Virtue of the Month

"A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows a person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1803). Virtues are good desires and good actions practiced daily. We use are minds, hearts, bodies, and souls when we intentionally do good. A virtue is a demonstration of how much we love God and others.  

Through living virtuous living we accomplish the purpose for which we were made: “to know God, love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.” (Baltimore Catechism Vol. 2, p.9). “With God's help, they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1810). 

Living virtuously is the way to live your most fulfilled and complete life. Living virtuously leads to leading a life of integrity. Your actions, thoughts, desires do not contradict in themselves, nor with God's will and Truth. It is the way to live the happiest and most peace-filled life possible--through which, in part, you become united to God the Son, God the Father, and God the Spirit. 

We strive to live virtuously because we seek to imitate truth, love, and life itself--Jesus Christ--as he commanded us to do. We seek to become “like-gods”, as St. Peter writes in his epistle. “The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.” (St. Gregory of Nyssa, De beatitudinibus, 1: PG 44, 1200D). We seek to become little Christ’s by living as He did. 

As St. Paul tells us, living virtuously is also a way in which you bring Christ to others. Christ Himself taught us that when you act virtuously towards others, in reality you are acting virtuously towards Him. Sacred Scripture also informs us that through our faith and righteous actions Christ lives amongst us.

1. Reflect on this: 

What if I told you, you may have not experienced true happiness--yet? Ask yourself: How am I living my life? How is that working out for me? Am I truly happy? Do I want to be happy? Why? 

Even if just for a moment, have you felt like something is missing, making you feel incomplete? You may have quickly dismissed this, and then moved on with your life in pursuit of that one thing--happiness. I ask that at this moment, do not dismiss it. Engage with it. Ask yourself the tough question: Am I truly happy? Write that question down on a piece of paper or a Post-it note in big, bold letters. Place that paper in a prominent place in your home. Place it where you will be forced to read it and encounter it multiple times a day. Throughout the week write down any thoughts concerning that question in a notebook, journal, computer document, or piece of paper that you will not throw away.   

Now commit to following this rabbit down the hole. Commit right now to finding the meaning of true happiness and acquiring it. Continue to reflect on your life and your happiness throughout the following weeks.