Skip to main content

The Way Forward - Leading A Virtuous Life - Part 6 Theological Virtues

Image
By
+
JMJ

We have now reached the pinnacle of the virtues - the Theological Virtues. Without the theological virtues, particularly Faith, salvation is impossible.






Theological virtues


All virtues have as their final goal or end to dispose souls to acts conducive to their true happiness. The happiness, has two facets: natural (attainable via natural powers), supernatural (exceeds natural powers). Since, natural means of human action are inadequate to attain a supernatural end, it is necessary that a person be endowed with supernatural powers to enable the attainment of that final destiny. These supernatural principles (powers) are the theological virtues.

They are called theological:

  • because they have God for their immediate and proper object;
  • because they are Divinely infused;
  • because they are known only through Divine Revelation.
There a three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.

Faith is an infused virtue, perfecting the intellect by a supernatural light, providing the power to, under a supernatural movement of the will, assent firmly to the supernatural truths of Revelation. This assent is performed not based on intrinsic evidence, but solely on the grounds of the infallible authority of God who has revealed these truths. As natural happiness can be understood and sought by knowledge attained by the natural light of reason, to attain our supernatural destiny our intellect must be illumined by certain supernatural principles, namely, Divinely revealed truths.

Hope is the virtue by which the will is perfected to attain our supernatural end. Generally it defined as a Divinely infused virtue, by which we trust, with an unshaken confidence grounded on the Divine assistance, to attain life everlasting.

Charity creates a spiritual union or conformity, by which the soul is united to God, the sovereign Good. Charity, then, is that theological virtue, by which God, our ultimate end, known by supernatural light, is loved by reason of His own intrinsic goodness or amiability, and our neighbour loved on account of God. This virtue is different from faith, as it regards God not under the aspect of truth but of good. It is different from hope inasmuch as it regards God not as our good precisely (nobis bonum), but as good in Himself (in se bonum). With regard to the love of our neighbor, it falls within the theological virtue of charity in so far as its motive is the supernatural love of God, and it is thus distinguished from mere natural affection.

Charity is the most excellent of the Theological Virtues. Faith and hope, involving as they do a certain imperfection, namely, obscurity of light and absence of possession, will cease with this life, but charity involving no essential defect will last forever. Moreover, while charity excludes all mortal sin, faith and hope are compatible with grievous sin; but as such they are only imperfect virtues; it is only when informed and vivified by charity that their acts are meritorious of eternal life.

Application in Today's World

Obviously all three theological virtues are necessary to survive and thrive in this crisis of the Church.
If a Traditional Catholic looses the Faith, they fall further than any heretic since they have been granted so much more.

However, I think that Charity and in particular love of neighbour, is particularly challenged in this crisis.  Why? Because as a Traditional Catholic, we are attacked by those who are not Traditional. It is in this case that our Love of God and neighbour is tested.  It is in this case that I've noticed some Traditionalists, under the continual onslaught from their Catholic brethren, turn bitter, losing that sense that their attackers are loved by God and deserve their love for God's sake.

Love thine enemy is still a command.

P^3

Further Reading


Reference

APA citation. Waldron, M.A. (1912). Virtue. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 27, 2015 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15472a.htm
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is Tradition?

By
 + JMJ What Is Tradition? The basic premise, from my perspective, is that what was taught before cannot be contradicted by the 'present' magisterium, only deepened and expanded upon. I recall the Roman theologians called the SSPX protestants while the SSPX called them modernists.  I believe this was all surrounding the concept of Traditon. SSPX's Understanding of Tradition One accusation made against the SSPX is that they don't have a correct understanding of 'Tradition'.  This is how the SSPX understands Tradition: I finally profess that Tradition is not a dead memory, but the living transmission of the doctrine received from the Apostles. It remains living, in distinction to Revelation, which is closed. It is so both in the activity of the Magisterium of the Teaching Church and in the profession of Faith of the Church Taught, of which the sentire cum Ecclesia is the result of the teaching of the Magisterium. Tradition may be called ‘living’, not in the sense t...
Post a Comment
Read more

SSPX.ca: What is the position of the SSPX on Vatican II???

By
 + JMJ With all the mis-information about the SSPX rejecting the Second Vatican Council, I thought it would be useful to publish an article that focuses on the real issues that the SSPX has identified. Update: Why Did the SSPX Consecrate Bishops? ( Neither Schismatic, Nor Disobedient link ) In the linked document the SSPX outlined the key motivation and core issues with Vatican II and the post-conciliar magisterium (see above link for full document): 4. The Society Acted Precisely Because of the State of Necessity in Which the Faith Finds Itself  In the present situation of the Church, if the Society of Saint Pius X had not carried out the consecrations of July 1st, it would have found itself facing an inevitable alternative: either to disappear gradually, or to accept, at least in fact, the new liturgy as well as the false doctrines of Vatican II and the post-council. Without the consecrations of July 1st, the Fraternity would have found itself, in a few years, without bishop...
1 comment
Read more

Thoughts on: Finding Common Ground Between Rome and the SSPX

By
 + JMJ In the ramp up to the consecrations the noise floor in the intergnat grew to a constant din.  This was one of the few the peeped its signal over the noise. https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/finding-common-ground-between-rome-and-the-sspx The key issue is contained in this paragraph: In the lead-up to the planned July 1, 2026, episcopal consecrations,  the SSPX rejected Rome’s offer  of doctrinal dialogue on the grounds that “we both know in advance that we cannot agree doctrinally, particularly regarding the fundamental orientations adopted since the Second Vatican Council.” Fr. Pagliarani also said that his previous attempt at dialogue in 2019 was shut down by Rome because of an assumed irreconcilability. It seems that, from the Society’s perspective, and perhaps from Rome’s too, their positions are incompatible. If memory serves, Rome killed any opportunity for an open discussion by stating that Vatican II was not up for debate. So it was a still-birth and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The News is an Addiction ...

By
 + JMJ People seem to be mesmerised by train wrecks.   They just can't turn away as the disaster creeps forward along train tracks towards the crossing where a car, truck, bus, trailer awaits its destruction. Trads have been watching the train wreck that is this crisis of the Catholic Church for decades. The trade war between the Canada and the US has reminded me that the news is addictive.   The first time I was addicted what from 2009 to  2014 when I was closely following the Rome / SSPX discussions.  I was at work watching a live-stream as Bishop Fellay disappeared into the Vatican. The lead-up to this moment had been intense as the 'resistance' got freaked out and the cultural cracks between doctrine and conspiracy theory widened. In the decade since then other things have emerged, wars, rumours of wars, conspiracies, celebrity Catholics etc. Now we have a new addiction and its name is Trump. Lately, no matter how much I try, I find myself wonderin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thoughts on the Thoughts of a former SSPX priest

By
 + JMJ Well Gary Campbell, former SSPX Priest and now laicised has posted a new article on WherePeterIs. https://wherepeteris.com/thoughts-of-a-former-sspx-priest-on-the-july-1-consecrations/ These words stuck out: Heck, they have built a five-star hotel, wine bar, and Walmart on the opposite bank of the Rubicon! They are not in danger of entering a state of schism, for they are  already  in a state of schism. I believe he doth protest too much. All the actual facts indicate that the SSPX was not in a state of schism before July 1st and an examination of the decree of excommunication highlights the either ineptitude of those in charge or a desire to leave the barn door open. The chasm between an act of disobedience and act of schism remains just what is has always been - an inconvenient barrier that person(s) in Rome seek to bridge but appear incapable of succeeding. The SSPX re-stated that they recognize the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and feel obliged by conscience...
Post a Comment
Read more