Introduction: The Virtues of a Holy Life

Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good. CCC #1804

I've been a blogger for a long time. The topic I always return to, and which probably annoys my readers, is speaking up. If you believe in something, stand for it because—the old cliché puts it best—if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. I can't think of a worst reason to fall than because you never had anything to hold onto for balance.

Here at Mary's Compass, we stand for the Truth—Jesus, and we get to know a lot about him from his mother. What we want more than anything from our ministry is to inspire readers to stand for worthwhile things. We want to teach young people—not just girls, even though the blog is admittedly very feminine in nature—the great satisfaction that comes from knowing the firm truth. You won't make it very far without an anchor, and what better anchor than Jesus?

We want to inspire the next generation of saints and speakers. If we don't pass a message of hope onto our own generation, how will the one after know hope at all? We believe there's a better path--it's just that this path looks different for everyone. We all fight our own battles, each stage of life involving unique struggle. However, the Narrow Path always consists of a mortal soul aspiring for traits that make them holier. It involves blood, sweat, and tears--which is why people tend to avoid the Narrow Path; they think it's a really bad thing, and that those following said path only want to inflict more suffering on themselves than necessary.

(Those traits can be found in the Beatitudes and in the Virtues as taught in the Catechism.)

To be more specific, we at Mary's Compass want to teach you what it means to aspire for holiness. Yes, it might be painful to put these traits into action. Don't lose hope, for this pain will lead to beautiful things. It's worth it!

To know what we're talking about in this blog, you might want a Bible (preferrably NAB or RSV) and a Catechism. You could also just search for things on the web, or we'll post links to what we're referencing if it's a long excerpt and it's available online.

This post is an introduction, so you know what we're covering.

What is virtue, you ask?

Virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do good. CCC #1833

Good involves aspiring for the traits I mentioned earlier. These traits can be applied to all aspects of life--and they should be. It isn't just another list of things not to do. We know and want to tell you: Life will  have true happiness if you start living them out. They'll demand a lot of change, because what's better isn't by any means easier. This is why people tend to choose the easy path, only to reach the end broken and miserable. While the Narrow Path involves blood, sweat, tears, we will become works of art. We'll have let God perfect us.

The human virtues are stable dispositions of the intellect and the will that govern our acts, order our passions, and guide our conduct in accordance with reason and faith. They can be grouped around the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. CCC #1834

There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. They inform all the moral virtues and give life to them. CCC #1841 

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon Christians are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. CCC #1845

Confusing? We'll talk about these more, so it doesn't sound like a checklist. When lived out, you'll find they all come together into one thing: Holiness.

Chastity is emphasized by a lot of Christians. As a result, people forget there are other qualities that need attention as well. Of course it's important, and everyone needs to work on it—don't stop teaching about chastity—but if you're not telling kids in youth groups about the whole package, chastity will be a lot harder to carry out. It's all balance to paint a beautiful picture; too much blue will drown out the other colors that make a person unique.

If only youth leaders would teach about the other qualities, too! Young people should also start reading up on these things. There's more to life than chastity, even though it's important. We cannot achieve chastity without first observing the virtues, because it is actually a Gift of the Holy Spirit (which we will also cover) and,

They [the Gifts of the Holy Spirit] complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. CCC 1831

Finally, the Catechism lists charity as the greatest of the Virtues:

"If I . . . have not charity," says the Apostle [Paul], "I am nothing." Whatever my privilege, service, or even virtue, "if I . . . have not charity, I gain nothing."103 Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the theological virtues: "So faith, hope, charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity."104 

The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which "binds everything together in perfect harmony";105 it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love. CCC 1826-1827

So you'll be seeing a lot on the Beatitudes, Virtues, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Taking up examples from all over the world, we will show them lived out in their finest, because they lead to a life of holiness--and a holy life is a happy one. Think of yourself as a sculpture, and each of these traits can only come from God molding you to perfection--as CS Lewis put so beautifully in Mere Christianity:

And this is precisely what Christianity is about. This world is a great sculptor's shop. We are the statues and there is a rumour going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.

The pain that comes from correcting one's faults--that's how we come to life. That's how we become perfect. We should aspire to perfection--nobody is perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't try to be the best we can be.

No one blogging here pretends to be perfect, even though we've taken on this project. We are improving even as we write all these entries. We aren't afraid of questions--feel free to ask us, if any come up. One thing is for certain: Virtue is a happy life, leading to holiness, and holiness makes saints.

Thank you for reading, and there will be more soon!
-Mariella (Visit Website)