Lecture XVI: The Virtues of Fortitude and Temperance

Spiritual Theology (THE 390)

August 9, 2011

I. The Virtue of Fortitude Definition

It is infused to strengthen the irascible appetite and the will so that the pursuit of the arduous good will not be abandoned even when faced with bodily harm or death.• the proper subject is the irascible appetite• as object it has to prevent unreasonable

fear in the face of an evil that threatens• as object is also has to restrain one from

unreasonably attacking an impending evil

Acts of Fortitude attack endure

• it is more heroic and difficult to resist an enemy or suffer an evil than to attack an evil

Fortitude is especially manifested in unexpected events

Fortitude will be necessary, not only to achieve victory over the enemy, but also to endure the passive purgations sent by God

Vices Opposed to FortitudeDefect

• cowardice – refusal to suffer necessary hardships

Excess

• fearlessness – insensitivity to fear

• recklessness – disdain of prudent judgment

Magnanimity• Definition – a virtue which inclines

one to perform some great and honorable act presupposes an advanced soul person is not envious does not give himself to many

actions, but few important and great actions

• Vices opposed presumption – attempts actions that

are beyond one’s strength or ability ambition – seeks honors which he

does not merit vainglory – seeks fame or popularity pusillanimity – unreasonable lack of

confidence in oneself

Magnificence

• Definition – inclines one to take on great projects without getting disheartened by magnitude of project or great expenses associated with it differs from magnanimity in that it

involves a material construction project

it is a virtue which should characterize the wealthy

• Vices opposed Meanness – holding back on

the expenditure out of proportion to cost of project

Wastefulness – expenditure of money far in excess of what is required by project

Patience

• Definition – enables one to bear sufferings without sadness and dejection. many souls suffer but do not receive

merit because they bear them without patience

to have merit, one must have proper manner of bearing and for the proper motives

• Motives for patience conformity to will of God calling to mind the sufferings of

Christ and Mary reparation for our sins co-operating with Christ to apply

fruits of redemption (Col. 1:24) eternity of happiness

• Degrees of patience resignation w/o complaining peace and serenity w/o sadness sweet acceptance for love of God complete joy for association with

sufferings of Christ preferring suffering to pleasure

(folly of the Cross)

• Opposing Vices impatience – manifesting itself by

anger and complaining insensibility (hardness of heart)

Longanimity• Definition – virtue which strengthens

man to strive for a good which is temporally a long way off

Perseverance

• Definition – inclines a person to continue in the practice of the good despite the difficulties associated with the continuance of the action lifelong fidelity in the practice of any

virtue requires the virtue of perseverance

distinction from the grace of final perseverance

Constancy• Definition – it is the virtue which

strengthens the soul against some external obstacle. Perseverance is related, but it strengthens the soul in the face of fidelity for a long time

• Opposing virtues to Constancy and perseverance

* inconstancy (effiminancy) – giving up the practice of a virtue as soon as a difficulty or obstacles presents itself

* pertinacity – obstinancy in the refusal to cease a given effort when right reason requires it

Means of Growth in Fortitude Pray constantly for fortitude Foresee difficulties which will be

encountered along the path of virtue Accept with generosity the little difficulties of

daily life Meditate frequently on the Passion of Christ Intensify one’s love of God

• Amor Christi urget nos!

II. The Gift of Fortitude

Definition“...a supernatural habit which

strengthens the soul for the practice, under the movement of the Holy Ghost, of every type of virtue, with invincible confidence of overcoming any dangers or difficulties that may arise” (Royo, 474).

As with all the gifts, the soul’s powers are elevated to a divine plane and the soul does not reason but acts by a kind of instinctive interior impulse from the Holy Spirit

One of the clearest distinctive characteristics of the operation of the Gift of Fortitude is the confidence of success the soul experiences

The Gift of Fortitude is often necessary for the preservation of the state of grace when the soul is besieged by a sudden and intense temptation.

The Gift of Fortitude purifies the virtue of fortitude by removing from it all traces of fear and indecisiveness

Effects of the Gift of Fortitude (Royo, 476-477)gives soul relentless vigor in the

practice of virtueovercomes completely all

lukewarmness in the service of Godsoul is made fearless before every

kind of danger or enemy

souls are enabled to suffer extreme pain with patience and joy• practice of the “folly of the Cross”

soul is given the quality of heroism in all things, great and small• Death by “pinpricks”

Vices Opposed to the Gift of Fortitude timidity sloth

Means of ProgressFulfilling constantly our duties exactly

despite the repugnance we may feelTo pray, not for the removal of our

crosses, but for the strength to carry themTo practice voluntary mortification with

fidelityFervent and frequent reception of Holy

Communion for strength

III. The Virtue of Temperance

Temperance in ItselfDefinition: “...a supernatural

habit which moderates inclination to sense pleasures, especially those related to touch and taste, keeping them within the limits of reason enlightened by faith” (Royo, 482).

• It resides in the concupiscible appetite and controls its movements

• It is one of the most important virtues of the spiritual life in that it regulates the two most vehement instincts of human nature associated with the preservation of life: taste touch, especially associated with

sexual function

Opposed VicesExcess

• intemperance – surpassing the limits of reason concerning taste and touch

Defect• insensibility – avoiding even the

legitimate pleasures necessary and associated with the preservation of life without right reason

Parts of Temperance Integral Parts (integrate virtue and facilitate its

exercise)• sense of shame

not so much a virtue as a passion or feeling

it causes us to fear the embarrassment or confusion which follows the performance of a base action

St. Thomas says that it belongs especially to the young who are only moderately virtuous as the wicked have no shame and those who are advanced aren’t inclined to any base action

• sense of honor an appreciation for the dignity and spiritual

beauty associated with being temperate Subjective parts (species)

• Taste Abstinence – moderate use of nourishment

according to reason enlightened by faith Proper act – fasting Vice opposed – gluttony Sobriety – moderate use of intoxicating drinks Vice opposed – drunkenness

• Touch chastity – moderates the desire for

venereal pleasures according to one’s state in life

purity – moderates external acts which prepare for sexual union

external acts vary with one’s particular state

vices opposed – lust internal lust – thoughts, desires

internal lust – thoughts, desires external lust – incomplete exterior acts external lust – completed exterior acts virginity – resolute will to preserve one’s

integrity of body by abstaining from all voluntary venereal pleasure

true virginity must be ratified by a vow perfect chastity is the preservation from

deliberate venereal pleasure but not ratified by a vow

Potential Parts (related virtues)

• continence – strengthens will in order to resist the disordered vehemence of the passions when they arise perfect chastity differs from continence in

that the former controls the passions in such a manner that such vehement passions do not arise

importance of resisting first movement of passion

vice opposed – incontinence

• meekness – moderation of the passion of anger meekness resides in the irascible appetite anger is a passion and as such is amoral,

neither good or bad there is a tendency to allow anger to

determine one’s actions and move beyond justice and charity

meekness enables an individual to use anger within the just limits of charity and justice, as manifested by Jesus in cleansing the Temple and during His Passion

• Clemency – inclines the person in authority to mitigate a punishment according to right reason motivated by kindness which

does not neglect the demands of justice

opposed vices are cruelty, brutality, and excessive leniency

• Modesty – inclines one to conduct his interior and exterior movements and mode of dress in accord with his proper state of life and position in society modesty moderates the tendency of a

person to promote one’s own excellence this is combated with the virtue of humility

(cf. handout on humility) the vice opposed to humility is pride modesty moderates the desire for

knowledge

excessive or disordered desire for knowledge is combated by the virtue of studiousness

the vices opposed to studiousness are vain curiosity and sloth/negligence

modesty moderates bodily movements and actions

such are combated by modesty of action and eutrapalia

the vices opposed to eutrapalia are inordinate/excessive recreation and excessive austerity

modesty moderates the movements relating to dress

As has been seen, the Gift of Fear is ordered primarily to the Virtue of Hope and secondarily to the virtue of Temperance.

• The Gift of Fear helps man to avoid those things which are offensive to God and to which man is principally inclined by the flesh

• God comes to man’s aid with the Gift of Fear in order that the pleasures of the senses can be perfectly controlled.

IV. The Gift of Fear

V. The Virtue of Humility

Definition: “It is a virtue derived from temperance which inclines an individual to restrain the inordinate desire for his own excellence, giving him a true evaluation of his smallness and misery before God” (Royo, 490). humility resides in the irascible appetite

even though it derives from temperance which resides in the concupiscible appetite

Basis of humilityThe ultimate foundation of humility is

a comparison of oneself with the infinite perfections of God

• humility is thus closely connected with the theological virtues and the virtue of religion

Humility is based upon truth and justice

• truth gives a knowledge of ourselves and recognition that anything good in us comes from God

• justice requires that we give God all honor and glory for what is good in us

A Fundamental VirtueIt is not the most excellent, but it is

fundamental in the negative sense of removing the obstacles to reception of grace• ut removens prohibens• humility removes the obstacles and

faith establishes contact with God

Degrees of Virtue of Humility (cf. Royo pp. 492-493) St. Benedict

• fear of God and recognition of his precepts• not to desire to follow one’s own will• to subject oneself by obedience to a superior• patiently to embrace through obedience difficult

and painful things• to recognize and confess one’s own defects• to believe and admit that one is unworthy and

useless

• to believe and admit that one is the most vile and wretched of all

• to subject oneself in all things to the common life and to avoid singularity

• not to speak without being addressed• to speak in few words and in a humble

tone of voice• not to be easily disposed to laughter• to keep one’s eyes cast downward

St. Anselm• to acknowledge oneself as worthy of disdain• to grieve at one’s unworthiness because of

one’s defect• to confess one’s unworthiness• to convince others of one’s unworthiness• to bear patiently that others say of us that we

are unworthy• to allow oneself to be treated with contempt• to rejoice in being treated with contempt

St. Bernard• sufficient humility: to subject oneself to

superiors and not prefer oneself to one’s equals

• abundant humility: to subject oneself to one’s equals and not to prefer oneself to one’s inferiors

• superabundant humility: to subject oneself to one’s inferiors

St. Ignatius

• necessary humility: one humble himself as much as possible, so that in all things he obeys the law of God to point that even if he could become Lord of all creation he would never commit a mortal sin

• perfect humility: one does not care to have riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long life rather than a short life, as long as one can serve God so faithfully that he would not commit a deliberate venial sin for all the world

• most perfect humility: one prefers to be poor with Christ, to suffer opprobrium with Christ, and to be considered a fool with Christ, rather than to be wealthy or honored or considered wise by the world

The Vice of PrideDefinition: A disordered desire

for one’s own excellence. It is the mother of all sins

Principal manifestations of pride (cf. Summa Theologica IIaIIae, Q. 162, a. 4)• to think that one’s gifts and talents are

from oneself• to believe that the gifts of God are due

strictly to one’s own merits• to boast of possessing that which one

does not have• to despise others and wish to appear the

exclusive possessor of that which one has