, leads people to happiness; and that in the process of journeying toward happiness, people learn the habits of self-sacrifice and generosity toward others. And so the benefits start piling up, one after another.
An immediate benefit of the decision to live virtuously is that negative events and occurrences will diminish. A life of sin will lead a person to sadness, emptiness, and loneliness. Once a person recognizes these negative characteristics, she will begin to examine the causes of them; upon realizing out that sin is the cause, she will begin to work to change the bad spiritual habits that have developed over time. As those bad habits of sin begin to leave, God will immediately fill their places with His divine grace, which is infinitely good. Thus, a person begins to escape the bondage of sin and move toward a life of freedom and self-donation.
Self-mastery is also a benefit of virtuous living. The culture of hedonism and permissiveness has lost its appeal to many people, and they no longer think that it is good or right or necessary to buckle to every human passion. Virtue is the perfect way to master one’s own will, to ensure an autonomous self under the guidance and direction of the Divine. Without understanding and cultivating virtue, people will remain in the mire of narcissism and self-gratification.
Another benefit of leading a life of virtue: better relationships with others. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, lived in a relationship of total trust, justice, and self-giving. Upon their decision to reject God’s plan, they and their ancestors entered the downward spiral of deceit, injustice, envy, and pride. Virtuous habits are the only way to gain traction to move upward toward God in the midst of that downward spiral. As a person embraces humility, justice, mercy, charity, and other virtues, he will find that others want to be around him. People like better to relate to someone who will not deceive and objectify them.
The final benefit of a life of virtue is the life itself, and the fruits that come with it. St. Paul wrote to the Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…" (Gal. 5:22-23). Life in the Spirit is synonymous with a life of virtue because a person must be intimately connected to the Spirit if she would live virtuously. Those who lead virtuous lives are able bear witness that such good fruits come into their lives and grow according to their practice of holy habits.
[1] Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, The Virtue-Driven Life (Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 2006), p. 17.
[2] Josef Pieper, A Brief Reader on the Virtues of the Human Heart (Ignatius Press, 1991), p. 9.
Virtue comes from the Latin word, virtus, which means “manliness” and, more importantly, “virility.” If something is virile, it has life that is sturdy and strong; it has purpose and direction; it is not swayed off its course. Virtue is the very thing that animates and galvanizes those men and women who pursue holiness.
Holy thoughts, words, and actions emanate from within virtuous people because those things dwell deeply (from the Latin habitus) within their souls. One of the great teachers of virtue, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, makes exactly that point: “Virtue, therefore, is more than a series of good deeds. It exists in a person’s depths. … I think that there is something beyond the physical, not perceptible to scientific comprehension–an aspect of virtue that rises from the depth of the soul.” [1] Something that dwells in the depths of a person’s soul and rises from that point is not going to be taken from him or her.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, in paragraph 1803: “A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.” [Emphasis added.]
So, rather than simply being a characteristic of one’s personality, a virtue is a habitual disposition of a person, body and soul, to choose what is good. Virtue is the concrete action by which a person elevates his or her “positive” characteristics toward something higher, and by which he or she masters those “negative” character traits. As Josef Pieper wrote: “Virtue is the utmost of what a man can be; it is the realization of the human capacity for being.” [2]
In an age of secular humanism and moral relativism, such an idea is met with much disdain by the culture that pervades America and the West. The culture often uses the word “values” and seeks to impose its definition of “tolerance” (i.e., accept any idea or action as valid presented by anyone or any group; all ideas and actions have equal merit). It is difficult to find solid footing for growth and movement in a culture that accepts and affirms changing values on a daily basis; that tolerates all ideas and lifestyles (save objective truth and Catholic Christianity) regardless of their intellectual or practical merit. In such a culture, the objective judgment of activity is called unnecessary, intolerant, and even “sinful.”
Yet it is precisely these “ism”s and the “inscrutable reign of tolerance” that virtue combats. By its very nature, virtue is something that is strong, unchanging, and objective; it moves us toward some attainable goal. A life of virtue allows us to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pt. 1:4). Through a life of virtue, we find communion with Jesus Christ who walked the earth, fully human and fully divine and lived a life of perfect virtue. Further, we enter into communion with the Father, who anxiously waits for us to choose His will for our lives and then bestows an abundance of grace upon us to choose Him over and over again. Indeed, God is our creator! He IS the strong and unchangeable objective standard, and eternal life with Him is “the realization of the human capacity for being.” That is why St. Gregory of Nyssa was right to proclaim, “The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God” (CCC 1803).
Virtue is a revolutionary thing, especially within a culture that is plagued by relativism, pride, and self-indulgence. Virtue is the antidote to all of the negative aspects of our modern age.
As a whole, our culture seems to have lost its understanding of objective truth, beauty, and goodness. There are a number of reasons by which this trend can be explained and understood: the work of the evil one, developments in the academic discipline of philosophy, specific historical periods and movements, modern media, and others. A life of virtue, however, is the way that individuals can transform themselves, the communities around them, and the culture as a whole.
This apostolate, A Life of Virtue, is dedicated to spreading that very message of personal transformation. When more people hear the message of virtue and begin to change their habits and actions, they will naturally bring those changes into the public sphere. And so the “message” will be spread by individuals who choose good and right actions on a daily basis, in every situation.
Why lead a life of virtue? To answer that question, one person might reply with the “cookie-cutter” answer, the one that seems most “appropriate” when dealing with a religious topic: “Because it’s what God expects me to do,” or even the less demanding “Because it’s what God wants me to do.” These are certainly correct statements, but they may not be the most comfortable or accessible to a person whom has not lived virtuously, or whom is just beginning to try.
Rather, it may be necessary to begin with the “selfish” answer, an answer that shows inquirers the benefits to themselves. One whom answers this question might also reply, and equally correctly, “Because it makes me feel good,” or “Because it makes me happy.” The prize of personal satisfaction creates a much better motive for one to begin cultivating virtues in his or her life.
It is essential to remember that virtue, by its very nature, leads people to happiness; and that in the process of journeying toward happiness, people learn the habits of self-sacrifice and generosity toward others. And so the benefits start piling up, one after another.
An immediate benefit of the decision to live virtuously is that negative events and occurrences will diminish. A life of sin will lead a person to sadness, emptiness, and loneliness. Once a person recognizes these negative characteristics, she will begin to examine the causes of them; upon realizing out that sin is the cause, she will begin to work to change the bad spiritual habits that have developed over time. As those bad habits of sin begin to leave, God will immediately fill their places with His divine grace, which is infinitely good. Thus, a person begins to escape the bondage of sin and move toward a life of freedom and self-donation.
Self-mastery is also a benefit of virtuous living. The culture of hedonism and permissiveness has lost its appeal to many people, and they no longer think that it is good or right or necessary to buckle to every human passion. Virtue is the perfect way to master one’s own will, to ensure an autonomous self under the guidance and direction of the Divine. Without understanding and cultivating virtue, people will remain in the mire of narcissism and self-gratification.
Another benefit of leading a life of virtue: better relationships with others. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, lived in a relationship of total trust, justice, and self-giving. Upon their decision to reject God’s plan, they and their ancestors entered the downward spiral of deceit, injustice, envy, and pride. Virtuous habits are the only way to gain traction to move upward toward God in the midst of that downward spiral. As a person embraces humility, justice, mercy, charity, and other virtues, he will find that others want to be around him. People like better to relate to someone who will not deceive and objectify them.
The final benefit of a life of virtue is the life itself, and the fruits that come with it. St. Paul wrote to the Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…" (Gal. 5:22-23). Life in the Spirit is synonymous with a life of virtue because a person must be intimately connected to the Spirit if she would live virtuously. Those who lead virtuous lives are able bear witness that such good fruits come into their lives and grow according to their practice of holy habits.
[1] Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, The Virtue-Driven Life (Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 2006), p. 17.
[2] Josef Pieper, A Brief Reader on the Virtues of the Human Heart (Ignatius Press, 1991), p. 9.
