Virtue – a MUST

I feel like I’m constantly either writing or talking about virtue, but nearly everyday, I realize that we all need to hear about virtue more and more.  Virtue is vital to living a Christ-centered life.  What is virtue?  In short, virtue means manliness (from the Latin virtus).  Maybe that doesn’t make sense… how can Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance mean manliness?  They don’t – they mean what they mean.  It’s the opposite – manliness means possessing the virtues.  Does that mean that in order to be manly a man must be virtuous?

Precisely!  Authentic [true] manliness (the whole point of this website!) is living virtue!  Plain and simple.  Alright, so how do I know if I’m virtuous (or manly)?  Take the test; the definition is “Virtue is the habitual and firm disposition to do the good.”  You can’t partially possess virtue – it’s all or none.  The test: do I perform the virtue as a habit while also doing it promptly, easily, consistently and with joy?  If not, you don’t have that particular virtue.  If so, then you do.

If you want to grow in virtue, it takes two things: 1. Grace and 2. Practice.  The grace part isn’t up to you, but the practice part is.  If you want to grow in virtue, practice makes perfect!  Ask God for opportunities to practice each virtue.  If you ask (sincerely), He’ll give you the opportunity.  Try it, you’ll see.  I recommend that you think long and hard about which virtue you need/want to work on the most (and soon!) and ask God for it.  (I’d like to know how this works out for you – please keep me posted via comments or emails.)

So, then does that mean that women can’t be virtuous, or shouldn’t even try to be?  No, not at all.  And it doesn’t mean that a woman who is virtuous is manly.  In the case of women, they should also be striving for virtue, which also means character, excellence, valor, etc.  Women grow in virtue the same way men do, through grace and practice.

For a more concise explanation, check out the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1803-1845.

“The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.” – St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Man up!