Human virtues are essentially good habits that are created by our intellect and will which govern our actions and guides us to act according to reason and faith. To obtain these virtues requires effort and dedication. Like any habit, it takes time to create and needs to be practiced on a regular occasion in order for that habit to become second nature. We each need to have an understanding of what human virtues are and develop a solid foundation where we can continue to add more virtues and create a sturdy structure that allows us to flourish as individuals. To do so let’s first look at the base of all virtues; theological virtues and cardinal virtues.
Theological virtues come directly from God, a gift given to us that is directly placed in our souls and helps us to act as children on God. The three theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity. These three virtues are the pillars that hold all the other virtues up, without them, the other virtues would become too weak to support themselves and fall. Faith is the virtue by which we believe in God and all that he has said and revealed to us. Hope is the virtue by which our desire for the heavenly kingdom and eternal life fills our life with happiness as we place our trust in the promises of Christ. Charity is the virtue where we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves. These three virtues are given to us from the moment we are created, but we have the choice, the free will, to live them within our hearts and our lives. They are given to us as a tool that we carry in our toolbox which is needed to assist in making repairs of all kinds. No task can be fixed without this one tool, no matter how many other tools you try to use. So because these are the pillars that support the rest of the virtues, the essential tools, it falls on us to maintain and upkeep them. But how do we do this; by living the three theological virtues. Living these three virtues means not simply understanding them, but showing and professing them. We need to share it with others, first and foremost, with those closest to us. When we embrace the gift which was given to us, we fill our hearts with so much love and happiness, as well as create a solid foundation where we can foster more good habits or human virtues.
Human virtues are virtues that we acquire throughout our lifetime, that is mankind can acquire them through his efforts. These virtues ultimately help an individual improve as a person and leads to living a morally good life. Among the human virtues, there are the cardinal virtues which are the four virtues that all others are grouped into. These four are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
Prudence is the virtue where one gathers information to assess a situation, weighing the favorable and unfavorable consequences for oneself and others before acting on a decision. The virtue of prudence is about analyzing each situation carefully by searching for the facts, seeking the truth, and making a decision that seeks to do what is good. Justice is the moral virtue that strives to give others what is their due, by respecting each individual’s rights, so they can fulfill their duties. This virtue ensures we respect each other, and each other’s differences, so that we may all have the liberty to perform and act as we think we ought. Justice is about peace, or rather peace is the result of justice because society’s practice of respect allows others to perform their duties according to their best judgment. But with justice one has to remember that in order to seek true justice, which is what is good and morally right, one must seek the truth.
Fortitude is the virtue that ensures we remain firm in difficult times while remaining constant in pursuing what is good. It strengthens us to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles that seek to deface our moral life. Fortitude permits one to conquer their fears allowing them to face the trials that may occur throughout their life. Because we strive to improve in our character, to ultimately seek to do good, fortitude allows for a person to courageously resist what is wrong and defend what is good. Temperance is the moral virtue that helps to moderate our attraction to pleasures and ensure there is a balance within our lives of the things surrounding us. A person who practices temperance is one who can direct their appetites and desires towards what is truly good and does not let themselves be controlled by those passions. Rather than becoming enslaved to our passions and desires we become the master and are able to control those temptations and act only on the ones that are morally good.
When we understand the depth and complexity of virtues, we begin to see the value they possess in assisting us to grow interiorly and exteriorly. When we put the effort into practice these good habits they become a part of us. They also become a part of the way we share and love others, how we cultivate relationships, and how we help others grow. Virtues are far more ingrained in our nature than we believe because they have been given to us as tools to guide us in growing as children of God. But these tools are made to be used and maintained, if not they will rust from neglect and ultimately we will rust.
Comments