The Virtues

I confess to being a huge fan of Fr. Groeschel. His book The Virtue Driven Life has really helped to smooth out some wild & rough ground in my soul. When I was given the opportunity to lead the opening activity for the Youth Group a few weeks back, I wondered exactly what I should do. Out of the blue, I heard Fr. Groeschel's scratchy, insistent voice in my mind saying, "Teach the virtues!" So I did.

With the help of the other teachers, we presented the 4 cardinal or moral "human" virtues & also the 3 great sources of temptation for man - the world, the flesh, & the devil - in a situational, role-playing exercise. Below is a summary of the material I presented to the kids on the 4 cardinal virtues. Note that Fr. Groeschel makes an important distinction between a natural virtue & its supernatural counterpart. I think we could all use a refresher course in this from time to time. Numbers in italics are Catechism references. My apologies if the fomatting looks a little wonked.

“To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one’s heart, with all one’s soul, & with all one’s efforts; from this it comes about that love is kept whole & uncorrupted (Temperance); no misfortune can disturb it (Fortitude); it obeys only God (Justice); & is careful in discerning things, so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery (Prudence).” - St. Augustine

Q. What are Virtues?

Virtues are habitual & firm dispositions to do the good. Moral virtues – Prudence, Justice, Temperance, & Fortitude – are acquired through human effort, helped by God’s grace. The theological virtues – Faith, Hope, & Love – are gifts from God. The virtuous person strives toward the good with all his bodily & spiritual powers, becoming in the process the best person he can be. He pursues the good & chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God. 1803

Q. What is opposite of virtue?

Vices are habits acquired by repeated sin in violation of the norms of human morality. Vices are often linked to the Capital Sins. Repentance for sin & confession may restore grace to the soul, but removal of the tendency to sin or vice requires much effort & self-denial until the contrary virtue is acquired. Vice & virtue are rooted in man’s freedom: his exercise of intellect, affections, & will. They are not only the actions we do, but the desires we carry in our souls. 1866

Q. So if Virtue is related to Freedom, what is Freedom?

Freedom is the power to choose good or evil, though strickly speaking, there is no true freedom except in the sevice of what is good & just. Choosing good builds man up, makes him freer. Choosing evil is self-destructive, clouds the mind, emotions, & will. Choosing evil takes away man’s freedom & leads him to the slavery of sin. 1733

Q. Are all virtues the same?

No, the Theological are higher than the Moral, or Cardinal, virtues. Also, virtues can be considered as either natural or supernatural. Many people of other religious beliefs - or even no belief at all - have all kinds of naturally good qualities. However, in the light of Christ & in the power of the Spirit, the supernatural virtues always have the desire to please God & to do his will as their primary motive. This drive is simply another name for holiness. 1812

"Seek first the Kingdom of God & his righteousness, & all these things shall be yours as well." - Matthew 6:33

Prudence is using our power of reason to discern the good in every circumstance & choose the right means to achieve it. St. Thomas says it is “right reason in action.” Prudence guides the other virtues & directs our consciences. 1806

Natural prudence helps us order our lives toward security & happiness. Supernatural Prudence helps us & others to obtain eternal life & everlasting joy.

"To everyone who has more will be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away." – Matthew 25:29

Justice is the firm resolve to give what’s due to God & neighbor. Justice toward God is called religion. Justice toward neighbor respects their innate dignity & seeks to build a fair & peaceful society with regard to each person & the common good. 1807

Natural justice calls us to be fair & honest in our relations with others by following the natural law written on men’s hearts & the rules of decent behavior. Supernatural Justice seeks to realize the equal dignity of every human being out of love for Jesus, especially in caring for poor & disregarded, because he, too, was poor & despised.

"You cannot serve both God & mammon." – Matthew 6:24

Temperance moderates our desires for pleasure, directs our appetites towards what is good, & provides balance in the use of the goods of creation, which is mankind’s common inheritance. 1809

Natural temperance helps us to avoid indulging in things harmful to ourselves & contribute to our legitimate goals in life. Supernatural Temperance helps us to be good & grateful stewards of the wonderful gifts of the Creator. It means using the good things of this world wisely & well for our sanctification & that of others. We cannot choose Jesus Christ & his Kingdom if we overly value the things of this world; our treasure & destination lie elsewhere.

"In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Fortitude ensures firmness in difficulties & constancy in pursuing the good; by fortitude we are strengthened against temptations & overcome obstacles in the moral life. Fortitude keeps us strong & sure to the end. It is not caving in our convictions when the situation becomes difficult or painful. 1808

Natural fortitude may be called courage; but Supernatural Fortitude keeps us vigilant & stout-hearted in our spiritual warfare, whether in heroic acts of love or in the struggles of daily life, keeping before us always the goal of eternal life in Christ.

Headline News

I'm staying home today, mostly to pray & catch up on assigned reading for my Metaphysics class - mostly Aristotle. While another cup of coffee was brewing, I switched on the TV just in time to hear the CNN announcetrix relay matter-of-factly that the Pro Life billboard in NY calling out Planned Parenthood is being removed for "reasons of safety," whilst showing a video clip of the sign coming down.

Without a word of comment, the newswoman then moved on the next story, beginning with such an expression of angst, "This next story is soooo sad! A group of baby bottle-nosed dolphins has been found washed up on shore..."

Folks, I ain't against dolphins by any means, but I hope you can see the tragedy knotted up in this 30-second piece of reporting.

Confucius says...

The Master said, "The gentlemen helps others to effect what is good; he does not help them to effect what is bad. The small man does the opposite." - Book 12, verse 16
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Zi-zhang asked, "What must a Gentleman be like before he can be said to have got through?"

The Master said, "What on earth do you mean by getting through?"

Zi-zhang answered, "What I have in mind is a man who is sure to be known whether he serves in a state or in a noble family."

The Master said, "That is being known, not getting through. Now the term 'getting through' describes a man who is straight by nature and fond of what is right, sensitive to other people's words and observant of the expression on their faces, and always mindful of being modest. Such a man is bound to get through whether he serves in a state or in a noble family.

"On the other hand, the term 'being known' describes a man who has no misgivings about his own claim to benevolence when all he is doing is putting up a facade of benevolence which is belied by his deeds. Such a man is sure to be known, whether he serves in a state or in a noble family." - Book 12, verse 20

As we forgive others...

My parish is holding a Scripture study on the Psalms as read through the lens of the Lord's Prayer.

In the section on "Give us our daily bread," we considered the things that we ask of God. Often that is deliverance from a difficult situation. The psalmist of Psalms 5 & 6 pleads with God for the destruction of evil-doers, those who disregard God's name.

However, in the "Forgive us our tresspasses" section, it is the psalmist of Psalm 51 himself who has commited evil against God, but now he's not so eager for God to give the evil-doers what they really deserve, is he?!? Now he wants forgiveness. To be fair, he does acknowledge that God would be perfectly just in giving him the destruction that he knows he deserves, yet he trusts in God's mercy.

This is surely why Jesus teaches us in the Our Father that God's forgiveness of us is dependent on our forgiveness of others. We continually wrong God with our sins, but we trust in his mercy so much that we rarely consider his just judgment as a real possibility. I hope that trust is not really a taking-for-granted. St. Francis de Sales noted pointedly that we sinners deserve nothing but eternal damnation. We expect God's lavish & unending mercy & forgiveness for ourselves, yet we are pretty stingy with mercy toward others - we expect them to pay dearly for whatever they've done to us.

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There is a Latin word that sumptuously describes the love of God: misericordia. One might translate that as "heart-mercy," but it is usually just translated as love or mercy. But it reminds me that God's mercy is not in its box, his love in another box, & his forgiveness in yet another box, & so on. It is all part of God's unbounded love, which St. John tells us is his very essence.

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If we refuse to forgive someone, then our hearts are divided & fractured. To put it plainly, we simply refuse to love. This is a very sketchy place from which to insist on God's forgiveness. Since Lent is nigh upon us, perhaps this is a good to reflect on the immensity of God's love compared to the paucity of own, both for him & for others.

With an eye towards to events in the life of David that occasioned the writing of Psalm 51, we also discussed the sources of temptation. Franciscan Father Charles has a few insightful words about this on his blog in a post titled Diabolical Temptations.

I hope you are all enjoying the unseasonably fine weather, at least here in East Tennessee. God bless.

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P.S.: Above photo taken at the Nashville cathedral at the Aquinas College Theological & Catechedtical Forum on Feb 5, 2011. Click Here to hear & see the guest speakers, including D. Scott Hahn, reflect on the thinking of Pope Benedict XVI.

On the Restoration of Sanity

Though St. Thomas' feast day was yesterday, I didn't want it to slip by without a note.

The greatness of St. Thomas lies in his applying both mind & heart to the age-old questions, Who am I? What does it mean to exist? What is the end of all things? How do we get there?

The Greek asked & tried to answer these questions, too; but Thomas did so in the light of Jesus Christ, and that makes all the difference. In this purifying of pagan thought, he re-established that things that are, really are. He affirmed that real people are more important than concepts. He fought for creation, & in doing so, fought for the Creator. He took people & the real things of life seriously. He showed that faith in God is reasonable & obtainable, even if not completely graspable. He wanted to illuminate Jesus Christ for others for the salvation of their souls, & also of his own.

Most people think Thomas is a great saint because of his prodigious intellectual work. It seems that not. I think it is because he wrote hymns. Lovers sing. The Church still sings even today the Eucharistic hymns Adoro te Devote, Panis Angelicus, & O Salutaris Hostia among others. I cannot now recall another Eucharistic hymn that even begins to hold a candle to these works. It was his great love of the God who came down to join man as man - & continues to come down to join man as food - that fueled his passion, not only to understand, but to praise.

Some might think Thomas' teachings are too other-worldly to be grasped; I would say he was simply delirious with the love of God.

Thank you, St. Thomas of Aquino, for helping to restore an island of sanity in an insane world. Please pray for us.

Nota Bene: Here is my review of G.K. Chesterton's biography of St. Thomas.

Sell What You Have & Follow Me

One Sunday morning a long time ago when I was just a bored teenager, I heard an amazing homily - one that I will never forget.

And when I get too busy, too self-absorbed, too ungrateful, too entrenched in this world, too eager to pursue its pleasures, too offended when things don't go my way, too sulky when I don't get what I want, when I get my fragile ego bruised too easily, I think of a 1 sentence homily given by a parish priest quietly burning with a righteous anger.

"Folks, it's time to put away the BMW's & Audis, & get busy with the work of God."

Thanks, Fr. Foley.

Bridesong

Gregorian Chant has entered my life & changed it. What is this strange & otherworldly music? It is the song of the Church. The cry of the Bride for the Bridegroom.

She cries, "I sought him, and found him not: I called, and he did not answer me... if you find my beloved, tell him that I languish with love."

It is important to know 2 things: firstly, that Gregorian chant arose alongside & within the Roman liturgy from its very origins - it is something integral to it, not imposed from without; & secondly, that the Church has worked steadfastly for over 100 years now to restore & re-establish chant as the primary music of the liturgy, an effort that promises to yield great fruit for the Church's liturgical life of prayer in the years to come.

Sometimes I hear that Gregorian chant is a throwback to the "bad ole days." Falderall! The Council affirmed that chant would be integral to the revised liturgy. It is never improper to sing the Propers or Ordinaries at Mass, but it may very well be improper to sing any number of the heterodox, modern hymns that have been become standard fare in many parishes today.

I've read some interesting articles & commentaries that the singing of chant is somehow "unpastoral,," that chant is difficult & so relegates the congregation to the mere spectators or shuts them out entirely. Bolderdash! Sacrosanctum Concilium relays that the priest should sing his part (the greetings, prayers, the canon, etc.), the choir should sing their part (i.e., the Propers), & the people should sing their part (i.e., the Ordinaries & responses). The people's chants are generally simple - 1 note per syllable in simple melodies & rhythms. The more complex pieces, like Offertory prayers, take a lifetime of study even for advanced choristers to get down. Chant actually puts us on equal footing, for it neither dwells in the stratosphere of the elite, nor drags us all down to the lowest possible common denominator. We're all on a journey to God; chant can help us reach toward the heavenly realm.

The divisive now/then attitude seems to have arisen from several sources: a steady diet of silent low Masses before the Council, a 60's spirit of false egalitarianism that requires that there are no differences between roles in the liturgy so that everybody must be able to do everything, & a distorted & shallow notion of what active participation means. Put positively, one should learn to cultivate a disposition of humble & expectant receptivity in the liturgy, which includes the joining of one's mind & heart with the offering of a chanted prayer. It requires a radical change of orientation of one's approach to liturgy, from doing to receiving, from busyness to stillness, from noise to silence, from being rooted in the now to participating in the eternal liturgy of heaven.

It is interesting that the recent resurgence in chant has mostly been a grass-roots effort among the laity. The Church Music Association of America offers weekend & week-long workshops in Gregorian chant several times a year. The web is absolutely abuzz with resources to make the chants as accessible as possible, especially Corpus Christi Watershed (including this great little video on what sacred music is). There is a rising tide of younger voices who want the full-expression of the Catholic liturgy as fully expressed by the recent council & every pope of the last 100 years.

The timing could not be better to reintroduce chant into the Church's repertoire with the revised English translation of the Roman Missal, as many of the afore-mentioned sites are already setting the English texts to traditional chant tones, many without any charge for their work. Wonderful in itself, this could also be a great first step to introducing a parish to genuine Gregorian chants, which really cannot be successfully translated from of the Roman Church's native tongue. It is my long-standing position that the Kyrie, Sanctus, & Agnus Dei should always & everywhere be sung in the ancient tongues anyway.

I would never argue that chant be the only music permitted in the Roman liturgy (though that wouldn't be so bad, either). However, it is the Church's native expression of prayer & should have the prominence in the liturgy for which the Council called. It is the voice of the faithful crying out to their God. It is the voice of the Bride longing for her Bridegroom.

He responds, "Show me your face, let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet, and your face comely."

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N.B.: The chant at the top of the post links to a YouTube video of the 2009 chant pilgrimage to the National Shrine in D.C. Scott Turkington is leading us students through a 1st sight-reading of Ut Queant Laxis, the hymn of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Sight-reading! This 'choir' is a mix of beginners & experts, but note how quickly the group gels up & how strong it sounds by the end. Sight-reading! The 1st syllable of 1st word of each phrase (in bold) are the basis of the Do-Re-Mi- nomenclature (explained here - I'm the guy in the white shirt on the right!). Scott's introductory comment is a reference to the song Maria used to teach the children how to sing in The Sound of Music.