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Human Virtues
By: St. Jose Maria Escriva
Human Virtues
Once a person is striving to improve in the human virtues, his heart is already very close to Christ.
If he is a Christian, he will realize that the theological virtues (faith, hope and charity), and all the other virtues which God's grace brings with it, are an encouragement never to neglect the good qualities he shares with so many of his fellow men.
The human virtues are, I insist, the foundation for the supernatural ones. These in turn provide us with constant encouragement to behave as good human beings.
In either case, it is not sufficient merely to want to have these virtues. We have to learn how to practice them. Discite benefacere, learn to do good.
We need to make a habit of exercising each virtue, by actually being sincere, truthful, balanced, calm and patient... for love is proved by deeds and we cannot love God only by word, but 'with deeds and in truth'.
When a Christian fights to acquire these virtues, his soul is preparing to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit fruitfully. In this way his good human qualities are strengthened by the motions of the Paraclete in his soul.
The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the soul's sweet guest, pours out his gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and the fear of the Lord.
Then, one experiences joy and peace, a joyous peace, an interior rejoicing that goes hand in hand with the human virtue of cheerfulness.
At the very moment when everything seems to be collapsing before our eyes, we realize that quite the opposite is true, 'because you, Lord, are my strength'.
If God is dwelling in our soul, everything else, no matter how important it may seem, is accidental and transitory, whereas we, in God, stand permanent and firm.
Through the gift of piety, the Holy Spirit helps us to realize with certainty that we are children of God. And, being children of God, how can we be sad?
Sadness is the end product of selfishness. If we truly want to live for God, we will never lack cheerfulness, even when we discover our errors and wretchedness. Cheerfulness finds its way into our life of prayer, so much so that we cannot help singing for joy.
For we are in love, and singing is a thing that lovers do.
Excerpted from Friends of God
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