Our Tools for the Journey - (Lenten Topic: Virtue)

My posting about my Lenten topic has been rather... lax lately, and so I need to correct that. The best way to start off, if you haven't already, is to read my post introducing things. Once you have done that, just hold on tight, because we are going to jump right in.

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For this investigation to be fruitful, or study if you will, you have to at least accept (for argument's sake if nothing else) a few premises. I will state these as we go along. Hopefully, although I am no expert in this topic, we can ultimately get to a point where we understand Catholic Morality, as virtue, better and be able to live a more virtuous and therefore morally "good" life.

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Now lets start with the tools we need: Lists. Everybody loves lists. The first we will call the "7 Classic Catholic Virtues":

7 "Classic" Catholic Virtues:

4 Cardinal Virtues:

Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude [Courage]

3 Theological Virtues:

Faith, Hope, and Charity [Love]

These virtues are split into two categories for a reason. Dr. Kreeft explains that the 4 Cardinal Virtues are those that man can strive for, and even instill in himself on his own. In his words, "they are knowable by human nature." I would agree with this, and so should you. These are virtues that we can understand, and fully. Kreeft explains further that they also aren't the only virtues, the highest virtues, or anything of the sort. They are simply the cardinal, or translated: "hinge" virtues. But they aren't sufficient says Kreeft. In fact, they are necessary, in that we must have them to get the Theological Virtues, and we can only get those if God gives them to us, by His Grace. These are sufficient for us to "acheive" Heaven, but let's not look at this as a "check-off-list." It isn't as if we say: "Well God, I have Prudence, Justice, and Fortitude down, still working on the Temperance thing, but can you give me the F,H,C so I can "get in" to Heaven?" No, it isn't like that. Although God (or in terms of a "location", Heaven) is a "bull's-eye" of sorts, we aren't "checking-off" lists here. This is a road-map, a journey, a re-birth, a renewal, and hopefully, ultimately, a granting of Grace.

These virtues here are our "tools." They are what we "use" to be virtuous. They are the basic building blocks for our moral decision making.

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The next list is what Kreeft calls "Supernatural Virtue." He describes this as a permanent state, one in which exists objectively, permanently, and is a combination (effect?) of God's Grace and our choice. I put in parentheses effect, because I wonder if that isn't the best way to describe these virtues. As Kreeft puts them, they are a state of being, and acheivement of sorts, with the title "blessedness." We see them and learn them as the Beatitudes - the Supernatural Virtues:

7 'Supernatural' ("Heavenly") Virtues:

Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility.

[Vices: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, Pride]

These virtues, are imparted or bestowed upon us by God's Grace alone. But they do seem to be a product or effect of both His Grace and our choice. That choice is to live virtuously. Now I know this seems somewhat circular, and makes it seem contradictory to my statement above that morality and virtue aren't a series of "check-off" lists. But bear with me, and hopefully we will clear that up. Right now, I just want to lay out what we are working with. 


For now that is enough... we seem to at least know where we are starting - some virtues, or at least the concept of them. We also hopefully know where we are trying to get - blessedness and hopefully thereby, Heaven. The trick is figuring out how this all works, because it seems contradictory (it isn't), hard (it is!), and confusing (it doesn't have to be.) Hopefully we can accomplish that!




Till next time....

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